The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 BC to 146 BC. In the first Punic War (264-241 BC), Rome defeated Carthage in a long struggle for control of Sicily. The second Punic War (218-201 BC) saw Hannibal invade Italy by crossing the Alps with his war elephants. Although Hannibal won several major victories in Italy, he was unable to capture Rome itself. Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal in North Africa at the Battle of Zama, ending the war in Roman victory. In the third Punic War (149-146 BC), Rome attacked and destroyed the city of Carthage, selling its surviving inhabitants