Page "Punic Wars" Paragraph 7

According to Polybius there had been several trade agreements between Rome and Carthage, even a mutual alliance against king Pyrrhus of Epirus.

When Rome and Carthage made peace in 241 BC, Rome secured the release of all 8, 000 prisoners of war without ransom and, furthermore, received a considerable amount of silver as a war indemnity.

However, Carthage refused to deliver to Rome the Roman deserters serving among their troops.

A first issue for dispute was that the initial treaty, agreed upon by Hamilcar Barca and the Roman commander in Sicily, had a clause stipulating that the Roman popular assembly had to accept the treaty in order for it to be valid.

The assembly not only rejected the treaty but increased the indemnity Carthage had to pay.