Why did the Romans fight the Punic Wars?

A:The Carthaginians and Macedonians allied to invade northern Italy.

B:The Carthaginians held a monopoly over Mediterranean trade.

C:The Carthaginians sponsored pirate raids that disrupted Roman trade.

D:The Carthaginians were the major rival to Rome's territorial expansion.

The correct answer is D. The Carthaginians were the major rival to Rome's territorial expansion.

Explanation

The Punic Wars were a set of wars between the Roman Empire in and city-state Cartago in the Mediterranean Sea between the year 264 B. C. and 146 B. C. Basically the Punic Wars were caused by the expansion of Rome in the Carthaginians colonies in the Mediterranean islands mainly Sicily, as the Carthaginians became an obstacle and rival for the Roman Empire to expand their territory. Indeed, at the beginning of the Punic Wars Roma was an emergent society and Cartago was an established city-state, but when the wars ended this situation was reversed because Roma got the maximum influence in the Mediterranean. So, the correct answer is D. The Carthaginians were the major rival to Rome's territorial expansion.

D:The Carthaginians were the major rival to Rome's territorial expansion.

More specifically they controlled parts of Sicily which Rome wanted to expand into.