Second Punic War

The Second Punic War was the second of a series of three armed conflicts between Carthage and the Roman Republic. It was fought between 218 and 201 BC in Italy, Spain, and northern Africa. It was one of a few instances in ancient history where Rome was pushed to the brink of total collapse, being in danger of total annihilation as a civilization. Whereas most of the military engagements of the First Punic War were naval battles, the majority of the military encounters of the Second took place on land, on the solid ground of the battlefield.

Although Carthage had been defeated in 241 BC and forced to give up islands off the coast of Italy, they still had total control of large tracts of land in Hispania (Spain). The commander of the Carthaginian forces there was Hamilcar Barca. When he had died in 228 BC, his son-in-law, Hasdrubal, succeeded him. The new commander continued the Iberian campaign against the native tribes (Iberians and Celtics). However, he would die in 221 BC and he would be succeeded by Hannibal, Hamilcar Barca’s son, who extremely hated Rome.

Summary

The Second Punic War was triggered when Hannibal captured Saguntum, in Spain, after a long siege. Because this city was allied to Rome, the Roman Senate declared war on Carthage. Since Hamilcar Barca and his son had built a powerful army during their time in Spain, the Carthaginians drove Rome into despair, having to fight for survival. Hannibal led his large army, which included elephant cavalry and thousands of mercenaries from all corners of the Mediterranean, through the Pyrenees, across the plains of Gauls (France), and into Italy as he crossed the Alps.

In 218 BC, Hannibal’s army would obtain two victories at the Battles of Ticinus and Trebia River in northern Italy. In 217 BC, the Carthaginian General made a military maneuver, bypassing the Roman positions and showing up at Lake Trasimene, where he defeated the Roman Army. As a result, the Senate appointed Fabius Maximus as the new Consul, who avoided a decisive battle. In 216 BC, Hannibal dealt a vicious blow to Rome, defeating the successor of Fabius at the Battle of Cannae, where 80,000 Roman legionaries were routed. This victory made several Italian tribes to side with the Carthaginians. Under these adverse circumstances, Rome was forced to resort to tactics to protract the war in a hit-and-run strategy, also depriving the enemy of food supplies.

Meanwhile, Cornelius Scipio Africanus Major organized a powerful army in Spain and defeated the Carthaginian forces there at the Battle of Metaurus River in 207 BC. Then he led his forces directly to North Africa, landing near Carthage and threatened to lay siege and destroy the great city-state. Upon hearing the news, Hannibal abandoned his military campaign to destroy Rome and headed straight back to Carthage. Cornelius Scipio was waiting for him on the plain of Zama. This time the Romans were battle-hardened and well organized and equipped. Hannibal was completely defeated at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC. The following year, the Carthaginians were forced to sign a peace treaty, by which they relinquished the whole of Spain to Rome as they were forbidden to conduct wars on northern Africa, while their entire fleet was burned by the Romans.

Below, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, the great Roman General that defeated Carthage in the Second Punic War.