Hannibal
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| + | "These effects, however, are not the only reasons which have thrown so much interest on the [[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps |passage of the Alps by Hannibal]]; for the doubt and uncertainty which have existed, even from very remote times, as to the road by which the passage was effected, the numerous and distinguished writers who have declared themselves on different sides of the question, the variation between the two great historians of the transactions of those times, [[Polybius]] and [[Livy]], all these things united, have involved the subject in difficulties which have increased its importance, and which have long exercised many able writers in vain attempts to elucidate them."--''[[A Dissertation on the Passage of Hannibal over the Alps ]]'' (1820) by Henry Lewis Wickham, John Anthony Cramer | ||
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| - | '''Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca''' was a [[Punics|Punic]] [[Ancient Carthage|Carthaginian]] [[military commander]], generally considered one of the greatest military commanders in history. | + | '''Hannibal''' (247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a [[Punic people|Carthaginian]] general and statesman who commanded the forces of [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]] in their battle with the [[Roman Republic]] during the [[Second Punic War]]. |
| - | Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the [[Mediterranean]], when the [[Roman Republic]] established its supremacy over other great powers such as [[Carthage]], the Hellenistic kingdoms of [[Macedon]], [[Syracuse, Italy#Greek period|Syracuse]], and the [[Seleucid empire]]. One of his most famous achievements was at the outbreak of the [[Second Punic War]], when he [[Hannibal's Crossing of the Alps|marched an army]], which included [[war elephant]]s, from [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] over the [[Pyrenees]] and the [[Alps]] into northern [[Italy]]. In his first few years in Italy, he won three dramatic victories—[[Battle of Trebia|Trebia]], [[Battle of Lake Trasimene|Trasimene]], and [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]], in which he distinguished himself for his ability to determine his and his opponent's strengths and weaknesses, and to play the battle to his strengths and the enemy's weaknesses—and won over many allies of Rome. Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years, but a Roman counter-invasion of [[North Africa]] forced him to return to Carthage, where he was decisively defeated by [[Scipio Africanus]] at the [[Battle of Zama]]. Scipio had studied Hannibal's tactics and brilliantly devised some of his own, and finally defeated Rome's nemesis at Zama, having previously driven Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, out of the [[Iberian Peninsula]]. | + | Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the western [[Mediterranean Basin]], triggered by the emergence of the Roman Republic as a great power after establishing its supremacy over Italy. Although Rome had won the [[First Punic War]], [[revanchism]] (the will to reverse territorial losses) prevailed in Carthage, symbolized by the pledge that Hannibal made to his father to "never be a friend of Rome". |
| - | After the war, Hannibal successfully ran for the office of [[shofet|suffete]]. He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome; however, Hannibal's reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome, and he fled into voluntary exile. During this time, he lived at the [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid]] court, where he acted as military adviser to [[Antiochus III]] in his war against Rome. After Antiochus met defeat at the [[Battle of Magnesia]] and was forced to accept Rome's terms, Hannibal fled again, making a stop in [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]]. His flight ended in the court of [[Bithynia]], where he achieved an outstanding naval victory against a fleet from [[Pergamon]]. He was afterwards betrayed to the Romans and committed [[suicide]] by [[poison]]ing himself. | + | The Second Punic War began in 218 BC after Hannibal's attack on Saguntum (modern [[Sagunto]], [[Spain]]), an ally of Rome, in [[Hispania]]. It was during this war that Hannibal famously invaded Italy by [[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps|crossing the Alps]] with [[North African elephant|North African]] [[war elephant]]s. |
| - | Often regarded as one of the greatest [[military strategist]]s in history, Hannibal would later be considered one of the greatest generals of antiquity, together with [[Alexander the Great]], [[Julius Caesar]], [[Scipio Africanus|Scipio]], and [[Pyrrhus of Epirus]]. [[Plutarch]] states that, when questioned by Scipio as to who was the greatest general, Hannibal is said to have replied either Alexander or Pyrrhus, then himself, or, according to another version of the event, Pyrrhus, Scipio, then himself. Military historian [[Theodore Ayrault Dodge]] once famously called Hannibal the ''"father of strategy"'', because his greatest enemy, Rome, came to adopt elements of his military tactics in its own strategic arsenal. This praise has earned him a strong reputation in the modern world, and he was regarded as a great strategist by men like [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. | + | In his first few years in Italy, he won a succession of victories at the [[Battle of the Trebia]], [[Battle of Lake Trasimene|Lake Trasimene]], and [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]] (the last of which is considered one of the greatest tactical feats in history). Hannibal was distinguished for his ability to determine both his and his opponent's respective strengths and weaknesses, and to plan battles accordingly. |
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| + | His well-planned strategies allowed him to conquer several Italian cities that were allied to Rome. Hannibal occupied most of southern Italy for 15 years. He could not win a decisive victory. The Romans, led by [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus|Fabius Maximus]], avoided confrontation with him, instead waging a war of [[Fabian strategy|attrition]]. A counter-invasion of North Africa, led by Roman General [[Scipio Africanus]], forced him to return to Carthage. Hannibal was eventually defeated at the [[Battle of Zama]], his brother, Hasdrubal, driven out of the Iberian Peninsula by the forces of general Scipio. | ||
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| + | After the war, Hannibal successfully ran for the office of [[shophet|sufet]]. He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome; however, those reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome, and he fled into voluntary exile. During this time, he lived at the [[Seleucid Empire|Seleucid]] court, where he acted as military advisor to [[Antiochus III the Great]] in his war against Rome. 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 (antiquity)|Kingdom of Armenia]]. His flight ended in the court of [[Bithynia]]. He was betrayed to the Romans and committed suicide by poisoning himself. | ||
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| + | Hannibal is often regarded as one of the greatest military tacticians in history and one of the greatest generals of Mediterranean antiquity, together with [[Philip of Macedon]], [[Alexander the Great]], [[Julius Caesar]], [[Scipio Africanus]] and [[Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus]]. [[Plutarch]] states that Scipio supposedly asked Hannibal "who the greatest general was", to which Hannibal replied "either Alexander or Pyrrhus, then himself". Military historian [[Theodore Ayrault Dodge]] called Hannibal the "father of strategy", because Roman armies adopted elements of his military tactics into their own strategic arsenal. | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| * [[Military of ancient Carthage]] | * [[Military of ancient Carthage]] | ||
| + | * [[Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps ]] | ||
| + | *[[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps]] | ||
| + | *[[A DISSERTATION ON THE PASSAGE OF HANNIBAL OVER THE ALPS]]. | ||
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"These effects, however, are not the only reasons which have thrown so much interest on the passage of the Alps by Hannibal; for the doubt and uncertainty which have existed, even from very remote times, as to the road by which the passage was effected, the numerous and distinguished writers who have declared themselves on different sides of the question, the variation between the two great historians of the transactions of those times, Polybius and Livy, all these things united, have involved the subject in difficulties which have increased its importance, and which have long exercised many able writers in vain attempts to elucidate them."--A Dissertation on the Passage of Hannibal over the Alps (1820) by Henry Lewis Wickham, John Anthony Cramer |
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Hannibal (247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle with the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War.
Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the western Mediterranean Basin, triggered by the emergence of the Roman Republic as a great power after establishing its supremacy over Italy. Although Rome had won the First Punic War, revanchism (the will to reverse territorial losses) prevailed in Carthage, symbolized by the pledge that Hannibal made to his father to "never be a friend of Rome".
The Second Punic War began in 218 BC after Hannibal's attack on Saguntum (modern Sagunto, Spain), an ally of Rome, in Hispania. It was during this war that Hannibal famously invaded Italy by crossing the Alps with North African war elephants.
In his first few years in Italy, he won a succession of victories at the Battle of the Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae (the last of which is considered one of the greatest tactical feats in history). Hannibal was distinguished for his ability to determine both his and his opponent's respective strengths and weaknesses, and to plan battles accordingly.
His well-planned strategies allowed him to conquer several Italian cities that were allied to Rome. Hannibal occupied most of southern Italy for 15 years. He could not win a decisive victory. The Romans, led by Fabius Maximus, avoided confrontation with him, instead waging a war of attrition. A counter-invasion of North Africa, led by Roman General Scipio Africanus, forced him to return to Carthage. Hannibal was eventually defeated at the Battle of Zama, his brother, Hasdrubal, driven out of the Iberian Peninsula by the forces of general Scipio.
After the war, Hannibal successfully ran for the office of sufet. He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome; however, those reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome, and he fled into voluntary exile. 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. 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. His flight ended in the court of Bithynia. He was betrayed to the Romans and committed suicide by poisoning himself.
Hannibal is often regarded as one of the greatest military tacticians in history and one of the greatest generals of Mediterranean antiquity, together with Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Scipio Africanus and Pyrrhus. Plutarch states that Scipio supposedly asked Hannibal "who the greatest general was", to which Hannibal replied "either Alexander or Pyrrhus, then himself". Military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge called Hannibal the "father of strategy", because Roman armies adopted elements of his military tactics into their own strategic arsenal.
See also
- Military of ancient Carthage
- Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps
- Hannibal's crossing of the Alps
- A DISSERTATION ON THE PASSAGE OF HANNIBAL OVER THE ALPS.
