Chapter XXIV - The Punic-Sesonic War (135 - 134 BC) In 136 BC,
16 years of peace since the Punic War had not eradicated the
roman resentments towards Carthage. Rather the opposite. In this
period, Carthage had managed to maintain peace, secure control
over its territory and increase social stability within its
realm. Fig. 27: Carthage in 136 BC Even more irritating must
have been, that it rebuild its armed forces including a navy,
that continuously grew in strength(109). This, together with the
fact, that Carthage still controlled the islands in the western
Mediterranean, increased Rome`s mistrusts about the renewed
bipolarity in the region. Rome`s worries climaxed, when it
learned about a Carthaginian Alliance with the Gaul tribe of the
Senones(110). Since the last Gaul War in the year 160 BC, the
Senones had subdued the last independent tribes in today`s
Normandy and Bretagne and now controlled vast areas within Gaul.
Fig. 28: Gaul in 136 BC Obviously, this Alliance was directed
versus Rome and a potent thr