By the end of the Second Punic War, the Romans so hated the Carthaginians that they wanted to destroy it. The story is told that when they finally had their revenge winning the Third Punic War, the Romans salted the fields so the Carthaginians could no longer live there.
By 201 B.C., the end of the Second Punic War (the war where Hannibal and his elephants crossed the Alps), Carthage no longer had her empire, but she was still a shrewd trading nation. By the middle of the second century Carthage was thriving and it was hurting the trade of those Romans who had investments in North Africa.
Marcus Cato, a respected senator, began to clamor "Carthago delenda est!" "Carthage must be destroyed!"
Meanwhile, tribes neighboring Carthage knew that according to the treaty between Carthage and Rome, if Carthage overstepped the line drawn in the sand, it would be interpreted as an act of aggression against Rome. These neighbors took advantage of this reason to feel secure and made hasty raids into Carthaginian territory, knowing their victims couldn't pursue them.
Eventually, Carthage could stand these incursions no longer. In 149 they armed themselves and went after the Numidians.
Rome declared war on the basis of the broken treaty.
Although Carthage didn't stand a chance, the war was drawn out for three years. Eventually a descendant of Scipio Africanus, Scipio Aemilianus, defeated the starved citizens of the besieged city of Carthage. After killing or selling all the inhabitants into slavery, the Romans razed (possibly salting the land) and burned the city. No one was allowed to live there.* Cato's motto had been carried out.
More of this feature:
Carthago delenda est. First Punic War
Carthago delenda est. Second Punic War
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http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_3d_punic.htm
Third Punic War
This feature is © 1998-2003 N.S. Gill.
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*The Romans later built a new city of Carthage.
Some Primary Sources on the Third Punic War
Polybius
2.1, 13, 36; 3.6-15, 17, 20-35, 39-56; 4.37. Livy
21. 1-21.
Dio Cassius 12.48, 13
Diodorus Siculus 24.1-16.
