[ConorMacNessa]

An excellent find indeed, SunkenCiv! Over a half century since I studied Latin, I still can't remember, or maybe never knew, why they are referred to as the "Punic Wars" rather than the "Carthaginian Wars."

No matter, "Carthago delenda est!"



America demands Justice for the Fallen of Benghazi!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[SunkenCiv]

The Romans lucked into a beached, abandoned Carthaginian ship, took it apart piece by piece, reproduced it in quantity, and built their first navy. Naturally, it came as a surprise to the Carthaginians. Having their asses handed to them also came as a surprise to the Carthaginians.

It should also be pointed out that the Carthaginian armies and navies were almost entirely made up of mercenaries; the aristocracy served as the leaders and rulers of the society, and everyone else was either devoted to trades and commerce or were slaves.

[TheOldLady]

So we’d have a Latin root for the word, “punitive?”