The diplomatic crisis between Rome and Carthago and the snap of the Second Punic War/ La crisis diplomática Romano-Cartaginesa y el estallido de la segunda guerra púnica

After their defeat in the First Punic War, the Carthaginians, led by the Barcids, initiated the extension of their domains in Spain. Their movements did not slip by the Romans, who developed a series of diplomatic maneuvers. The first possible contact with Hamilcar was followed by an agreement with his successor Hasdrubal. Unlike these measures, that would have favored a climate of dialog between both powers, the approximation of Rome to Sagunto, and Hannibal's assault against the second one, produced unleashed tensions that finally culminate with the declaration of a new conflict. The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of the diplomatic relationships between Rome and Carthage during the interwar period, paying special attention to their motivations, premeditation and efficiency, as well as to the perceptions that they could provoke in both sides.