![Roman general Scipio Aemilianus running the plough over the site of Carthage with salt after defeating it in the Third Punic War, 146 BC. In ancient times, salting the earth, or sowing Roman general Scipio Aemilianus running the plough over the site of Carthage with salt after defeating it in the Third Punic War, 146 BC. In ancient times, salting the earth, or sowing](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2H3772K/roman-general-scipio-aemilianus-running-the-plough-over-the-site-of-carthage-with-salt-after-defeating-it-in-the-third-punic-war-146-bc-in-ancient-times-salting-the-earth-or-sowing-with-salt-was-the-ritual-of-spreading-salt-in-the-soil-of-conquered-land-by-the-conquerors-in-order-to-prevent-crops-from-growing-again-and-so-ensuring-the-conquered-never-rebuilt-from-cassells-illustrated-universal-history-published-1883-2H3772K.jpg)
Roman general Scipio Aemilianus running the plough over the site of Carthage with salt after defeating it in the Third Punic War, 146 BC. In ancient times, salting the earth, or sowing
![Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt? - The Straight Dope Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt? - The Straight Dope](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ef897df/2147483647/strip/true/crop/300x217+0+0/resize/840x608!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FvX4i7_IqVATuZ2_whdXS19qH6sM%3D%2F0x0%3A300x217%2F300x217%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28150x108%3A151x109%29%3Ano_upscale%28%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F20536452%2F070316.gif)
Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt? - The Straight Dope
![Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt? - The Straight Dope Did ancient conquerors punish their enemies by sowing captured fields with salt? - The Straight Dope](https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e50e28c/2147483647/strip/false/crop/300x217+0+0/resize/300x217!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FvX4i7_IqVATuZ2_whdXS19qH6sM%3D%2F0x0%3A300x217%2F300x217%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28150x108%3A151x109%29%3Ano_upscale%28%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F20536452%2F070316.gif)