The primary cause of the First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the conflict over control of the strategic island of Sicily, particularly the city of Messana (Messina). The war was sparked when the Mamertines, a group of mercenaries who had taken control of Messana, sought help first from Carthage and then from Rome. Carthage initially helped by establishing a garrison in Messana, but when the Mamertines sought Roman protection and expelled the Carthaginian garrison, Rome intervened militarily. This drew both powers into direct conflict as Rome feared a Carthaginian stronghold so close to Italy, and both sought to dominate the important Mediterranean trade routes and regions. This rivalry was further inflamed by tensions over Sicily, with Syracuse and other powers aligned against or with either Rome or Carthage, leading to the outbreak of the war.
