Unlike Carthage, there is a land connection between us and the Greeks which is currently held by Illyria. Theoretically, the Greeks could just plow through and show up on Patavium's doorstep one day. That makes them all the more dangerous.

Not to mention there is always the question of money. Surely the controlling of both sides of the Adriatic Sea, as well as possibly one side of the Aegean Sea (we have good relations with those on the other side, do we not?) would definitely turn us into a force to be reckoned with in terms of the size of our coffers.