Biography of hannibal

Hannibal’s Early Life and Attack take away Saguntum

Hannibal was born wellheeled 247 B.C. in North Continent. Polybius and Livy, whose histories of Rome are the drawing Latin sources regarding his take a crack at, claimed that Hannibal’s father, rendering great Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, brought his son to Espana (a region he had going on to conquer around 237 B.C.) at a young age.

Hamilcar died in 229 B.C. lecturer was succeeded by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, who made the minor Hannibal an officer in dignity Carthaginian army. In 221 B.C., Hasdrubal was assassinated, and excellence army unanimously chose the 26-year-old Hannibal to command Carthage’s control in Spain. Hannibal swiftly constricted control in the region take from the seaport base of Port (New Carthage); he also husbandly a Spanish princess.

In 219 B.C., Hannibal mystified a Carthaginian attack on Saguntum, an independent city in honesty middle of the eastern Country coast that had shown incursion against nearby Carthaginian towns.

According to the treaty that done the First Punic War, illustriousness Ebro River was the north border of Carthage’s influence prize open Spain; though Saguntum was southbound of the Ebro, it was allied with Rome, which aphorism Hannibal’s attack as an sway of war. Carthaginian forces bothered Saguntum for eight months in advance the city fell.

Although Setto demanded Hannibal’s surrender, he refused, instead making plans for picture invasion of Italy that would mark the beginning of Above Punic War.

Hannibal’s Invasion of Italia

Leaving fillet brother, also named Hasdrubal, hurtle protect Carthage’s interests in Espana and North Africa, Hannibal compact a massive army, including (according to Polybius’ probably exaggerated figures) as many as 90,000 foot, 12,000 cavalry and nearly 40 elephants.

The march that followed–which covered some 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) through the Pyrenees, check the Rhone River and integrity snowcapped Alps, and finally get stuck central Italy–would be remembered thanks to one of the most noted campaigns in history. With ruler forces depleted by the immoderate Alpine crossing, Hannibal met distinction powerful army of the Greek general Publius Cornelius Scipio welcome the plains west of primacy Ticino River.

Hannibal’s cavalry prevailed, and Scipio was seriously butt in the battle.

Late in 218 B.C., the Carthaginians again foiled the Romans on the undone bank of the Trebia Succession, a victory that earned General the support of allies inclusive of the Gauls and Ligurians. Jam the spring of 217 B.C., he had advanced to probity Arno River, where despite practised victory at Lake Trasimene no problem declined to lead his delicate forces against Rome itself.

Reclaim the summer of the mass year, 16 Roman legions–close acquaintance 80,000 soldiers, an army blunt to be twice the largeness of Hannibal’s–confronted the Carthaginians nigh the town of Cannae. Extent the Roman general Varro dense his infantry in the emotions with his cavalry on command wing–a classic military formation–Hannibal retained a relatively weak center however strong infantry and cavalry personnel at the flanks.

When interpretation Romans advanced, the Carthaginians were able to hold their emotions and win the struggle uncertain the sides, enveloping the clashing and cutting off the line of traffic of retreat by sending fine cavalry charge across the rear.

From Victory to Defeat

The Papist defeat at Cannae stunned all the more of southern Italy, and profuse of Rome’s allies and colonies defected to the Carthaginian live.

Under the leadership of Scipio’s son-in-law, also named Publius Cornelius Scipio, and his fellow accepted Quintus Fabius Maximus, the Book soon began to rally. Essential southern Italy, Fabius used chaste tactics to gradually push uphold against Hannibal’s forces, and locked away regained a considerable amount rule ground by 209 B.C.

Put in the bank northern Italy in 208 B.C., Roman forces defeated an armed force of reinforcements led by Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal, who had decussate the Alps in an swot to come to Hannibal’s aid.

Meanwhile, the younger Scipio drew winner Rome’s seemingly inexhaustible supply forfeit manpower to launch an slant on New Carthage and make contacts the Carthaginians out of Espana.

He then invaded North Continent, forcing Hannibal to withdraw crown troops from southern Italy complain 203 B.C. in order divulge defend his home state. Authority following year, Hannibal met Scipio’s forces on the battlefield proximate Zama, some 120 kilometers Carthage. This time it was the Romans (with the benefit of their North African alliance, the Numidians) who enveloped reprove smothered the Carthaginians, killing trying 20,000 soldiers at a disappearance of only 1,500 of their own men.

In honor admire his great victory, Scipio was given the name Africanus.

Hannibal’s Postwar Life and Death

In birth peace agreement that ended goodness Second Punic War, Carthage was allowed to keep only disloyalty territory in North Africa on the contrary lost its overseas empire always. It was also forced survive surrender its fleet and recompense a large indemnity in sterling, and to agree never give back to re-arm or declare contention without permission from Rome.

Carthaginian, who escaped with his the social order from the crushing defeat inexactness Zama and still harbored exceptional desire to defeat Rome, reserved his military title despite accusations that he had botched justness conduct of the war. Increase addition, he was made topping civil magistrate in the create of Carthage.

According to Livy, Carthaginian fled to the Syrian retinue at Ephesus after his opponents within the Carthaginian nobility denounced him to the Romans tend to encouraging Antiochus III of Syria to take up arms admit Rome.

When Rome later browbeaten Antiochus, one of the coolness terms called for the deliver up of Hannibal; to avoid that fate, he may have frigid to Crete or taken come up arms with rebel forces deceive Armenia. He later served Functional Prusias of Bithynia in alternative unsuccessful war against the Latin ally King Eumenes II be beaten Pergamum.

At some point at near this conflict, the Romans adjust demanded the surrender of Town. Finding himself unable to bolt, he killed himself by exercise poison in the Bithynian peculiar of Libyssa, probably around 183 B.C.

Citation Information

Article Title

Hannibal

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/hannibal

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 9, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009