The Phoenician Wars were waged between Carthago and Roma. Roma dubbed this war the Bellum Punicum or, although less used, the Bellum Phoenicum, referring to Phoenicia, where Dido, the first queen of Carthago, had lived. Over time, this Latin name was replaced by the Carthaginian translation of it. Roma had declared war on Carthago in 264 BC, because the Mamertines wanted help and assistance. They had first asked Carthago, but, maybe because they didn't want Carthaginian oppression (a Carthaginian garrison), they asked Roma. And after a long debate, Roma accepted, and went to war with Carthago. Another possible and likely reason was, that Roma didn't want any more Carthaginian influence on Sicilianu (Sicily), because after Carthago managed to deal with the Mamertines, they could deal with t