Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. This was the most costly ambush that the Romans ever sustained until the Battle of Carrhae against the Parthian Empire. Hannibal's military genius was not enough to really disturb the Roman political process and the collective political and military capacity of the Roman people. There early in August the Battle of Cannae (modern Monte di Canne) was fought. Historical events that led to the defeat of Carthage during the First Punic War when his father commanded the Carthaginian Army also led Hannibal to plan the invasion of Italy by land across the Alps. Late in 218 B.C., the Carthaginians again defeated the Romans on the left bank of the Trebia River, a victory that earned Hannibal the support of allies including the Gauls and Ligurians. Gill, N.S. With their foremost general defeated, the Carthaginians had no choice but to surrender. He then invaded North Africa, forcing Hannibal to withdraw his troops from southern Italy in 203 B.C. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Hannibal was distinguished for his ability to determine both his and his opponent's respective strengths and weaknesses, and to plan battles accordingly. His brothers-in-law were Hasdrubal the Fair and the Numidian king Naravas. [80] Prusias agreed, but the general was determined not to fall into his enemy's hands. In the meantime, the Romans hoped to gain success through sheer strength and weight of numbers, and they raised a new army of unprecedented size, estimated by some to be as large as 100,000 men, but more likely around 50,00080,000. Hannibal, discovering that the castle where he was living was surrounded by Roman soldiers and he could not escape, took poison. He was then 65 years old. In the story, Hannibal's father took him up and brought him to a sacrificial chamber. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. The Romans feared and hated him so much that they could not do him justice. When Phormio finished a discourse on the duties of a general, Hannibal was asked his opinion. Antiochus gave tacit support to Hannibal's plans of launching an anti-Roman coup d'tat in Carthage, yet it was not carried out. Hearing of this, Hannibal fled Carthage for Tyre in B.C.E. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Hannibals Early Life and Attack on Saguntum, https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/hannibal. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Tunisia's home and away kit for the 2022 FIFA World Cup was inspired by the Ksour Essef cuirass, a piece of body armor believed to be worn by Carthaginian soldiers under the command of Hannibal. He had indeed bitter enemies, and his life was one continuous struggle against destiny. As Polybius recounts, "he [Hannibal] calculated that, if he passed the camp and made a descent into the district beyond, Flaminius (partly for fear of popular reproach and partly of personal irritation) would be unable to endure watching passively the devastation of the country but would spontaneously follow him and give him opportunities for attack. Here they knelt and swept the temple-floors with their dishevelled hair and lifted up their hands to heaven in piteous entreaty to the gods that they would deliver the City of Rome out of the hands of the enemy and preserve its mothers and children from injury and outrage. As the Gauls attempted to block Hannibals crossing, Hannos force struck, scattering the Gauls and allowing the main body of the Carthaginian army to transit the Rhne unopposed. p. 174. The combination of these events marked the end to Hannibal's success in Italy. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-did-hannibal-die-118901 (accessed June 2, 2023). Hannibal constantly sought reinforcements from either Iberia or North Africa. No captain ever marched to and fro among so many armies of troops superior to his own numbers and material as fearlessly and skilfully as he. This strategy was unpopular with many Romans, who believed that it was a form of cowardice. It is a combination of the common Phoenician masculine given name Hanno with the Northwest Semitic Canaanite deity Baal (lit, "lord") a major god of the Carthaginians ancestral homeland of Phoenicia in Western Asia. He fought a series of successful battles until he reached (but did not destroy) the city of Rome. Starting in the spring of 218BC, he crossed the Pyrenees and reached the Rhne by conciliating the Gaulish chiefs along his passage before the Romans could take any measures to bar his advance, arriving at the Rhne in September. "[100] After Cannae, the Romans showed considerable steadfastness. [36] Other scholars have doubts, proposing that Hannibal took the easier route across Petit Mount Cenis. It is believed that his refusal to bring the war to Rome itself was due to a lack of commitment from Carthage of men, money, and materialprincipally siege equipment. Two of the greatest commanders of antiquity died in 183 BCE, 2200 years ago. Hannibal, by skilful manoeuvres, was in position to head him off, for he lay on the direct road between Placentia and Arminum, by which Sempronius would have to march to reinforce Scipio. Any bias attributed to Polybius, however, is more troublesome. the wide-spread use of the Greek language and conquests of Alexander the Great He succeeded, through prompt decision and speedy movement, in transporting his army to Italy by sea in time to meet Hannibal. Maximilian Otto Bismarck Caspari, in his article in the Encyclopdia Britannica Eleventh Edition (19101911), praises Hannibal in these words: As to the transcendent military genius of Hannibal there cannot be two opinions. Mischa Lecter was the youngest daughter of Count Lecter and Simonetta Sforza-Lecter, as well as the younger sister of Hannibal. Even though the location of Hannibal's tomb could not be determined precisely in the studies carried out due to Atatrk's great interest, a monumental cenotaph was built[when?] Hannibal was born in 247 B.C. Hannibal swiftly consolidated control in the region from the seaport base of Cartagena (New Carthage); he also married a Spanish princess. Born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835, Samuel Clemens moved to Hannibal, Missouri, a Mississippi River town, when he was four. History [] Ancestry []. However, only a few of the Italian city-states that he had expected to gain as allies defected to him. For the winter, Hannibal found comfortable quarters in the Apulian plain. The siege of Saguntum lasted eight months, and in it Hannibal was wounded. [74] The ensuing Battle of Myonessus resulted in a Roman-Rhodian victory, which cemented Roman control over the Aegean Sea, enabling them to launch an invasion of Seleucid Asia Minor. After losing a battle and seeing defeat in his future, Hannibal feared that he would be turned over to the Romans and fled to Bithynia: When Hannibal was in Bithynia (in modern-day Turkey), he helped Rome's enemies try to bring the city down, serving the Bithynian King Prusias as a naval commander. Biography Hannibal Barca Occupation: General Born: 247 BCE in Carthage, Tunisia Died: 183 BCE in Gebze, Turkey Best known for: Leading the army of Carthage across the Alps against Rome Biography: Hannibal Barca is considered one of the great generals of history. Appian writes that it was Prusias who poisoned Hannibal. Hannibal had his men tie burning torches to the horns of a herd of cattle and drive them up the heights nearby. The Greek historian Polybius and the Roman historian Livy are the two primary sources for his life. He fought a series of successful battles until he reached (but did not destroy) the city of Rome. "The Death of Carthaginian General Hannibal Barca." She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. Hannibal's forces moved through the Po Valley and were engaged in the Battle of Ticinus. There is even an account of him at a very young age (9 years old) begging his father to take him to an overseas war. 521 pages Explore Clarice (CBS) Hannibal (NBC) Novels and films Community in: Deceased, Lecter Family (TV) Mischa Lecter (TV) Edit Mischa Lecter Information Status Deceased Relations Relatives Hannibal Lecter (brother) Robertus Lecter (uncle) Murasaki (aunt) Behind the scenes First appearance Naka-Choko (mentioned) Portrayed by Unknown [95][96] Indeed, throughout the war Roman aristocrats ferociously competed with each other for positions of command to fight against Rome's most dangerous enemy. But with the loss of Tarentum in 209BC and the gradual reconquest by the Romans of Samnium and Lucania, his hold on south Italy was almost lost. He marched on Rome to force the recall of the Roman armies. Although the ageing Hannibal was suffering from mental exhaustion and deteriorating health after years of campaigning in Italy, the Carthaginians still had the advantage in numbers and were boosted by the presence of 80 war elephants. Omissions? [34] Recent numismatic evidence suggests that Hannibal's army may have passed within sight of the Matterhorn. The son may have been named Haspar or Aspar,[22] although this is disputed. 183/2/1 BC), was a Carthaginian statesman and general who was the greatest enemy of the Roman Republic.. Hannibal is most famous for what he did in the Second Punic War.He marched with an army from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy and defeated the Romans in a series of battles.At the Battle of Cannae, he defeated the largest army . He was just six years old in 241 B.C. Hannibal was still only 46 at the conclusion of the Second Punic War in 201 BC and soon showed that he could be a statesman as well as a soldier. [40] If Hannibal had ascended the Col de la Traversette, the Po Valley would indeed have been visible from the pass's summit, vindicating Polybius's account.[41][42]. According to the military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Hannibal excelled as a tactician. Indeed, Polybius makes it clear that Hannibal did not march toward the Alps blindly but instead had excellent information about the best routes. Armies had marched towards each other, had fought in parallel order, and the conqueror had imposed terms on his opponent. In the peace agreement that ended the Second Punic War, Carthage was allowed to keep only its territory in North Africa but lost its overseas empire permanently. Unlike most battles of the Second Punic War, at Zama the Romans were superior in cavalry and the Carthaginians had the edge in infantry. Publius was the father of Scipio Africanus the Elder. The Romans even built statues of the Carthaginian in the streets of Rome to advertise their defeat of such a worthy adversary. Hannibal was a common Semitic Phoenician-Carthaginian personal name. Greek historians rendered the name as Annbas (). During this time, he lived at the Seleucid court, where he acted as military advisor to Antiochus III the Great in his war against Rome. [98], In the Senate the news was "received with varying feelings as men's temperaments differed,"[98] so it was decided to keep Capua under siege, but to send 15,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry as reinforcements to Rome. [98], According to Livy, the land occupied by Hannibal's army outside Rome in 211BC was sold by a Roman while it was occupied. According to Plutarch, Scipio asked Hannibal "who the greatest general was", to which Hannibal replied "either Alexander or Pyrrhus, then himself".[1]. Please select which sections you would like to print: Reader in History, University of Melbourne, 197284. He drew off 15,000 Roman soldiers, but the siege continued and Capua fell. Polybius claims that Hannibal's men marched for four days and three nights "through a land that was under water", suffering terribly from fatigue and enforced want of sleep. He then In 219. This, he wrote, made Hannibal believe that he would die in Libya, but instead, it was at the Bithynian Libyssa that he would die. They eventually found him on the left bank of the Aufidus River, and encamped 10km (6mi) away. Hamilcar held Hannibal over the fire roaring in the chamber and made him swear that he would never be a friend of Rome. It is clear that Hannibal emerged as a successful officer, for, on the assassination of Hasdrubal in 221, the army proclaimed him, at age 26, its commander in chief, and the Carthaginian government quickly ratified his field appointment. Its long-suffering citizens had captured a stranded Roman fleet in the Gulf of Tunis and stripped it of supplies, an action that aggravated the faltering negotiations. He was only nine years old in c. 238 BCE, just after the Carthaginians had been defeated in the First Punic War, when he and his two younger brothers set off with their father Hamilcar on an. "[67], In the summer of 193 BC, tensions flared up between the Seleucids and Rome. [17] Hasdrubal also endeavoured to consolidate Carthaginian power through diplomatic relationships with the native tribes of Iberia and native Berbers of the North African coasts. The show initially starred Pete Duel as Hannibal Heyes and Ben Murphy as Jedediah "Kid" Curry, outlaw cousins who are trying to reform. Both De Beer and Siebert had selected the Col de la Traversette as the one most closely matching the ancient descriptions. Livy History of Rome, Book 21 sections 3236, Mahaney, W.C., et al., 2009. [79] Hannibal also went on to defeat Eumenes in two other battles on land. [8] Although they did not inherit the surname from their father, Hamilcar's progeny are collectively known as the Barcids. Later, he returned to Carthage, where he led his forces less successfully. From the death of his father in 229/228 until his own death about 183, Hannibals life was one of near constant struggle against the Roman Republic. [43] These Hannibal surmounted with ingenuity, such as when he used vinegar and fire to break through a rockfall. Some historians say that the elephants routed the Carthaginian cavalry and not the Romans, whilst others suggest that it was actually a tactical retreat planned by Hannibal. When his father drowned[16] in battle, Hannibal's brother-in-law Hasdrubal the Fair succeeded to his command of the army with Hannibal (then 18 years old) serving as an officer under him. This two-pronged attack caused the Carthaginian formation to collapse. These two bodies came from the wealthy, commercial families of Carthage. Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca, was a leading Carthaginian general during the First Punic War. [18] In Rome, the Senate reacted to this apparent violation of the treaty by dispatching a delegation to Carthage to demand whether Hannibal had destroyed Saguntum in accordance with orders from Carthage. [118], The teenaged Sigmund Freud regarded Hannibal as a "hero"; the founder of psychoanalysis portrays an idealized image of the Carthaginian general in his analysis of his "dreams of Rome" in The Interpretation of Dreams. 9. Polybius merely says that he was accused of cruelty by the Romans and of avarice by the Carthaginians. Even the Roman chroniclers acknowledged Hannibal's supreme military leadership, writing that "he never required others to do what he could not and would not do himself". argue that factors used by De Beer to support Col de la Traversette including "gauging ancient place names against modern, close scrutiny of times of flood in major rivers and distant viewing of the Po plains" taken together with "massive radiocarbon and microbiological and parasitical evidence" from the alluvial sediments either side of the pass furnish "supporting evidence, proof if you will" that Hannibal's invasion went that way. Hunt responds to this by proposing that Hannibal's Celtic guides purposefully misguided the Carthaginian general. Two political factions operated in Carthage: the war party, also known as the "Barcids" (Hannibal's family name), and the peace party led by Hanno II the Great. When Samuel was 11, his father died, and the boy went to work to help . There was a Carthaginian Senate, but the real power was with the inner "Council of 30 Nobles" and the board of judges from ruling families known as the "Hundred and Four". Hannibal Barca was one of the great generals of ancient times. ThoughtCo, Jul. He writes in The Interpretation of Dreams: "Hannibal and Rome symbolized for the adolescent that I was the opposition between the tenacity of Judaism and the organizing spirit of the Catholic Church".[119]. [64] After an audit confirmed Carthage had the resources to pay the indemnity without increasing taxation, Hannibal initiated a reorganization of state finances aimed at eliminating corruption and recovering embezzled funds. His exact route over the Alps has been the source of scholarly dispute ever since (Polybius, the surviving ancient account closest in time to Hannibal's campaign, reports that the route was already debated). Hannibal - HISTORY In 219 B.C., Hannibal of Carthage led an attack on Saguntum, an independent city allied with Rome, which sparked the outbreak of the Second Punic War. The Roman scholar Livy gives a depiction of the young Carthaginian: "No sooner had he arrivedthe old soldiers fancied they saw Hamilcar in his youth given back to them; the same bright look; the same fire in his eye, the same trick of countenance and features. Updated on March 23, 2018 Hannibal (or Hannibal Barca) was the leader of the military forces of Carthage that fought against Rome in the Second Punic War. in North Africa. [32] Additionally, he would have to contend with opposition from the Gauls, whose territory he passed through. Rome declared war shortly before it heard of his arrival at the Pyrenees, a decision spurred by Saguntum and Hannibals crossing of the Ebro. Meanwhile, the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio transported his army, which had been detained in northern Italy by a rebellion, by sea to the area of Massilia (Marseille), a city that was allied to Rome. Hannibal capitalized on the eagerness of the Romans and drew them into a trap by using an envelopment tactic. [101][102] Although the long-term consequences of Hannibal's war are debatable, this war was undeniably Rome's "finest hour". He married a Spanish princess, Imilce, and then conquered various Spanish tribes. He crossed without opposition over both the Apennines (during which he lost his right eye[49] because of conjunctivitis) and the seemingly impassable Arno, but he lost a large part of his force in the marshy lowlands of the Arno.[50]. and was succeeded by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, who made the young Hannibal an officer in the Carthaginian army. Hannibal is considered one of the greatest military tacticians and generals of antiquity, alongside Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Scipio Africanus and Pyrrhus. Hannibal spent the winter of 219218 at Cartagena in active preparations for carrying the war into Italy. . The tide was slowly turning against him, and in favour of Rome. Hannibal escaped to Carthage, where he advised negotiations . The Romans used the attritional strategy that Fabius had taught them, which, they finally realized, was the only feasible means of defeating Hannibal. Leaving his brother Hasdrubal in command of a considerable army for the defense of Spain and North Africa, he crossed the Ebro in April or May 218 and then marched into the Pyrenees. "The Death of Carthaginian General Hannibal Barca." Tucker's abrupt departure has devastated family, friends, and the community. With the failure of his brother Mago in Liguria (205203BC) and of his own negotiations with Phillip V, the last hope of recovering his ascendancy in Italy was lost. Fabius chose war.[18]. Hannibal, who almost overpowered Rome, was considered Rome's greatest enemy. He specifically asked not to be buried in Rome because of how his supporter, Scipio, was treated by the Roman Senate. [91], His legacy would be recorded by his Greek tutor, Sosylus of Lacedaemon. Strategic ability had been comprehended only on a minor scale. [76], According to Strabo and Plutarch, Hannibal also received hospitality at the Armenian royal court of Artaxias I. [61] The Romans deprived Hannibal of a large-scale battle and instead assaulted his weakening army with multiple smaller armies in an attempt to both weary him and create unrest in his troops. A fictional opera called Hannibal appears at the beginning of the musical Phantom Of The Opera. Fourques, opposite Arles, is thought by some to have been the likely crossing place. Hannibal, N.Y. A 73-year-old man died in a motorcycle accident in Oswego County Monday, deputies said. [84], In his Annales, Titus Pomponius Atticus reports that Hannibal's death occurred in 183BC,[89] and Livy implies the same. His following campaign in 220 BC was against the Vaccaei to the west, where he stormed the Vaccaen strongholds of Helmantice and Arbucala. de Beer, S. G., 1974, Hannibal: The struggle for power in the Mediterranean, Book Club Associates, London. His well-planned strategies allowed him to conquer and ally with several Italian cities that were previously allied to Rome. Hannibal, (born 247 bce, North Africadied c. 183-181 bce, Libyssa, Bithynia [near Gebze, Turkey]), Carthaginian general, one of the great military leaders of antiquity, who commanded the Carthaginian forces against Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201 bce) and who continued to oppose Rome and its satellites until his death. Hannibal (also known as Hannibal Barca, l. 247-183 BCE) was a Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome (218-202 BCE). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Mischa was an innocent little girl, who was adored by her parents and protected by her brother. With that in mind and supported by Gades, Hamilcar began the subjugation of the tribes of the Iberian Peninsula (Modern Spain and Portugal). [23], After he assumed command, Hannibal spent two years consolidating his holdings and completing the conquest of Hispania, south of the Ebro. [62] His arrival immediately restored the predominance of the war party, which placed him in command of a combined force of African levies and his mercenaries from Italy. Thus Hannibal continued his self-laudation, but flattered Scipio in an indirect manner by suggesting that he had conquered one who was the superior of Alexander. The Alexander the Great Who was the great military leader who remained undefeated in battle? [55] The Roman legions forced their way through Hannibal's weak centre, but the Libyan mercenaries on the wings, swung around by the movement, menaced their flanks. This theory is supported by the fact that, after Varro survived the battle he was pardoned by the Senate, which would be peculiar if he were the sole commander at fault.)[55]. In the treaty between Rome and Carthage subsequent to the First Punic War (264241), the Ebro had been set as the northern limit of Carthaginian influence in the Iberian Peninsula. The onslaught of Hannibal's cavalry was irresistible. His name also appears in that of a private television channel, Hannibal TV. The battle resulted in a decisive Roman-Pergamene victory. Birth and Death Dates It's unknown, but Hannibal was thought to have been born in 247 BCE and died 183 BCE. It seems that the Romans lulled themselves into a false sense of security, having dealt with the threat of a Gallo-Carthaginian invasion, and perhaps knowing that the original Carthaginian commander had been killed. So he laid siege to the city, which fell after eight months. In the use of strategies and ambuscades he certainly surpassed all other generals of antiquity. Controversy has surrounded the details of Hannibals movements after the crossing of the Rhne. According to Livy, Hannibal fled to the Syrian court at Ephesus after his opponents within the Carthaginian nobility denounced him to the Romans for encouraging Antiochus III of Syria to take up arms against Rome. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hannibal-Carthaginian-general-247-183-BCE, World History Encyclopedia - Biography of Hannibal, Ancient Origins - Hannibal: The Carthaginian General Who Took on the Romans, Dickinson College Commentaries - Hannibal (247183 BC), National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Hannibals OphthalmiaA New Answer to An Ancient Question, Hannibal - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Hannibal - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Hannibal's wings were composed of the Gallic and Numidian cavalry. He had not expected Hannibal to make an attempt to cross the Alps, since the Romans were prepared to fight the war in the Iberian Peninsula. [75] The truce was signed at Sardes in January 189 BC, whereupon Antiochus agreed to abandon his claims on all lands west of the Taurus Mountains, paid a heavy war indemnity and promised to hand over Hannibal and other notable enemies of Rome from among his allies. Wonderful as his achievements were, we must marvel the more when we take into account the grudging support he received from Carthage. [66] Aware that he had many enemies, not least of which due to his financial reforms eliminating opportunities for oligarchical graft, Hannibal fled into voluntary exile before the Romans could demand that Carthage surrender him into their custody. Later he moved on to become a counselor to Antiochus II, King of Ephesus. The fired rockfall event is mentioned only by Livy; Polybius is mute on the subject and there is no evidence[45] of carbonized rock at the only two-tier rockfall in the Western Alps, located below the Col de la Traversette (Mahaney, 2008). Kocaeli in Turkey has a cenotaph built in Hannibal's memory. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/how-did-hannibal-die-118901. After his father led Carthage in the First Punic War, Hannibal took over the leadership of Carthaginian forces against Rome. His sudden appearance among the Gauls of the Po Valley, moreover, enabled him to detach those tribes from their new allegiance to the Romans before the Romans could take steps to check the rebellion. Livy gives us the idea that Hannibal was extremely cruel. Saguntum was indeed south of the Ebro, but the Romans had friendship (though perhaps not an actual treaty) with the city and regarded the Carthaginian attack on it as an act of war. This journey was originally planned by Hannibal's brother-in-law Hasdrubal the Fair, who became a Carthaginian general in the Iberian Peninsula in 229BC. Ulliel was known for appearing in Chanel ads and portrayed the young Hannibal Lecter in 2007's Hannibal Rising. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. After leaving a record of his expedition engraved in Punic and Greek upon bronze tablets in the Temple of Juno Lacinia at Crotona, he sailed back to Africa. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. [112][113] George S. Patton believed himself a reincarnation of Hannibalas well as of many other people, including a Roman legionary and a Napoleonic soldier. But this gain was not without loss, as Sempronius avoided Hannibal's watchfulness, slipped around his flank, and joined his colleague in his camp near the Trebia River near Placentia. Pausanias wrote that Hannibal's death occurred after his finger was wounded by his drawn sword while mounting his horse, resulting in a fever and then his death three days later. Hannibals earliest commands were given to him in the Carthaginian province of Spain by Hasdrubal, son-in-law and successor of Hamilcar. Scipio and Carthage had worked out a peace plan, which was approved by Rome. This situation led to the night Battle of Ager Falernus. Listen to article Exile and death of Hannibal The treaty between Rome and Carthage that was concluded a year after the Battle of Zama frustrated the entire object of Hannibal's life, but his hopes of taking arms once more against Rome lived on. [18] The Roman epic poet Silius Italicus names her as Imilce. When Hannibal arrived in the Po Valley, roughly 10,000 Celtic tribesmen joined his army.[28]. [1] Their lives have many parallels - long absences from home, an adult life dominated by war in the first and politics in the second part, and finally the experience of being an individual too . This eliminated the Roman numerical advantage by shrinking the combat area. His ancestors founded a meatpacking company that dated back to the American Civil War, and Mason's father, Molson, had expanded the company into an empire by the time of Mason's birth. In contrast, the Romans suffered only 2,500 casualties. Hannibals cavalry prevailed, and Scipio was seriously wounded in the battle. Barca (Punic: , BRQ) is a Semitic cognomen meaning "lightning" or "thunderbolt",[7] a surname acquired by Hamilcar on account of the swiftness and ferocity of his attacks. How Hannibal's Successes Turned to Failure. Constantly overmatched by better soldiers, led by generals always respectable, often of great ability, he yet defied all their efforts to drive him from Italy, for half a generation. 195. [84], Pliny the Elder[85] and Plutarch, in his life of Flamininus,[86] record that Hannibal's tomb was at Libyssa on the coast of the Sea of Marmara. Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the Mediterranean Basin, triggered by the emergence of the Roman Republic as a great power with its defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War. 7882, Sarikakis "History of the Greek Nation: Hellenistic Period" pp. He arrived in Etruria in the spring of 217BC and decided to lure the main Roman army under Flaminius into a pitched battle by devastating the region that Flaminius had been sent to protect. 1Name 2Background and early career 3Second Punic War in Italy (218-204 BC) Toggle Second Punic War in Italy (218-204 BC) subsection at a young age. Hannibal used coracles and boats locally commandeered; for the elephants he made jetties out into the river and floated the elephants from those on earth-covered rafts. Hannibal's vision of military affairs was derived partly from the teaching of his Greek tutors and partly from experience gained alongside his father, and it stretched over most of the Hellenistic World of his time. According to Polybius, it was a fertile densely populated triangle bounded by hills, by the Rhne, and by a river that is probably the Isre. According to Appian, several years after the Second Punic War, Hannibal served as a political advisor in the Seleucid Kingdom and Scipio arrived there on a diplomatic mission from Rome. [59] Hannibal also secured an alliance with newly appointed tyrant Hieronymus of Syracuse. The Roman consuls mounted a siege of Capua in 212 BC. "[51] At the same time, Hannibal tried to break the allegiance of Rome's allies by proving that Flaminius was powerless to protect them. 29, 2021, thoughtco.com/how-did-hannibal-die-118901. Early Life. Thus, Hannibals access to the coastal route into Italy was blocked not only by the Massilians but by at least one army, with another gathering in Italy. [78] Hannibal went on to serve Prusias in this war. He died circa 183 B.C. Although Phoenician territories like Tyre and Sidon possessed the necessary combination of raw materials, technical expertise, and experienced personnel, it took much longer than expected for it to be completed, most likely due to wartime shortages. Livy states that the Seleucid king consulted Hannibal on the strategic concerns of making war on Rome. De Beer was one of only three interpretersthe others being John Lazenby and Jakob Seibertto have visited all the Alpine high passes and presented a view on which was most plausible. Freud then associates this phenomenon with the adage "All roads lead to Rome". The faster Rhodian ships managed to heavily damage half of Hannibal's warships through the diekplous manoeuvre, forcing him to retreat. In 219 B.C., Hannibal of Carthage led an attack on Saguntum, an independent city allied with Rome, which sparked the outbreak of the Second Punic War. Hannibal drew up his least reliable infantry in the centre in a semicircle curving towards the Romans. Never was one and the same spirit more skilful to meet opposition, to obey, or to command[. It is recorded in Carthaginian sources as NBL[2] (Punic: ). At one point, Romans visiting Bithynia demanded his extradition in B.C.E. His younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal; his brother-in-law was Hasdrubal the Fair, who commanded other Carthaginian armies. He is considered one of the greatest generals of antiquity and his tactics are still studied and used in the present day. As a result of this victory, many parts of Italy joined Hannibal's cause. N.S. This time it was the Romans (with the help of their North African allies, the Numidians) who enveloped and smothered the Carthaginians, killing some 20,000 soldiers at a loss of only 1,500 of their own men. The forces detached to his lieutenants were generally unable to hold their own, and neither his home government nor his new ally Philip V of Macedon helped to make up his losses. Brancus, the elder, in return for Hannibals help, provided supplies for the Carthaginian army, which, after marching about 750 miles (1,210 km) in four months from Cartagena, was in sore need of them. Philip, who attempted to exploit Rome's preoccupation in Italy to conquer Illyria, now found himself under attack from several sides at once and was quickly subdued by Rome and her Greek allies. Mahaney, W.C., Allen, C.C.R., Pentlavalli, P., Dirszowsky, O., Tricart, P., Keiser, L., Somelar, P., Kelleher, B., Murphy, B., Costa, P.J.M., and Julig, P., 2014, "Polybius's previous landslide: proof that Hannibal's invasion route crossed the Col de la Traversette". The Romans rebounded, however, driving the Carthaginians out of Spain and launching an invasion of North Africa. Before dying, Hannibal is said to have left behind a letter declaring, "Let us relieve the Romans from the anxiety they have so long experienced, since they think it tries their patience too much to wait for an old man's death". Nevertheless, the Romans grimly refused to admit the possibility of defeat and rejected all overtures for peace; they even refused to accept the ransom of prisoners after Cannae.[94]. He was still a child when his sisters married, and his brothers-in-law were close associates during his father's struggles in the Mercenary War and the Punic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Many also consider as possibilities the natural historic fording places between modern Beaucaire and Avignon. Hannibal had an army of elephants which he fed wine before a battle, so they would become more aggressive. [103][104][need quotation to verify], Most of the sources available to historians about Hannibal are from Romans. In 219 Hannibal attacked Saguntum, an independent Iberian city south of the Ebro River. For the first there would seem to be no further justification than that he was consummately skillful in the use of ambuscades. [108], Military academies all over the world continue to study Hannibal's exploits, especially his victory at Cannae.[109]. Hannibal departed Cartagena, Spain (New Carthage) in late spring of 218BC. Hannibal's chief cavalry commander, Maharbal, led the mobile Numidian cavalry on the right; they shattered the Roman cavalry opposing them. A clearer picture of Hannibal's character emerges from the many ancient historians who recounted his exploits. It is moreover the most southerly, as Varro in his De re rustica relates, agreeing that Hannibal's Pass was the highest in Western Alps and the most southerly. Studien zu Plautus' Poenulus. Due to these brilliant tactics, Hannibal managed to surround and destroy all but a small remnant of his enemy, despite his own inferior numbers. We never hear of a mutiny in his army, composed though it was of North Africans, Iberians and Gauls. He later served King Prusias of Bithynia in another unsuccessful war against the Roman ally King Eumenes II of Pergamum. Instead, he had to content himself with subduing the fortresses that still held out against him, and the only other notable event of 216BC was the defection of certain Italian territories, including Capua, the second largest city of Italy, which Hannibal made his new base. As his veterans melted away, he had to organize fresh levies on the spot. Just 32 years old, he had conquered an empire stretching from the Balkans to modern Pakistan, and was poised on the edge of another invasion when he fell ill and died after 12 days of excruciating . Scipio was rather nettled by this, but nevertheless he asked Hannibal to whom he would give the third place, expecting that at least the third would be assigned to him; but Hannibal replied, "to myself; for when I was a young man I conquered Hispania and crossed the Alps with an army, the first after Hercules.". According to Livy, Varro was a man of reckless and hubristic nature and it was his turn to command on the day of battle. Hannibal's encircling movement failed, and the Carthaginians were defeated. Carthage lost approximately 20,000 troops with an additional 15,000 wounded. A counter-invasion of North Africa, led by Roman General Scipio Africanus, forced him to return to Carthage. Horses were embarked on large boats or made to swim. In 221, making the seaport of Kart-hadasht (modern Cartagena, Spain) his base, he won a resounding victory over the Carpetani in the region of the Tagus River. In fact, they were reinforced and the campaigns there maintained until victory was secured; beginning first in Sicily under the direction of Claudius Marcellus, and later in Hispania under Scipio Africanus. Publius Cornelius Scipio, who would become famed Roman general Scipio Africanus, was born in Rome, Italy, in 236 B.C. Again, all we know of him comes for the most part from hostile sources. He was born into a Carthaginian military family and made to swear hostility. Corrections? The task involved the mobilization of between 60,000 and 100,000 troops and the training of a war-elephant corps, all of which had to be provisioned along the way. Updated: May 9, 2023 | Original: November 9, 2009. [99] This may not be true, but as Lazenby states, "could well be, exemplifying as it does not only the supreme confidence felt by the Romans in ultimate victory, but also the way in which something like normal life continued. Fabius closely followed Hannibal's path of destruction, yet still refused to let himself be drawn out of the defensive. His flight ended in the court of Bithynia. He was betrayed to the Romans and died by suicide with poison. Hannibal attacked them, forcing their withdrawal from Campania. In the spring of 216BC, Hannibal took the initiative and seized the large supply depot at Cannae in the Apulian plain. Hannibal had now disposed of the only field force that could check his advance upon Rome, but he realized that, without siege engines, he could not hope to take the capital. [25] However, Rome, fearing the growing strength of Hannibal in Iberia, made an alliance with the city of Saguntum, which lay a considerable distance south of the River Ebro, and claimed the city as its protectorate. By 220BC, the Romans had annexed the area as Cisalpine Gaul. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Jump to: Biography Memories Family Tree Followers Hannibal Landt's Biography At one point, it seemed that Hannibal was on the verge of victory, but Scipio was able to rally his men, and his cavalry, having routed the Carthaginian cavalry, attacked Hannibal's rear. When Rome later defeated Antiochus, one of the peace terms called for the surrender of Hannibal; to avoid this fate, he may have fled to Crete or taken up arms with rebel forces in Armenia. In 210BC, Hannibal again proved his superiority in tactics by inflicting a severe defeat at the Battle of Herdonia (modern Ordona) in Apulia upon a proconsular army and, in 208BC, destroyed a Roman force engaged in the siege of Locri at the Battle of Petelia. Alias Smith and Jones is an American Western series that originally aired on ABC from January 1971 to January 1973. 126128, Benz, Franz L. 1982. National Geographic Societys Expedition Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Hannibal (/hnbl/; Punic: , romanized:annbal; 247 between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. [63] Whatever the truth, the battle remained closely fought. He then marched his massive army across the Pyrenees and Alps into central Italy in what would be remembered as one of the most famous campaigns in history. Early life With a small detachment still positioned in Gaul, Scipio made an attempt to intercept Hannibal. FILE - Migrants wait in line adjacent to the border fence under the watch of the Texas National Guard to enter into El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, May 10, 2023. In Rome, Emperor Scipio was accused by the Senate of sympathizing with Hannibal. In 212 BC, Marcellus conquered Syracuse and the Romans destroyed the Carthaginian army in Sicily in 211210 BC. He defended Hannibal's reputation for a time, but it became clear that the Senate would demand Hannibal's arrest. [68] The Carthaginian general also advised equipping a fleet and landing a body of troops in the south of Italy, offering to take command himself. Antiochus, fearing Hannibal's reputation, put him in charge of a naval war against Rhodes. They considered him the greatest enemy Rome had ever faced. Hannibal was recalled from . In his first few years in Italy, he won a succession of victories at the Battle of the Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae, inflicting heavy losses on the Romans. Antiochus met defeat at the Battle of Magnesia and was forced to accept Rome's terms, and Hannibal fled again, making a stop in the Kingdom of Armenia. The alpine invasion of Italy was a military operation that would shake the Mediterranean World of 218BC with repercussions for more than two decades. Hanno had been instrumental in denying Hannibal's requested reinforcements following the battle at Cannae. [12], According to Polybius, Hannibal much later said that when he came upon his father and begged to go with him, Hamilcar agreed and demanded that he swear that as long as he lived he would never be a friend of Rome. Excepting in the case of Alexander, and some few isolated instances, all wars up to the Second Punic War, had been decided largely, if not entirely, by battle-tactics. In northern Italy in 208 B.C., Roman forces defeated an army of reinforcements led by Hannibals brother Hasdrubal, who had crossed the Alps in an attempt to come to Hannibals aid. The Roman defeat at Cannae stunned much of southern Italy, and many of Romes allies and colonies defected to the Carthaginian side. In 218 BC, Hannibal attacked Saguntum (modern Sagunto, Spain), an ally of Rome, in Hispania, sparking the Second Punic War. He moved to Lucania and destroyed a 16,000-man Roman army at the Battle of the Silarus, with 15,000 Romans killed. Sought for arrest by the Roman Senate, he lived the rest of his life one step ahead of the Empire. Indeed, the breadth of his vision gave rise to his grand strategy of conquering Rome by opening a northern front and subduing allied city-states on the peninsula, rather than by attacking Rome directly. To avoid that, he first tried to escape: Hannibal said, "Let us ease the Romans of theircontinual dread and care, who think it long and tedious to await thedeath of a hated old man," and then drank poison, which he may have kept hidden under a gem on a ring. This area was practically one huge marsh, and happened to be overflowing more than usual during this particular season. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. While the Roman general Varro massed his infantry in the center with his cavalry on each winga classic military formationHannibal maintained a relatively weak center but strong infantry and cavalry forces at the flanks. The Third Punic War and Carthago Delenda Est, 6 Important People in Ancient African History, Biography of Pompey the Great, Roman Statesman, Book 39: The Bacchanalia in Rome and Italy, M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota. [38] Radiocarbon dating secured dates of 2168 BP or c. 218 BC, the year of Hannibal's march. [9] Modern historians occasionally refer to Hannibal's brothers as Hasdrubal Barca and Mago Barca to distinguish them from the multitudes of other Carthaginians named Hasdrubal and Mago,[citation needed] but this practice is ahistorical and is rarely applied to Hannibal. [71], In July 190 BC, Hannibal ordered his fleet to set sail from Seleucia Pieria along the southern Asia Minor coast in order to reinforce the rest of the Seleucid navy at Ephesus. To this Scipio assented since he also yielded the first place to Alexander. [72] The following month Hannibal's fleet clashed with the Rhodian navy in the Battle of Side. After his father led Carthage in the First Punic War, Hannibal took over the leadership of Carthaginian forces against Rome. [1], In the spring of 217BC, Hannibal decided to find a more reliable base of operations farther south. in Liternum. Plans envisage a mausoleum and a 17-metre (56ft) high colossus of Hannibal on the Byrsa, the highest point of Carthage overlooking Tunis. Israel and Hellas: Sacred institutions with Roman counterparts. [18], Upon the assassination of Hasdrubal in 221BC, Hannibal (now 26 years old) was proclaimed commander-in-chief by the army and confirmed in his appointment by the Carthaginian government. Hannibal not only perceived this as a breach of the treaty signed with Hasdrubal, but as he was already planning an attack on Rome, this was his way to start the war. [106] Nonetheless, Polybius did recognize that the reputation for cruelty the Romans attached to Hannibal might in reality have been due to mistaking him for one of his officers, Hannibal Monomachus.[107]. There Hannibal destroyed Flaminius' army in the waters or on the adjoining slopes, killing Flaminius as well (see Battle of Lake Trasimene). During the war there are no reports of revolutions among the Roman citizens, no factions within the Senate desiring peace, no pro-Carthaginian Roman turncoats, and no coups. It is often argued that, if Hannibal had received proper material reinforcements from Carthage, he might have succeeded with a direct attack upon Rome. Continued and Capua fell forcing Hannibal to withdraw his troops from southern Italy, the... 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