Outline Hannibal’s military campaign through Italy
Hannibal's sacking of Saguntum in 219 sparked the beginning of the Second Punic War with Rome.
The primary causes of the Second Punic War include Hannibal’s own desire for glory and hatred of
Rome, Carthage’s success in Spain, the large indemnities owed to Rome because of the First Punic
War and Rome’s imperialism and interference in Spain.
Hannibal sought to destroy Rome and realised the only way to do so was to invade them through the
north, which involved crossing the Alps to get to Italy. In 218 Hannibal began his march north of
Spain and left his brother Hasdrubal with 16 000 men and a small naval force in Spain. On the way
Hannibal encountered and defeated many ferocious tribes that tried to stop his path toward the
Pyrenees and Alps. Hannibal began his crossing of the Alps with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry and
35 war elephants. Livy reports that it took a total of 15 days, and arrived on the other side with
20,000 infantry, 6000 cavalry but lost a large amount of his war elephants. This feat is considered
one of the most amazing military accomplishments in history.
Once Hannibal had crossed the Alps, he firstly rested his troops and roamed the area in search of
Italian tribes that would join his force in the war against Rome. Hannibal's first encounter with the
Romans occurred at the battle at Ticinus in 218 BC, which a light cavalry skirmish in order to test
each other’s strength. Hannibal defeated the Romans and soon after the Gallic Celts and the Celts of
Transalpine Gaul supported Hannibal and joined him, giving him much needed reinforcement and
supplies.
The first major battle of the Second Punic War was battle of Trebbia. At the time Scipio and
Sempronius were the head of their consul armies and had joined together to fight Hannibal.
Sempronius was very eager to do battle with Hannibal, which Hannibal realised and used to his own
advantage. The Romans were waiting for reinforcements before engaging in battle but Hannibal
enticed Sempronius onto the shores of Lake Trebbia and ambushed the Romans. Hannibal his 1000
cavalry and 1000 infantry in the brushes of Lake Trebbia and attacked the flanks of the Roman army,
while Hannibal’s main force stalled the majority of the Roman army. Even though the Roman’s
heavily outnumbered the Carthaginians, Hannibal was still able to be victorious, killing a reported
20 000 Romans.
After Hannibal’s victory at Trebbia, he crosses the Apennines Mountains and managed to avoid
direct combat with Flaminius who was stationed at Arretium. Flaminius followed Hannibal and so
Hannibal had to face Flaminius in open combat. He did so by setting up an ambush at Lake
Trasimene. Hannibal deceived Flaminius by lighting fires in the far-off hills and made the Romans
believe he was further away than he was. Hannibal positioned his men in an enveloping formation
that surrounded the Romans on all sides. Flaminius then advanced on the shores of Lake Trasimene
and Hannibal ordered a general charge and drove the Romans into the Lake and to their death.
25000 Romans were killed, along with Flaminius himself and Livy reports that their blood filled the
lake for over three days.
Hannibal then proceeded to cross the Apennines, ravaging the lands of Picenum, Apulia and
Campania for food and supplies. At this time a new Roman commander, Fabius Maximus, was
appointed and was dedicated to a non-confrontational war with Hannibal and securing the support
of the allies. These have become known as Fabian tactics. This strategy was successful in stalling
Hannibal’s destruction across Italy and countered his measures to turn the allies against Rome.
However, this quickly became unpopular and was replaced by new commanders Varro and Paullus in
216 BC.
Both Varro and Paullus army together numbered 70 000 men and outnumbered Carthage two to
one, according to historian Polybius. This led to the battle of Cannae in 216 BC on the Apulian plain.
It is this battle that Hannibal’s superior strategies shine through in the defeat of Rome. As the two
armies took battle formation, Hannibal ordered his cavalry to encircle the Roman army on both side
and the rear. At this stage, Rome ordered an all out attack of Carthage’s main force and seemed to
breaking their lines when Hannibal's infantry and cavalry encircled the Roman army, allowing for the
decimation of the Roman army and Rome’s worst defeat. According to historians Livy and Polybius
Rome lost a total of approximately 50 000 men, while Carthage lost 6 000.
Hannibal then continued on, capturing the town of Capua and attempted to diplomatically join
Syracuse and Macedonia into an alliance. However Hannibal’s supplies were becoming more and
more precarious, unable to capture secure a coastal town. Hannibal did not attempt to capture
Rome. Various theories state why Hannibal did not try to besiege Rome, but most believe it was a
combination of a lack of siege weapons and not knowing how to take advantage of his victories.
Rome slowly managed to regroup and began to take back many towns that Hannibal had captured.
Furthermore, the Roman Fabian tactics were re-introduced and was a major factor in Hannibal’s loss
of the Second Punic War. In 207 his brother Hasdrubal desperately tried to reinforce his brother but
was defeated before he was able to at the river Metaurus by Publius Scipio. Scipio soon took New
Carthage and at this time Scipio was sent to directly attack Carthage in Africa. Hannibal was then
recalled from Italy by the Senate in 203 to defend Carthage,
Hannibal faced Scipio in the concluding battle of the Second Punic War at the battle of Zama.
Numidia had become Rome’s new ally and fought against Hannibal. Hannibal’s forces numbered
45 000 infantry and 3000 cavalry, however was primarily made up of raw recruits and an inferior
cavalry, while Scipio’s numbered 34 000 infantry and 9 000 cavalry. Hannibal reproduced his tactics
of Cannae but was unsuccessful. Scipio used Hannibal’s own tactics of encirclement against him and
was able to defeat Carthage, thus bringing about the end to the Second Punic War.
Strategies of Hannibal
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Gaining support from Gallic tribes
Breaking up Roman confederacies
Did so in mainly south of Italy
Ambush at lake Trebbia, enticing Sempronius to fight, used his eagerness against him
Hid 1000 cavalry and 1000 infantry along the brushes of Lake Trebbia
Lit fires at Lake Trasimene to deceive Romans that he was further away than he was
Hannibal’s encirclement tactic at Cannae