During the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, the Mediterranean world saw a series of three wars between the growing powers of the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian Empire. Carthage, a city state in North Africa, wanted to maintain and grow its large trade empire while Rome, expanding in Italy, saw Carthage as a hinderance to growth. A dispute over control of the island of Sicily ignited the First Punic War in 264 BC which saw Rome become a naval power and unexpectedly defeat Carthage. In the Second Punic War that lasted from 218 - 202 BC, Carthage's new military commander Hannibal Barca sought to conquer Rome itself but instead ended up surrendering when Carthage itself was threatened. After waging the two earlier wars, Carthage was a shadow of its former prestige and Rome wiped out the city for good in the Third Punic War between 149 - 146 BC. The Punic Wars left Rome the dominant power in the Mediterranean which would soon spread across Europe.