All the cities and provinces which they
possessed in Africa previously to the war, they were indeed permitted to
Retain, but they were stripped of Spain, and of all the islands in the
Mediterranean; all their ships of war, except ten galleys, were to be
delivered up to the Romans; and, for the future, they were not to maintain
above that number at one time: even the size of their fishing boats and of
their trading vessels was regulated. In the course of fifty years ten
thousand talents were to be paid to the Romans. During a short truce which
preceded the peace, the Carthaginians had seized and plundered a Roman
squadron, which had been dispersed by a storm, and driven near Carthage; as
a satisfaction for this, they were obliged to pay the Romans 25,000 pounds
weight of silver. The successful termination of the second Punic war gave
to the Romans complete dominion of the sea, on which they maintained
generally 100 galleys. Commerce flourished, particularly that most
important branch, the trade in corn, with which Rome, at this period, is
said to have been so plentifully furnished, that the merchants paid their
seamen with it.
The power of the Romans at sea was now so well established, that no foreign
power could hope to attack, or resist them, unless they were expert
navigators, as well as furnished with a numerous fleet. Under this
impression, Philip king of Macedon, who had long been jealous and afraid of
them, applied himself sedulously to maritime affairs.
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