<Li> 1st Mt Eryx </Li> <Li> 2nd Mt Eryx </Li> <P> The First Punic War (264--241 BC) was fought partly on land in Sicily and Africa, but was largely a naval war . It began as a local conflict in Sicily between Hiero II of Syracuse and the Mamertines of Messina . The Mamertines enlisted the aid of the Carthaginian navy, and subsequently betrayed them by entreating the Roman Senate for aid against Carthage . The Romans sent a garrison to secure Messina, so the outraged Carthaginians then lent aid to Syracuse . Tensions quickly escalated into a full - scale war between Carthage and Rome for the control of Sicily . </P> <P> After a harsh defeat at the Battle of Agrigentum in 262 BC, the Carthaginian leadership resolved to avoid further direct land - based engagements with the powerful Roman legions, and concentrate on the sea where they believed Carthage's large navy had the advantage . Initially the Carthaginian navy prevailed . In 260 BC, they defeated the fledgling Roman navy at the Battle of the Lipari Islands . Rome responded by drastically expanding its navy in a very short time . Within two months, the Romans had a fleet of over one hundred warships . </P>

Why did carthage and rome declare war on one another in 264 bce
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