Why should Carthage have been destroyed?

“Carthago delenda est.” “Carthage must be destroyed” — with these words Marcus Porcius Cato ended every speech in the Roman Senate. In his early youth, he managed to participate in the Second Punic War. Cato had a successful military career, rising to the position of quaestor — assistant consul. This position required at least ten years of military service. After the end of the Second Punic War, he was elected to civilian positions, first as aedile and then as praetor. Cato governed the province of Sardinia, then suppressed the Iberian rebellion in Spain. For his victory over the…