"I will either find a way or make one..."
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| Face Reconstruction of Hannibal, by Alessandro Tomasi |
Who is Hannibal Barca?
Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, began his illustrious military career at a young age. When Carthage, the Phoenician commerce and military powerhouse in North Africa, was lost in the First Punic War against Rome in 241 B.C., he was only six years old. The peace pact, which required Carthage to forfeit the lucrative province of Sicily and pay remunerations to Rome, infuriated Hannibal's father, general and politician Hamilcar Barca. According to Roman historians, Barca had Hannibal swear a blood oath of perpetual hate toward the Romans.
New sources of wealth and manpower:
Carthage needs fresh sources of income and men to recover her fortunes, rebuild its army, and prepare for reprisal against Rome. It tracked them down in Spain. Hannibal followed Barca on the campaign, which resulted in his father gaining control of most of the Iberian Peninsula and its riches, especially enormous silver reserves. Hannibal came into his own in Spain, getting his first instructions from his brother-in-law Hasdrubal. Hasdrubal was slain in 221 B.C., and Hannibal became leader of the army at the age of 26.
The Second Punic War:
Hannibal utilized Spain as his center of operations during the Second Punic War, which began in 218 B.C. Carthage was no longer a major maritime force, but its Spanish treasury enabled Hannibal to raise a powerful army comprised of mercenaries from Spain, North Africa, and Gaul. Some of those recruits, notably Celts from northern Italy, were motivated by hate for Rome rather than allegiance to Hannibal.
Hannibal's courageous march into the Alps with at least 40,000 troops—including dozens of elephants—became legendary. The perilous alpine terrain reduced his army to about half its original strength. The elephants, on the other hand, functioned similarly to tanks today, utilizing their weight to crush past opposing lines. According to Roman historian Livy, "At the head of the column were the cavalry and elephants." Hannibal, with the pick of the troops, led the charge, keeping his eyes wide and vigilant for any possibility."
The Romans were taken aback by Hannibal's assault. He delivered them a crushing blow at the Battle of Cannae in 216 B.C. by bringing back the vulnerable centre of his line to establish a pocket. When his resilient men surged around their flanks and encircled them, the approaching Romans were trapped. That move is still considered one of the most famous in military history. The Battle of Cannae is regarded as one of the bloodiest single days of warfare ever witnessed by a Western army.
Read More about Carthaginian Empire.
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