Editing Cato the Elder (section)

====In the Punic Wars====
[[File:Heinrich Leutemann - Hannibals Übergang über die Alpen (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps|Hannibal and his men crossing the Alps]]]]
When Cato was very young, after his father's death, he inherited a small property in [[Sabine]] territory, at a distance from his native town. There, he spent most of his childhood overseeing the operations of the farm, learning business and the rural economy. Near this land was a small hut owned by [[Manius Curius Dentatus]], whose military feats and rigidly simple character were remembered and admired in the neighborhood. Cato was inspired to imitate that character, hoping to match the glory of Dentatus.

Soon an opportunity came for a military campaign. In 218 BC [[Hannibal|Hannibal Barca]] attacked one of Rome's allies, starting the [[Second Punic War]]. Experts express some disagreement about Cato's early military life. In 214, he served at [[Capua]], and the historian Wilhelm Drumann imagines that already, at the age of 20, he was a [[military tribune]].<ref>Wilhelm Drumann, ''Geschichte Roms'' (History of Rome), v. p. 99, 6 Bde. Königsberg 1834–1844.</ref> [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus]] had the command in this area, [[Campania]], during the year of his fourth consulship. 

At the siege of [[Taranto|Tarentum]], in 209, Cato was again at the side of Fabius. Two years later, Cato was one of the men who went with the consul Claudius Nero on his northern march from [[Lucania]] to check the progress of [[Hasdrubal Barca]]. It is recorded that the services of Cato contributed to the decisive and important victory of Sena at the [[Battle of Metaurus|Battle of the Metaurus]], where Hasdrubal was slain.

Cato later gave several vehement speeches, which he often ended by saying "''[[Carthago delenda est]]''", or "Carthage must be destroyed."<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Life of Cato the Elder'', 27.</ref> He encouraged the Romans to attack [[Carthage]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}}