At its height in the 3rd century BCE, Carthage controlled approximately 0.5–1 million km², dominating the western Mediterranean through a network of coastal territories, colonies, and maritime trade routes. Its influence stretched from North Africa, centered on Carthage, to southern Iberia, Sardinia, Corsica, and parts of Sicily, with additional reach extending to key ports such as Gades near the Atlantic. Unlike land-based empires, Carthage relied on naval supremacy and commercial power, establishing a vast trading network that connected the Mediterranean with the Atlantic world and made it one of the most formidable rivals of Rome.