|
Since his meteoric life and tragic death, Hannibal Barca comes across the
centuries as the military commander with few, if any equals. A courageous
leader, brilliant tactician, and steadfast soldier in the service of his beloved
Carthage, Hannibal existed for one sole purpose: to defeat and, if possible, to
eliminate the power of Rome(Livy p.207). Hannibal’s destiny was already chosen
for him before his own birth. The only thing that couldn’t have been foretold
was the outcome of his struggles. His father Hamilcar Barca, another fearless
commander from Carthage, was in charge during the first Punic War. Hannibal was
taken to Spain at the young age of only nine. There he was forced to swear
hostility to Rome. From his fathers death to his own death Hannibal was
constantly involved in a struggle between Carthage and Rome. Hannibal was placed
in the army as soon as his father felt he was old enough to start his vigorous
training. He learned to handle arms as skillfully as any soldier does, and he
never asked his soldiers to do something that he himself could not do. In 221
BC, Hasdrubal was assassinated, and Hamilcar died in battle in 229 BC. The young
Hannibal was given his first command, at the age of twenty-six. Hannibal was now
the commander-in-chief, and the Carthaginian government ratified his position.
He was a brilliant well-liked leader form the start. “The veterans thought that
in Hannibal, Hamilcar had returned to life. They noted the same energy in
Hannibal’s face, the same keen glance. He was absolutely fearless in going into
danger, very prudent when it was on hand. No amount of labor fatigued him,
physically or mentally. He endured heat and cold very well. What time remained
over when his tasks were done he gave to rest. Many times the soldiers saw him
lying on the ground amid the outposts and the guards, wrapped in a military
cloak”(Miller et al Livy p.41). Before the death of Hasdrubal, Carthage had
negotiated a treaty with Rome to establish a line of Demarcation on the Ebro
River. This treaty led to Hannibal’s first military action. Saguntum, which was
located well south of the line, became the center of Roman ambitions. Saguntum’s
leaders began attacking nearby Cartheginian allies and expelling supporters. The
city of Saguntum was well inside the Carthaginian influence, but the Romans
demanded that Carthage not take action at Sanguntum. Hannibal ignored Roman
demands and decided to take action on the city. Hannibal organized his armies
and threw a siege on Saguntum. The city was greatly reduced and Hannibal began
his amazing trip over the Alps. According to H.L. Oerter of Miami University,
Hannibal’s journey, including 40 elephants, over and through the Alps into Italy
has never been denied. But, there has been no generalized agreement on the route
that he followed. It is known that two Greek scholars accompanied Hannibal’s
forces, but their accounts have never been found. A Roman army under the command
of General Publius Cornelius Scipio was sent to meet and dispose of Hannibal,
but failed to come across the great leader. Scipio did finally meet Hannibal at
the Ticinus River. The meeting was accidental. Forces from both sides met, and
the Carthaginians came out of the battle victorious. Scipio was badly wounded
and nearly lost his life. The Romans retreated to Placentia, where Longus would
reinforce them. Fighting on the left bank of the Trebia River the Romans were
again soundly defeated. Hannibal advanced to the Arno River by spring. In 217
BC, Hannibal moved on to Perugia and forced the Roman Flaminius into open
combat, at the battle of Lake Trasimene.
The Carthaginians nearly annihilated
Flaminius, killing thousands and forcing others to drown in the lake. Rome sent
reinforcements to Flaminius but Carthage intercepted and destroyed them also.
That same year Rome elected Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator’s dictator who
adopted the Fabian tactic of delay. This tactic only allowed small skirmishes
between the two armies. In 216, Hannibal made his move south and seized the army
supply depot at Cannae on the Aufidus River. Here, in August, The Battle of
Cannae was fought. While the Guals and Iberian infantry of Hannibal’s center
line yielded before the drive of the numerically superior Roman infantry, the
Libyan infantry and cavalry of Hannibal’s flanks stood fast, overlapped the
Roman line, an in a rear encircling movement turned to pursue the victorious
legionaries(Khalaf p.2). This great land victory brought the desired effect, but
Hannibal did not march on Rome and decided to spend the winter of 216-215 in
Capua. Carthaginian fighting strength was beginning to weaken. Realizing this
the Romans began to put the strategy suggested by Fabius into operation.
Fabius’s suggestions consisted of: to defend the cities loyal to Rome; to try to
recover, where opportunity offered it but rather to keep the Carthaginians alert
in every theatre of war. Hannibal, due to inferior numbers wasn’t able to spread
his forces to match the Romans or throw his concentrated strength into a
decisive battle, turned the tides from offensive to defensive in Italy. Hannibal
gained only minor victories, except for the capture of Tarentum, for the next
two years.
|
