Hannibal remains in history today as one of the world’s finest military commanders.
He was son of Hamilicar a Carthaginian general and statesman.
In 219 BC, Hannibal attacked and captured the city of Saguntum, located in modern day Spain. Saguntum was allied with Rome, and Hannibal’s action’s began the second Punic War.
Romans controlled the sea, and Hannibal’s navy wasn’t strong. So Hannibal’s plan was to invade Italy by land. He led an army of men and elephants over a 2500
Kilometre journey, which included crossing 2 mountain ranges, the Pyrenees and the
Alps. The advantage in this was the fact that Rome would never expect Hannibal by land, because they didn’t believe this journey was possible. This was Hannibal’s military tactic. Although Hannibal lost a large portion of his army, he overcame the many obstacles along the way, including winning a small battle at the river Ticinus. In this battle the Roman commander Publius Scipio was wounded.
In preparation for what was to be the battle of Trebia, Hannibal bought the command of the town of Clastitidium, which was an important town to the Romans. The
Romans
The battles of Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae are very important in the aims and outcomes, for Rome and Carthage. Hannibal’s aim was to break up the Roman confederacy. He intended to do this by giving Romn allies the chance to rebel against
Rome, and join his side. He belived they would want to do this, because of the inhabitants of Italy, where under Roman rule, and divided into 3 groups: colonists, citizens, and allies. Accept for the citizens, which where the people of Rome, the other two groups didn’t have freedom, for they had been conquered by Rome. If hannibal was succesful at doing so, he would then have access to Rome, and be able to conquer his worst enemy.
The battle of Trebia, was the first major battle of the second Punic war. It was highly tactical on Hannibal’s side, considering, he could use the consul, Ti.
Sempronius Longus’, eagerness to do battle, to his advantage. As the original Consul was the wounded Scipio. Hannibal took advantage of Longus by drawing him into a battle which he could not win - due to Hannibal’s well thought over military tactics, incl uding his trap for the Roman’s, which worked.
This battle was important to Hannibal to win because his men would now have refreshed enthusiasm, and the Gauls (allies), would hopefully continue their battle spirit. This way he kept the scheme in tact.
Hannibal has a successful outcome in this battle, with Rome now on the defensive.
Rome’s tactics where now to use they’re resources, which is one of they’re advantages over Hannibal, to create supply depot’s and raise more troops. The importance of this battle is also seen in the fact that Rome was now finally on the defensive after the long ignorance of their belief’s of the ‘impossible route from Spain to Rome (via land)’.
Hannibal’s non-stop determination has been seen throughout the battles, since the beginning, with his belief in himself and his men, to accomplish what the
Romans believed as impossible, this also seems to be an advantage Hannibal had over Rome.
The lead up to the battle of trasimene in 217BC, was disatstrous for hannibal and his forces. The only way leading to Rome unblocked by the Romans was a four day and three night long trek through marshy countryside. This would have definitely affected the eagerness in the men, but the determination was still there, as many where lost, they kept going as far as they could. Hannibal also lost sight in one eye with a severe case of ophthalmia.
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These factors seemed to have no affect on the outcomes of the battle leading up, as the Roman military leader Falaminius, led his troops into Hannibal’s ambush.
Hannibal used troops on all sides, concealed in the mountains until the time for ambush arrived. They then surrounded the Roman troops in a semi circle with the lake on their other side.
Even with Hannibal’s major success in this battle, his original plan to gain allies didn’t work as the neighbouring towns of Umbria and Eturia, did not take His side as expected. Also Hannibal wrote to Carthage of his success’s and asked for more money and troops, considering his now low supply. Yet Carthages reply, that a succesful general wouldn’t need money, let him down. Carthage’s support of
Hannibal does not seem fit to how much he has done.
Results of this battle are undeteremined and two valued historians made their own decision. Polybius believed the Roman losses were 15,000, while Livy suggests
10,000 Romans survived. Polybius believes hannibal’s losses where 1500, and Livy decides they where 2500. They both agree that most of these where Gauls. The results of this information are important to get an idea of the numbers, but also to show us in ancient battles it is very hard to determine such information, and any information cant always be trusted.
The aftermath of Trasimene is significant in the way it affected people living in
Rome. The people where distraught when the story reached Rome, and the defeat was so great it could not be concealed by the magistrate of the Roman Republic -
Marcus Pomponius, and announced to the public the fact that they had been beaten in a great battle. The result of this battle had a significant affect on not only the political, and men in battle but the civilians living in Rome. This proves the extent the war had gotten to, even thought it never reached Rome the city, it had an important affect on its people, which will remain in history.
Another important affect Tramisine had on Rome, was change in political tradition, considering the circumstances caused by the battle. The normal procedure for selecting a dictator could not be foloowed, because the consul still alive couldn’t be in Rome to select the dicatator. This resulted in an election, which is very
Important because this changed the history of only nominating dictators. This had the affect of the Romans strategy to defeat Hannibal. This startegy was to use delaying tactics, This policy was seen unfavoured aroun Rome and seen as weak. This reaction is important because it shows Rome’s own unsuccessfull government, when it is not supported by it’s people. Yet it worked, untill the battle of Cannae took place in 216BC, after another change in Roman strategy, this would be increasing their army and confront Hannibal, to end to the war.
The Romans underestimation of Hannibal’s power. It was another loss for the
Romans, with the sources varying on the exact amount of men lost. But ranges from
50,000 -70,000. 4500 soldiers where taken prisoner by Hannibal. Hannibal lost around 7000-8000 men. Hannibal for some reason decided against invadin gthe city of Rome, and instead sent Carthalo to negotiate in Rome, thinking they would by now want peace. Yet the Romans refused to even speak to Carthalo.
This defeat is renowned as Hannibal’s most successful of his career. Romes decisions after this battle seem to be benefiting Hannibal’s aims, with the senate agreeind to “never again would a Roman army engage in battle with Hannibal. The romans also refused to ransom the captives, and Roman women where forbidden to mourn in public. These drastic changes as a result of this battle, show how Rome has finally decided to do nomore battle with Hannibal. The forbiding women from mourning in public, seems a way for Rome to cover up and weakness, and an attempt to keep they’re public appearance of a strong city there. Also the refusal to pay for captives is a show of stubborness, and they don’t want to be reduced to paying their enemy, this in a way is acceptin that they have lost.
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Many Italian allies decided to join Hannibal including Samnium, Apulia, Lucania,
Campania and the town of Capua. This is closer to his first aim he set out to do, to break up the Roman Confederacy.
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