How many years did it take for rome to expand the empire to include all of the Mediterranean?

Rome took several centuries to expand its empire to encompass the entire Mediterranean region. The process began in earnest during the Punic Wars against Carthage, starting in 264 BCE, and continued through various conquests and annexations until around 146 BCE, when Carthage was destroyed and the Roman Republic had effectively secured control over the western Mediterranean. By the time of Augustus in the late 1st century BCE, Rome had solidified its dominance over the eastern Mediterranean as well, marking the completion of its expansion across the entire Mediterranean basin. Overall, this expansion took approximately 400 years.