Carthage, a colony of the Phoeni'cians, was built on the coast of Africa, near the place where Tunis now stands, about a hundred and thirty-seven years before the foundation of Rome.7.As it had been long growing into power, so it had extended its dominions all along the coasts: but its chief strength lay in its fleets and commerce.

8.
Thus circumstanced, these two great powers began what is called the First Punic war.

The Carthagin'ians were possessed of gold and silver, which might be exhausted; the Romans were famous for perseverance, patriotism, and poverty, which gathered strength by every defeat.
9.

But there seemed to be an insurmountable obstacle to the ambitious views of Rome, as they had no fleet, or at least none that deserved the title; while the Carthagin'ians had the entire command at sea, and kept all the maritime towns in obedience.[1] 10.

In such a situation, under disadvantages which nature seemed to have imposed, any people but the Romans would have rested; but nothing could conquer or intimidate them.11.A Carthagin'ian vessel happened to be driven on shore, in a storm, and this was sufficient to serve as a model.