The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage between 264 and 146 BCE. The main cause of the Punic Wars was the clash of interests between the existing Carthaginian Empire and the expanding Roman Republic. The First Punic War (264-241 BCE) was fought to establish control over the strategic islands of Corsica and Sicily. The immediate cause of the war was the issue of control of the independent Sicilian city-state of Messana. Carthage was the dominant power of the western Mediterranean, with an extensive maritime empire, while Rome was a rapidly expanding power in Italy, with a strong army but no navy. The interaction of these conflicting policies caused the two powers to stumble into war more by accident than design. The Second Punic War (218-201 BCE) began when Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, crossed the Alps with his army and invaded Italy from the north. The Third Punic War (149-146 BCE) involved an extended siege of Carthage, ending in the citys thorough destruction. The Punic Wars resulted in the destruction of Carthage, the enslavement of its population, and Roman hegemony over the western Mediterranean.