He is said to have exclaimed that Rome would now be mistress of the world; and the battle of Metaurus is generally accepted as decisive of the struggle between the two States.
The military situation which finally resulted in the battle of the Metaurus and the triumph of Rome may be summed up as follows: To overthrow Rome it was necessary to attack her in Italy at the heart of her power, and shatter the strongly linked confederacy of which she was the head.

This was the objective.

To reach it, the Carthaginians needed a solid base of operations and a secure line of communications.
The former was established in Spain by the genius of the great Barca family; the latter was never achieved.

There were two lines possible,--the one direct by sea, the other circuitous through Gaul.
The first was blocked by the Roman sea power, the second imperilled and finally intercepted through the occupation of northern Spain by the Roman army.

This occupation was made possible through the control of the sea, which the Carthaginians never endangered.