The legendary Hannibal - the commander of Carthage. Hannibal: why he is considered the best commander in history Hannibal defeated the Romans
War of Rome with Hannibal. Map
Hannibal's invasion of Italy
Hannibal's genius told him that Rome could only be fought in Italy. Leaving his brother, Hasdrubal, with an army in Spain, he set out from New Carthage in 218 with 90,000 infantry and 12,000 horsemen. In the battles between the Ebro and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20,000 soldiers, and to hold this newly conquered region he left Hanno with 10,000 infantry and 1,000 horsemen. Having reinforced the army of Hasdrubal with another 10,000 soldiers, Hannibal with 50,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry crossed the Pyrenees, descended into Southern Gaul and here skillfully evaded meeting with the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who was going to block his road to the Rhone Valley. Hannibal then made his famous 15-day trek through the Alps with the help of the Cisalpine Gauls.
At the end of October 218, Hannibal's army, after five and a half months of a difficult campaign, spent in continuous battles with the highlanders, descended into the valley of the Pada (Po) River. Its losses were so great that Hannibal had only 20 thousand infantry and 6 thousand cavalry left. This did not stop him from moving forward. Hannibal soon defeated the Romans on the Ticinus River, and then routed them on the Trebbia River, although the enemy was strengthened by significant reinforcements called from Sicily and Massilia. Having settled into winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul, Hannibal strengthened his army there with auxiliary detachments from Gallic tribes. At the beginning of the campaign of 217, two enemy armies - Flaminia and Servilia - blocked Hannibal's path to Rome. Hannibal decided not to attack them, but, bypassing the army of Flaminius on the left, to threaten its communications with Rome. To do this, Hannibal chose a very difficult, but at least the shortest route - to Parma and through the Clusium swamps, flooded at that time by the flood of the Arno River. For four days his army marched in the water and lost all the elephants, most of the horses and pack cattle. Hannibal himself lost one eye from inflammation. Coming out of the swamps, Hannibal pretended that he wanted to rush to Rome. Flaminius followed the Carthaginians without observing military precautions. Taking advantage of the enemy’s inability, Hannibal arranged an unprecedented ambush for him with an entire army at Lake Trasimene. In a bloody battle on its shore, he inflicted a complete defeat on the Romans, and Flaminius himself died. In view of the dire danger, the Romans handed over the dictatorship to Fabius Verrucose (later called Cunctator – Procrastinator). Experienced Fabius resorted to new tactics: he avoided decisive battles, and tried to wear down the enemy with campaigns and the difficulty of food supplies.
Battle of Cannes
The slowness and caution of Fabius Cunctator did not please the Romans, and at the end of his dictatorship, command passed to two consuls: Terence Varro and Aemilius Paullus. Their army was the largest since the founding of Rome (90 tons of infantry, 8,100 cavalry and 1 tons of Syracusan riflemen). Hannibal was in a difficult position; His troops were exhausted by continuous campaigns, suffered from a lack of everything, and no reinforcements were sent from Carthage. Hannibal was saved from these difficulties by the rashness of Terence Varro, who (216) attacked the Carthaginians at Cannae (in Apulia), in an area convenient for the operation of their excellent Numidian cavalry. Here the Romans suffered a new, terrible defeat; Most of their army was killed, and the consul Aemilius Paulus was also killed.
Rome's war with Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae
Despite the victory, Hannibal could not now march on Rome, since he did not have the means for a siege. But after the battle of Cannae, most of the Roman allies in Italy took his side, and Capua, the second city of Italy, opened its gates to him. At Capua, Hannibal gave temporary rest to his weary troops; but the rulers of Carthage, occupied exclusively with selfish trade interests, missed the opportunity to finally crush their original rivals, the Romans, and did not provide their brilliant commander with almost any support. During all this time, only 12 thousand infantry and 1.5 thousand cavalry were sent to Hannibal as reinforcements. Rome, meanwhile, gathered new troops, and consul Marcellus won his first victory over the Carthaginians at Nola. After a series of military actions with varying success, Capua was taken by the Romans, and Hannibal was forced to go on the defensive. Not receiving help from his fatherland, Hannibal summoned his brother Gazdrubal from Spain, who (207) moved with troops to Italy, but was unable to unite with Hannibal. The consul Claudius Nero defeated Hannibal at Grumentum and then, linking up with another consul, Livius Salinator, defeated Hasdrubal at Metaurus. Having learned of the death of his brother (Gazdrubal's severed head was thrown into the Carthaginian camp), Hannibal retreated to Bruttium, where he endured an unequal struggle with the Romans for another three years. After this time, the Carthaginian Senate summoned Hannibal to the defense of his native city, which was threatened by the consul Cornelius Scipio, who had carried the war to Africa. In 203, Hannibal left Italy and sailed to the African shores. An attempt to negotiate with Scipio was unsuccessful. Five marches from Carthage, at Zama, a decisive battle ensued (202). The Carthaginians were completely defeated, and this ended the Second Punic War.
Hannibal's departure from Carthage and his death
Meanwhile, Rome used the first years after the peace with Carthage to strengthen its rule over Italy, to completely conquer the Spanish peninsula, Sardinia, Corsica, dominion over which put the entire west of the Mediterranean under its control; while he, interfering in the discord between the Greeks and the Macedonians, prepared the expansion of his possessions in the East, the Carthaginians were not inactive; They tried to heal the deep wounds inflicted by the war through reforms and putting finances in order, and partly succeeded in this, although the matter was greatly complicated by party discord in Carthage and attacks by external enemies. We meet Hannibal here again. The sad outcome of the war placed the control of Carthage in the hands of aristocrats who wanted peace and were loyal to the Romans; but the patriotic party, based on the people and grouped around the family of Hamilcar Barca, remained powerful as long as Hannibal was at its head. He was made suffet and chairman of the Council of the Sta. Just as before, when commanding an army, Hannibal sought to restore the power of his homeland, so now, devoting himself to the internal affairs of the state, he tried to improve the condition of his homeland through reforms. Hannibal transformed the Council of the Hundred, put the state economy in order: he managed to overthrow the dishonest, self-interested oligarchy and found democratic institutions, under the protection of which order was established in the state. Hannibal managed affairs fairly, strictly observed the laws, increased state revenues, introduced frugality in expenses, and, thanks to this, Carthage was able to pay indemnities to the Romans on a timely basis without burdening the citizens with excessive taxes. Finances under the control of Hannibal came to such a good position that ten years after the conclusion of peace, the Carthaginians could offer the Romans immediate payment of the rest of the indemnity. But the Romans rejected this proposal, because for them keeping Carthage in constant dependence on themselves was more important than immediately receiving money.
Hannibal's reforms reduced the influence of the aristocracy on state affairs and its income from government posts; she was indignant that the defeated enemy set limits to her greed and lust for power. To take revenge on Hannibal, she did not disdain the most shameful means. She accused Hannibal of using the power of the commander-in-chief for his personal benefit; this accusation was found to be false; then the aristocrats began to accuse Hannibal before the Roman Senate of secret relations with the enemies of Rome, of planning to take advantage of the war being prepared by the Romans with Antiochus; they argued that when the Roman legions left for Syria, Hannibal would make a landing in Italy and resume the war. With these accusations, which could be based on some truth, the oligarchs, who wanted only material well-being and the preservation of Carthage’s independence in internal affairs under the auspices of Rome, achieved their goal. In vain did Scipio say that it was humiliating for the Roman people to listen to denunciations and interfere in the internal affairs of Carthage; The Senate sent three ambassadors to Africa to sort out Masinissa's quarrel with the Carthaginians over the border region and to complain to the Carthaginian government about Hannibal's hostile plans to Rome. Hannibal soon saw that the Romans would seek his extradition, and saved his homeland from the shame of handing over its greatest citizen to the vengeance of irreconcilable enemies. Hannibal secretly left Carthage, thinking in the east to resume the war against Rome, to which he had sworn eternal hatred when he was still a child. He sailed to Tire, from there to Ephesus, where Antiochus III was then preparing for war with the Romans. At home, Hannibal was sentenced to death in absentia as a traitor, his property was confiscated, his house was destroyed.
Antiochus kindly received the famous exile, and Hannibal did his best to achieve the goal he had been striving for all his life. If Antiochus had followed the prudent advice of Hannibal and if the Carthaginian oligarchs had not found out and revealed to the Romans his relations with the Carthaginian patriots, then the Syrian war, supported by the Carthaginian landings, could have taken a turn dangerous for the Romans.
Hannibal persuaded Antiochus to start a war against Rome, hoping to persuade his compatriots to do the same. But the Carthaginian Senate decisively refused war. The Syrian and Phoenician fleets were defeated by the Romans, and Cornelius Scipio defeated Antiochus near Magnesia. The new demand of the Romans for the extradition of Hannibal forced him to flee (189) to the Bithynian king Prusius. Here Hannibal became the head of an alliance between Prusius and his neighboring rulers against the Roman ally, the Pergamon king Eumenes. Hannibal's actions against the enemy were still victorious, but Prusius betrayed him and entered into relations with the Roman Senate regarding the extradition of his guest. Having learned about this, 65-year-old Hannibal, in order to get rid of shameful captivity after such a glorious life, took poison, which he constantly carried in a ring. Thus died this man, equally brilliant as a warrior and a ruler, who, however, failed to change the course of world history. The valor of Rome found in Carthage a selfish rival, incapable of rising above the interests of the moment and looking for solid foundations of state life in the depths of the people, and not in the mercantile calculations of the oligarchy. In the words of Hannibal himself: “it was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated Hannibal.”
Hannibal Barca- son of Hamilcar Barca, one of the greatest commanders and statesmen of antiquity, sworn enemy of Rome and last hope. There are still legends about his military talent, and many famous commanders of the world (including Alexander Suvorov) considered him their role model.
Hannibal was born in 247 BC, and already at the age of 9 he went on his first military expedition - to Spain, where his father took him with him.
According to Polybius and other historians, Hannibal himself said that before setting off on a campaign, his father made him swear at the altar that he would be an irreconcilable enemy of Rome all his life, and Hannibal kept this oath completely (the so-called “ Hannibal's oath"). His outstanding abilities, the extraordinary conditions of his upbringing prepared him for a worthy successor to his father, a worthy heir to his plans, genius and hatred.
Raised in a military camp, Hannibal nevertheless received a thorough education and always took care to replenish it. So, already being commander-in-chief, Hannibal learned from the Spartan Zozila the Greek language and mastered it to such an extent that he compiled state papers in it.
Flexible and strong in build, Hannibal excelled in running, was a skilled fighter and a brave rider. With his moderation in food and sleep, tirelessness in campaigns, boundless courage and selfless bravery, Hannibal always set an example for his soldiers, and with his selfless care for them he acquired their ardent love and boundless devotion.
The only lifetime image of Hannibal Bark is this coin
Character Hannibal Bark
Hannibal's military talent manifested itself in Spain, where, as the chief of cavalry for his son-in-law Hasdrubal, he won a number of brilliant victories over the Iberian Celts. Hardly anyone else could combine deliberation with ardor, foresight with energy and perseverance in pursuing the intended goal to such a degree.
Hannibal was distinguished not only by his courage, but also by his sophisticated cunning on the battlefield. To achieve his goals, he resorted to original and unexpected means, to various traps and tricks, and always carefully studied the character of his opponents. Carthage maintained an extensive network of spies, so the commander always learned about the enemy's plans in a timely manner. Despite the fact that even in Carthage itself, the too successful commander was not loved by those in power, reproaching him for deceit, treachery and treachery, the soldiers truly loved him, and even his enemies recognized his ability to wage war and achieve great victories with small forces.
When Hannibal's father died at the hands of an assassin in 221, the Carthaginian army located in Spain immediately elected him as their leader, believing that if anyone succeeded in carrying out Hamilcar's plans, it would be his son. At that time, Hannibal was 26 years old.
Conflict between Carthage and Rome
Hamilcar left Hannibal a good legacy - a full treasury and a strong army, accustomed to victories, for which the camp served as the fatherland, and patriotism was replaced by the honor of the banner and selfless devotion to its leader. We had to take advantage of all this!
But the government of Carthage was more concerned with trade rather than war, and, moreover, as already mentioned, the authorities were not going to give Hannibal too much freedom. Hannibal did not dare to speak out against the authorities, and began to act cunningly, provoking the Romans to declare war - the reason was the appeal of the inhabitants of the Spanish city of Sagunta to the Romans, asking them to protect their city from the increasing pressure of the Carthaginians.
However, the Romans did not fall for the challenges and were in no hurry to declare war, but they began to actively arm themselves and train their own armies. And Hannibal went all-in. Having sent a message to Carthage that the inhabitants of Saguntum were oppressing the Carthaginians, he attacked the city and took it after an 8-month siege. The Romans demanded the extradition of the rebel commander, but the Carthaginian authorities did not make concessions (perhaps fearing their army with Hannibal at the head even more than the war with Rome) and did not give the Romans any answer at all.
Rome declared war on Carthage, which was later called (Punes - Carthaginians), or "Hannibal's War".
The Roman plan for conducting military operations provided for the usual division of the army and navy between the two consuls in such cases. One of them was supposed to concentrate his troops in Sicily and, having crossed from there to Africa, begin military operations on enemy territory, in the immediate vicinity of Carthage itself. Another consul was to cross with his army to Spain and pin down Hannibal’s forces there.
However, Hannibal's energetic response disrupted these calculations and delayed the implementation of the Roman strategic plan for several years. Hannibal's genius told him that Rome could only be fought in Italy. Having secured Africa and leaving his brother Hasdrubal in Spain with an army, in 218 he set out from New Carthage with 80,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen and 37 war elephants. In the battles between the Ebro and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20,000 people, and to hold this newly conquered country he left Hanno with 10,000 infantry and 1,000 horsemen.
The route of the campaign ran along the southern coast of Spain and Gaul. From there Hannibal descended to Southern Gaul and here skillfully evaded meeting with the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who thought to block his path to the Rhone Valley. It became clear to the Romans that Hannibal intended to invade Italy from the north.
This caused the Romans to abandon their original campaign plan. Both consular armies were sent north to meet Hannibal.
Hannibal in Italy
At the end of October 218, Hannibal's army, after five and a half months of a difficult campaign, spent in continuous battles with the Alpine mountaineers, descended into the valley of the Po River. But the losses she suffered during this time were enormous, so that upon arrival in Italy, Hannibal had only 20,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry at hand. Almost all the war elephants were killed. In Cisalpine Gaul, recently conquered by the Romans, the Carthaginian commander managed to rest his exhausted army and significantly replenish it with troops from local tribes.
Having occupied and destroyed Turin, Hannibal defeated the Romans near the Ticino (Ticin) River, and then completely defeated them, despite the fact that the enemy was reinforced by significant reinforcements hastily summoned from Sicily and Massilia.
After delivering the first blows to the enemies, Hannibal settled into winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul and became concerned about strengthening his army with allied troops from Gallic and other tribes. At the opening of the campaign in 217, two enemy armies - Flaminia and Servilia - were placed on the paths of Hannibal's advance towards Rome.
For strategic reasons, the Carthaginian decided not to attack either one or the other, but, bypassing the army of Flaminius from the left wing, to threaten its communications with Rome. To do this, Hannibal chose an extremely difficult, but at least the shortest route - to Parma and through the Clusium swamps, flooded at that time by the flood of the Arno River. The commander’s army walked in the water for four days, lost all the elephants, most of the horses and pack cattle, and Hannibal himself lost one eye from inflammation. When, upon leaving the swamps, the Carthaginian made a demonstration of moving towards Rome, Flaminius, leaving his position, followed Hannibal's army, but did not observe any military precautions. Taking advantage of his enemy's oversight, Hannibal staged an unprecedented ambush with an entire army at.
At this time, Hannibal was in a very difficult situation: the troops were exhausted by continuous marches, suffered from a lack of everything, and no reinforcements were sent from Carthage, due to the intrigues of a party hostile to the commander. The Carthaginian was rescued from these difficulties by the rashness of Terence Varro, who attacked the conquerors (in Apulia) in an area convenient for Hannibal's excellent Numidian cavalry.
Hannibal's victory at Cannes had a wide resonance. The communities of Southern Italy began to go over to the side of the Carthaginian commander one after another. Most of Samnium, Bruttia, and a significant part of Lucania fell from the Romans.
Hannibal's successes were also appreciated outside of Italy. The Macedonian king Philip V offered him an alliance and military assistance. In Sicily, Syracuse went over to Hannibal's side. The Romans risked losing the entire island.
Despite the victory, Hannibal could not now, as before, attempt to take possession of Rome itself, since he did not have any means for a proper siege. He had to be content with the fact that after the battle of Cannae most of the Roman allies in Italy took his side and that Capua, the second city of the republic, opened its gates to him. In this city, the commander gave temporary rest to his exhausted troops, but Hannibal’s position improved little, since the rulers of Carthage, occupied exclusively with their selfish trade interests, missed the opportunity to finally crush their ancient rivals, the Romans, and did not provide their brilliant commander with almost any support.
A fatal role for Hannibal was played by the short-sighted policy of the Carthaginian government, because of which the Carthaginian army, located in enemy territory, did not have regular connections with its metropolis and was deprived of sources of replenishment of material and human reserves. For all this time, only 12 thousand infantry and 1500 cavalry were sent to Hannibal as reinforcements. Meanwhile, Rome recovered, gathered new troops, and consul Marcellus won his first victory over the Carthaginians at Nola. After a series of military operations with varying success, Capua was taken by the Romans, and Hannibal had to take a purely defensive position.
Not receiving help from his fatherland, the commander summoned his brother, Hasdrubal, from Spain, who (207) consequently moved with his troops to Italy, but could not unite with Hannibal, since the Romans took timely measures to prevent this. The consul Claudius Nero defeated Hannibal at Grumentum, and then, uniting with another consul, Livius Sampator, defeated Hasdrubal. Having learned about the fate that befell his brother (whose severed head was thrown into the Carthaginian camp), Hannibal retreated to Brutium, where for another 3 years he endured an unequal struggle with his sworn enemies.
Return of Hannibal to Carthage.
Everything ended naturally - the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio and his army landed in Africa, and Hannibal was forced to return in 203 to defend Carthage. He landed at Leptis and stationed his troops at Adrumet. An attempt to enter into negotiations with the Romans was unsuccessful. Finally, at a distance of five marches from Carthage, a decisive battle ensued (202).
The decisive role in the victory over Hannibal was played by the Numidian cavalry led by King Masinissa, who went over to the side of the Romans. The Carthaginians were completely defeated, and this ended the 2nd Punic War. In 201 BC. a peace treaty was signed. Its conditions were difficult and humiliating for the Carthaginians. They lost all their overseas possessions, including Spain. They were forbidden to wage war even with neighboring tribes without the permission of the Roman Senate. Carthage paid a huge indemnity of 10 thousand talents and gave the Romans its entire navy and war elephants.
In the subsequent period of peace, the commander Hannibal showed himself to be a statesman. Occupying the position of praetor, or head of the republic, Hannibal put finances in order, ensured urgent payments of the heavy indemnity imposed by the victors, and in general, in peacetime as in wartime, he rose to the occasion of his position.
The thought of resuming the struggle with Rome, however, did not leave him, and in order to secure greater chances of success, he entered into secret relations with King Antiochus III. Hannibal's enemies reported this to Rome, and the Romans demanded his extradition. Then the commander fled to Antiochus (195) and managed to persuade him to take up arms against Rome, hoping to persuade his compatriots to do the same. But the Carthaginian Senate decisively refused to wage war. The Syrian and Phoenician fleets were defeated by the Romans, and at the same time Cornelius Scipio defeated Antiochus at Magnesia. Antiochus III, having suffered defeat, was forced to seek peace, one of the conditions of which was the surrender of Hannibal.
The new demand of the Romans for the extradition of Hannibal forced him to flee (189). According to some sources, Hannibal at one time lived at the court of the Armenian king Artaxius, founding for him the city of Artashat on the river. Araks, then to the island. Crete, from where he went to the Bithynian king Prusius. Here he became the head of an alliance between Prusius and his neighboring rulers against the Roman ally, the Pergamon king Eumenes.
In one of the naval battles, Hannibal managed to put the Pergamon ships to flight by throwing vessels with snakes onto their decks. Hannibal's actions against the enemy were still victorious, but Prusius betrayed him and entered into relations with the Roman Senate regarding the extradition of his guest. Having learned about this, 65-year-old Hannibal, in order to get rid of shameful captivity after such a glorious life, took poison, which he constantly carried in a ring.
Thus died this man, equally brilliant as a warrior and a ruler, who, however, failed to stop the course of world history, perhaps because the ancient valor of Rome found in Carthage a selfish rival, incapable of rising above the interests of the moment and looking for solid foundations of state life in the depths people, and not in the mercantile calculations of the oligarchy.
In Hannibal's own words: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated Hannibal.” He was buried at Libissa on the European shore of the Bosphorus, far from Carthage, which was destined to outlive its great commander.
Hannibal Barca - even in his youth he vowed to fight the Romans while he had the strength
Personality of Hannibal Bark.
There is the only lifetime depiction of Hannibal, his profile on a Carthage coin minted in 221 at the time of his election as military leader.
A brief biography of Hannibal was compiled by the Roman historian Cornelius Nepos (1st century BC). In the works of Polybius, Titus Livy, Appian, who described the events of the 2nd Punic War, Roman patriotism was combined with admiration for the greatest enemy of Rome, who “having fought in Italy against Rome for sixteen years, he never withdrew his troops from the battlefield”(Polybius, book 19).
Titus Livy (book XXI; 4, 3 ff.) said that Hannibal “endured heat and cold equally patiently; he determined the measure of food and drink by natural need, and not by pleasure; chose the time for wakefulness and sleep, without distinguishing day from night; many often saw him, wrapped in a military cloak, sleeping on the ground among the soldiers standing at posts and on guard. He was far ahead of the horsemen and infantrymen, the first to enter the battle, the last to leave the battle.”.
According to Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal was fluent in Greek and Latin and wrote several books in Greek.
The works of historians preserve a semi-legendary story about the meeting between Hannibal and Scipio, who arrived in Ephesus in 193 as part of the Roman embassy to Antiochus III. Once during a conversation, Scipio asked Hannibal who he considered the greatest commander. The great commander named Alexander the Great, Pyrrhus the king of Epirus and himself in third place after them, adding then that if he managed to defeat the Romans, he would consider himself superior to Alexander, Pyrrhus, and all other generals.
Hannibal, a commander who fought against Rome for 17 years, the last of the rulers of Carthage, is considered one of the greatest people of antiquity. This great man, who spent his childhood in a military camp, later became an implacable enemy of Rome. Some respected him, others feared him, legends were made about him. This person will be discussed in the article. What kind of person is this, where was he born, in what city did the ancient commander Hannibal live - read about all this further.
Origin and development of Hannibal
Hannibal, who later became a great commander and the threat of Rome, was born in 247 BC. e. in Carthage, a state located in North Africa. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was a Carthaginian military leader and statesman. It is known that during the period when Hannibal was not yet ten years old, his father took him with him on a campaign of conquest against Spain. Having spent his childhood in field camps and campaigns, little Hannibal gradually became involved in military affairs.
The commander Hamilcar, before taking his son with him, demanded that he take a sacred oath, according to which Hannibal pledged to be an irreconcilable enemy of Rome until the end of his days. Many years later, he kept this oath in full and became a worthy successor to his father. It was thanks to this episode that the expression “Hannibal’s Oath” subsequently became popular.
Taking part in his father's campaigns, he gradually acquired military experience. Hannibal's military service began with the position of chief of cavalry. At this point, Hamilcar was no longer alive, and Hannibal joined the army under the leadership of his son-in-law Hasdrubal. After he died in 221 BC. BC, Hannibal was chosen by the Spanish army as their leader. By that time, he had already earned a certain authority among the soldiers.
General personality characteristics
The commander Hannibal, whose biography consists almost entirely of episodes of military battles, received a good education in his youth, which his far-sighted father took care of. Even as commander-in-chief, Hannibal sought to expand his knowledge and studied foreign languages. Hannibal was quite a remarkable personality and possessed many talents. He had good physical fitness, was a skilled and brave warrior, an attentive and caring comrade, tireless in campaigns and moderate in food and sleep. He set his achievements as an example to the soldiers, who, by the way, loved and respected him, and most importantly, were devoted to him.
But the list of Hannibal's advantages does not end there. He discovered his talent as a strategist at the age of 22, while being a cavalry commander. Very inventive, to achieve the desired results he resorted to all sorts of tricks and tricks, analyzed the character of his opponents and skillfully used this knowledge. The commander, whose spy network extended even to Rome, thanks to this he was always one step ahead. He was not only a genius of war, but also possessed political talents, which he fully demonstrated in peacetime, engaged in the reform of Carthaginian government institutions. Thanks to these talents, he became a very influential person.
In addition to all of the above, Hannibal had a unique gift of power over people. This was revealed in his ability to keep a multi-lingual and multi-tribal army in obedience. The warriors never dared to disobey him and unquestioningly obeyed him even in the most difficult times.
Beginning of the Second Punic War
Before Hannibal became commander-in-chief of the Spanish army, his father Hamilcar created a new province in Spain that generated income. In turn, Hamilcar's successor, Hasdrubal, concluded an agreement with Rome, according to which the Carthaginians did not have the right to cross the Iber River, that is, to move deeper into the European continent. Some coastal lands also remained inaccessible to Carthage. Moreover, in Spain itself, Carthage had the right to act at its own discretion. Hannibal, the general of Carthage, had all the necessary resources to wage war, but the government to which he was forced to obey chose to maintain peace.
Thus, the Carthaginian commander decided to act by cunning. He tried to provoke Saguntum, a Spanish colony under the patronage of Rome, and force it to break the peace. However, the Saguntians did not succumb to provocations and complained to Rome, which soon sent commissioners to Spain to resolve the situation. Hannibal continued to escalate the situation, hoping to provoke the ambassadors, but they immediately understood the essence of what was happening and warned Rome of the impending threat.
After some time, Hannibal made his move. The commander reported to Carthage that the Saguntians allegedly crossed the line of what was permitted, then, without waiting for an answer, he began open military action. This turn of events shocked the Carthaginian government, which, however, did not take any serious steps. After several months of siege, Hannibal managed to capture Saguntum.
The year was 218 BC. e.. Rome demanded that Carthage hand over Hannibal, but without waiting for an answer, it declared war. Thus began the Second Punic War, which some ancient sources also call the "Hannibal War".
Trekking in Italy
The Romans expected to carry out a military operation according to the plan provided for such cases. They intended to divide the army and navy between two consuls, one of whom was to begin military operations in Africa, in the immediate vicinity of Carthage. The second part of the army was supposed to resist Hannibal. Nevertheless, Hannibal managed to turn the situation in his favor and destroy the plans of Rome. He provided cover for Africa and Spain, and himself, at the head of an army consisting of 92 thousand people and 37 war elephants, headed on foot to Italy.
In the battles between the Iber River and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20 thousand people, and he had to leave another 11 thousand in Spain to hold the conquered territories. He then followed the southern coast of Gaul towards the Alps. In the Rhone Valley, one of the Roman consuls tried to block his path, but the battle never happened. This was the same Publius Cornelius Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at the end of the war. It became obvious to the Romans that Hannibal intended to invade Italy from the north.
While the Carthaginian commander was approaching Italy, both Roman armies were already heading north to meet him. However, Hannibal faced another obstacle on his way - the Alps, the passage through which lasted 33 days. This entire long journey from Spain to Italy thoroughly exhausted the army of the Carthaginian commander, which during this time was reduced to approximately 26 thousand people. In Italy, Hannibal managed to win a number of victories, even though the enemy hastily transferred significant reinforcements there. Only in Cisalpine Gaul did Hannibal’s army receive rest and replenishment from the detachments of the local tribes that supported him. Here he decided to spend the winter.
Confrontation in Italy. First resounding victory
In the spring, Hannibal was ready to continue his attack on Rome, but this time two enemy armies stood in his way. He, as a skilled strategist, decided not to engage in battle with any of them, but tried to get around the enemy. To do this, the army had to be led through the swamps for four days, which entailed many losses. On the way, the army lost all the remaining elephants, a significant part of the horses, and Hannibal himself lost one eye as a result of an inflammatory process.
Having overcome the swamps, the Carthaginian commander made several raids, thereby demonstrating his intention to march on Rome. Flaminius, one of the consuls, abandoned his position and, forgetting all precautions, went to where Hannibal was seen. The Carthaginian commander was waiting for just this; Taking this opportunity, he ambushed Flaminia. When he and his army entered the valley of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal, who sat down with his army on the nearby hills, attacked the Roman consul. As a result of this maneuver, Flaminius' army was destroyed.
Hannibal is opposed by the dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus. Hannibal's predicament and new victory
As an emergency, the Roman government decided to give dictatorial powers to Quintus Fabius Maximus. He chose a special tactic of warfare, which consisted in the fact that the Romans had to avoid decisive battles. Fabius simply intended to wear down the enemy. It is worth noting that such tactics of the dictator had their advantages, but in Rome Fabius was considered too cautious and indecisive, so in the next year, 216 BC. e., he was removed from the post of dictator.
As already mentioned, Fabius' tactics produced some results. Hannibal was in a difficult situation: his army was exhausted, and Carthage provided practically no support. However, the balance of power changed dramatically after Gaius Terentius Varro, one of the consuls of Rome, made an unforgivable mistake. He had at his disposal an army significantly larger than the army commanded by Hannibal. The commander of Carthage, however, had a significant advantage in the form of 14 thousand horsemen against the 6 thousand available to Rome.
The legendary battle took place near Cannes, where Hannibal was stationed. His position was obviously advantageous, but consul Varro did not take this into account and threw his troops into the attack, as a result of which he was completely defeated. He himself managed to escape, but another Roman consul, Paul Aemilius, was killed.
As a result of such a crushing victory, Hannibal acquired many new allies, including Capua, Syracuse, Macedonia and other regions.
The impossibility of a siege of Rome. The beginning of a losing streak
Despite the achievements that Hannibal achieved, the Carthaginian commander could hardly count on a successful siege of Rome. Simply put, he did not have the resources that were so necessary for this. Hannibal gained the support of Rome's former allies, and he also had the opportunity to rest his exhausted troops. But he never received significant support from Carthage itself, whose rulers, apparently, did not have foresight.
As time passed, Rome gradually regained its strength. The city of Nola was the place where Hannibal was first defeated. The Roman commander, consul Marcellus, managed to defend the city, and from that moment on, perhaps, the Carthaginians’ luck ended. For several years, neither side was able to achieve a significant advantage, but later the Romans managed to take Capua, thereby forcing Hannibal to go on the defensive.
By that time, it had become quite obvious that one should not particularly count on Carthage’s help, because its ruling elite, which was most interested in profits from trade, took some kind of vague passive position in this war. Therefore, in 207 BC. e. Hannibal calls his brother Hasdrubal from Spain. The Romans made every effort to prevent the brothers' troops from uniting, as a result of which Hasdrubal was defeated twice and subsequently completely killed. Having never received reinforcements, Hannibal withdraws his army to Bruttium, in the very south of Italy, where over the next three years he continues the war with the hated Rome.
Return to Carthage
In 204 BC. e. Roman commander, winner of Hannibal Scipio lands in Africa and begins a war there against Carthage. Due to this, the Carthaginian government summoned Hannibal to defend the city. He tried to enter into negotiations with Rome, but this led to nothing. In 202 BC. e. A decisive battle took place, ending the Second Punic War. In this battle, Hannibal's army suffered a crushing defeat. The winner of Hannibal is the ancient Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio.
A year later, a peace agreement was signed between Carthage and Rome, the terms of which turned out to be very humiliating for the losing side. Hannibal himself, who was essentially the instigator of the Second Punic War, was rehabilitated and even received the right to occupy a high position in the Carthaginian government. In the field of government activities, he also proved himself to be a talented and far-sighted person.
Flight and death
It is likely that Hannibal never gave up the idea of renewing the war with Rome. Some sources claim that the former commander, hatching plans for revenge, entered into a conspiracy with Antiochus III, the Syrian king, who was in tense relations with Rome. The rulers of Rome became aware of this, and they demanded the extradition of the rebellious Carthaginian. In this regard, Hannibal, the great commander of Carthage, in 195 BC. e. was forced to seek refuge in the Syrian kingdom.
Subsequently, Hannibal took part in the confrontation between Antiochus and Rome, which resulted in the defeat of the Syrian king. The conditions that Rome put forward also included the surrender of Hannibal. Having learned about this, in 189 BC. e. he went on the run again. Sources that have survived to this day provide different information regarding which city the commander Hannibal lived in after he had to leave the Syrian kingdom. It is known that he visited Armenia, then Crete, and also Bithynia.
Ultimately, Prusias, king of Bithynia, betrayed Hannibal, agreeing with Rome to hand over the fugitive. The great Carthaginian commander, who was already 65 years old at that time, chose to take poison and die rather than surrender to his eternal enemy.
Sources
A brief history of Hannibal’s life was compiled by the ancient Roman historian Cornelius Nepos, who lived in the 1st century BC. e. Roman historians such as Titus Livius, Polybius and Appian, who chronicled the events of the Second Punic War, had some admiration for the Carthaginian general as one of Rome's greatest enemies. These historians described Hannibal as a seasoned and strong-willed man, a brave warrior and a loyal comrade. According to them, he never disdained being among ordinary soldiers, was always ready to share with them all the hardships of military life, was the first to enter battle and the last to leave. Cornelius Nepos says that Hannibal is a famous commander who had a first-class command of Greek and Latin and even wrote several books in Greek.
The only depiction of Hannibal made during his lifetime is his profile on a Carthaginian coin that was minted in 221 BC. e., just at the time when he was elected commander-in-chief.
The following words are also attributed to Hannibal: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated me.” And indeed, if the ruling elite of Carthage had provided more support to their commander fighting against Rome, who knows what the outcome of the Second Punic War would have been in this case. Even Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal, may have only achieved victory through a coincidence of circumstances, taking advantage of the situation in his favor.
This is the path of life that Hannibal went through - the legendary commander who never managed to change the course of history. Why everything was the way it was and not otherwise - we do not undertake to judge this, but it is difficult not to agree that Hannibal is truly one of the most striking characters in the history of mankind.
Hannibal(translated from Phoenician "gift of Baal") Barge, better known simply Hannibal(-183 BC) - Carthaginian commander. Considered one of the greatest commanders and statesmen of antiquity. Was the number one enemy of the Roman Republic and the last true leader of Carthage before its fall in the series of Punic Wars.
Hannibal's childhood and youth
At the end of October 218, Hannibal's army, after 5.5 months of a difficult campaign, spent in continuous battles with the highlanders, descended into the valley of the Po River. But due to high losses, upon arrival in Italy, the army of Carthage reached 20 thousand infantry and 6 thousand cavalry.
Hannibal's actions against the enemy were successful, but Prusius entered into relations with the Roman Senate. Having learned about this, 65-year-old Hannibal, in order to get rid of shameful captivity, took poison from the ring.
Hannibal in cinema
| Year | Movie | Notes |
| 2011 | Hannibal the Conqueror | American feature film, starring Vin Diesel as Hannibal |
| 2006 | Hannibal - Rome's Worst Nightmare | TV film produced by BBC starring Alexander Siddig |
| 2005 | Hannibal vs Rome | American documentary film produced by National Geographic Channel |
| 2005 | The True Story of Hannibal | American documentary film |
| 2001 | Hannibal - the man who hated Rome | British documentary |
| 1997 | Great Battles of Hannibal | English documentary |
| 1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Hannibal appears to Gulliver in a magic mirror. |
| 1960 | Hannibal | Italian feature film with Victor Mature |
| 1955 | Beloved of Jupiter | American feature film starring Howard Keel |
| 1939 | Scipio Africanus - defeat of Hannibal (Scipione l’africano) | Italian feature film |
| 1914 | Cabiria | Italian silent feature film |
Notes
Links
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional) - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
- Composition of the Carthaginian army in the second Punic War
Categories:
- Personalities in alphabetical order
- Born in 247 BC. e.
- Died in 183 BC e.
- Battles of the Second Punic War
- Persons:Carthage
- Enemies of Ancient Rome
- Suicide Warlords
- Suicides who took poison
- Participants in the Punic Wars
- Personalities on banknotes
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Hannibal, Hannibal Barca (247 or 246 BC, Carthage, 183 BC, Bithynia), Carthaginian commander and statesman. He came from the aristocratic family of the Barkids. Son of Hamilcar Barca. Participated in the military... ...
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HANNIBAL (247 BC, Carthage, North Africa around 183 181 BC, Libyssus, Bithynia), Carthaginian commander, son of Hamilcar Barca (see HAMILCAR BARCA). During the 2nd Punic War (218,201) he crossed the Alps,... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
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Hannibal - son of Hamilcar Barca, one of the greatest commanders and statesmen of antiquity, the sworn enemy of Rome and the last stronghold of Carthage, was born in 247 BC, was 9 years old when his father took him with him to Spain, where sought compensation for his fatherland for the losses suffered in Sicily.
According to Polybius and other historians, Hannibal himself said that before setting off on a campaign, his father made him swear at the altar that he would be an irreconcilable enemy of Rome all his life, and Hannibal kept this oath completely (the so-called “Hannibal’s oath”). His outstanding abilities, the extraordinary conditions of his upbringing prepared him for a worthy successor to his father, a worthy heir to his plans, genius and hatred.
Raised in a military camp, Hannibal nevertheless received a thorough education and always took care to replenish it. So, already being commander-in-chief, Hannibal learned the Greek language from the Spartan Zosilus and mastered it to such an extent that he drew up state papers in it. Flexible and strong in build, Hannibal excelled in running, was a skilled fighter and a brave rider. With his moderation in food and sleep, tirelessness in campaigns, boundless courage and selfless bravery, Hannibal always set an example for his soldiers, and with his selfless care for them he acquired their ardent love and
A true son of his people, Hannibal was distinguished by his inventive cunning; To achieve his goals, he resorted to original and unexpected means, to various traps and tricks, and studied the character of his opponents with unprecedented care. With the help of systematic espionage, Hannibal always learned in a timely manner about the enemy's plans and even kept constant spies in Rome itself. His contemporaries tried to denigrate the character of Hannibal, they reproached him for deceit, treachery and treachery, but everything dark and cruel in his deeds should partly be attributed to his minor commanders, and partly find justification in the then concepts of international law. Hannibal's military genius was complemented by great political talents, which he discovered in the reform of the Carthaginian state institutions he undertook at the end of the war and which gave him, even in exile, unprecedented influence on the rulers of the eastern states.
Hannibal had the gift of power over people, which was expressed in the boundless obedience in which he was able to keep his troops of different tribes and languages, who never rebelled against Hannibal even in the most difficult times. Such was this man whom, after the death of Hasdrubal, who fell in 221 at the hands of an assassin, the Spanish army chose as its leader and who decided to carry out the plans of his no less brilliant father. The means for this were fully prepared.
Beginning of the Second Punic War.
Without the support of the Carthaginian government, even with its secret opposition, Hamilcar created a new province in Spain, the rich mines of which gave him the opportunity to stock up on the treasury, and the communities that depended on it supplied auxiliary troops and mercenaries as needed. Roman diplomats managed to achieve in 226 the conclusion of an agreement with Hasdrubal, according to which the Carthaginians were not to advance beyond the Iberus (Ebro). But southwest of Iber, in most of Spain, the Carthaginians were granted complete freedom of action. Hamilcar left his son a legacy of a full treasury and a strong army, accustomed to victories, for which the camp served as the fatherland, and patriotism was replaced by the honor of the banner and selfless devotion to its leader. Hannibal decided it was time to settle scores with Rome.
But the cowardly Carthaginian government, mired in mercantile calculations, did not at all think of being carried away by the plans of the 26-year-old young commander, and Hannibal did not dare to start a war in obvious defiance of the legitimate authorities, but tried to cause a violation of the peace on the part of the Spanish colony of Sagunta, which was under the patronage of Rome. The Saguntians limited themselves to filing a complaint with Rome. The Roman Senate sent commissioners to Spain to investigate the matter. With a harsh approach, Hannibal thought to force them to declare war, but the commissars understood what was going on, remained silent and reported to Rome about the gathering storm. Rome began to heavily arm itself.
Time passed, and Hannibal decided to act. He sent news to Carthage that the Saguntians had begun to press out the Carthaginian subjects, the torboletes, and, without waiting for an answer, he opened military operations. The impression of this step in Carthage was like a thunderclap; there was talk of handing over the daring commander-in-chief to Rome.
But was it because the Carthaginian government feared the army even more than the Romans, because it realized the impossibility of making amends for what had been done, or because of its characteristic indecision, it decided to do nothing, i.e. not to wage war or prevent its continuation. After an 8-month siege, Saguntum fell in 218.
The Roman ambassadors demanded the extradition of Hannibal in Carthage and, having received neither a satisfactory nor a negative answer from the Carthaginian Senate, declared war, which was called the Second Punic War, which many ancient historians called the “Hannibal War”.
The Roman plan for conducting military operations provided for the usual division of the army and navy between the two consuls of 218 in such cases. One of them was supposed to concentrate his troops in Sicily and, having crossed from there to Africa, begin military operations on enemy territory, in the immediate vicinity of Carthage itself. Another consul was to cross with his army to Spain and pin down Hannibal’s forces there.
However, Hannibal's energetic response disrupted these calculations and delayed the implementation of the Roman strategic plan for several years. Hannibal's genius told him that Rome could only be fought in Italy. Having secured Africa and leaving his brother Hasdrubal in Spain with an army, in 218 he set out from New Carthage with 80,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen and 37 war elephants. In the battles between the Ebro and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20,000 people, and to hold this newly conquered country he left Hanno with 10,000 infantry and 1,000 horsemen. The route of the campaign ran along the southern coast of Spain and Gaul. From there Hannibal descended to Southern Gaul and here skillfully evaded meeting with the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who thought to block his path to the Rhone Valley. It became clear to the Romans that Hannibal intended to invade Italy from the north.
This caused the Romans to abandon their original campaign plan. Both consular armies were sent north to meet Hannibal.
At the end of October 218, Hannibal's army, after five and a half months of a difficult campaign, spent in continuous battles with the highlanders, descended into the valley of the Po River. But the losses she suffered during this time were enormous, so that upon arrival in Italy, Hannibal had only 20,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry at hand. Almost all the war elephants were killed. In Cisalpine Gaul, recently conquered by the Romans, the Carthaginian commander managed to rest his exhausted army and significantly replenish it with troops from local tribes.
War in Italy.
Having occupied and destroyed Turin, Hannibal defeated the Romans near the Ticino River (Ticinus), and then completely defeated them on the Trebbia River, despite the fact that the enemy was reinforced by significant reinforcements hastily summoned from Sicily and Massilia.
After delivering the first blows to the enemies, Hannibal settled into winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul and became concerned about strengthening his army with allied troops from Gallic and other tribes. At the opening of the campaign in 217, two enemy armies - Flaminia and Servilia - were placed on the paths of Hannibal's advance towards Rome. For strategic reasons, the Carthaginian decided not to attack either one or the other, but, bypassing the army of Flaminius from the left wing, to threaten its communications with Rome. To do this, Hannibal chose an extremely difficult, but at least the shortest route - to Parma and through the Clusium swamps, flooded at that time by the flood of the Arno River. The commander’s army walked in the water for four days, lost all the elephants, most of the horses and pack cattle, and Hannibal himself lost one eye from inflammation. When, upon leaving the swamps, the Carthaginian made a demonstration of moving towards Rome, Flaminius, leaving his position, followed Hannibal's army, but did not observe any military precautions. Taking advantage of his enemy's oversight, Hannibal staged an unprecedented ambush with an entire army at Lake Trasimene.
The battle that unfolded looked more like a mass slaughter of the Romans than an ordinary battle. In a narrow valley, the Romans were unable to deploy their battle formations and, surrounded by the enemy, rushed about in confusion. Many threw themselves into the lake and drowned. Almost the entire army of Fliminius and he himself died in this battle.
In view of the terrible danger in which the fatherland found itself, the Romans entrusted dictatorial power to Quintus Fabius Maximus (later nicknamed Cunctator, i.e. the Slowman). Fabius, having well understood the state of affairs, resorted to a new system of actions; he avoided decisive battles, but tried to tire the enemy with campaigns and difficulties in obtaining food. His slowness and caution, however, did not please the Romans, and at the end of the dictatorship of Fabius in 216 BC. command of the army was entrusted to two consuls: Gaius Terence Varro and Lucius Paulus Aemilius. The army subordinate to them was the largest since the founding of Rome (90 thousand infantry, 8100 cavalry and 1 thousand Syracusan riflemen).
At this time, Hannibal was in a very difficult situation: the troops were exhausted by continuous marches, suffered from a lack of everything, and no reinforcements were sent from Carthage, due to the intrigues of a party hostile to the commander. The Carthaginian was rescued from these difficulties by the rashness of Terence Varro, who attacked the conquerors at Cannae (in Apulia) in an area convenient for the action of Hannibal's excellent Numidian cavalry. Before this battle, the Romans had an army that consisted of 80 thousand infantry and 6 thousand horsemen. Hannibal's infantry numbered only 40 thousand soldiers, but he had a quantitative and qualitative superiority in cavalry - 14 thousand horsemen. There the Romans suffered a terrible defeat; most of their army was destroyed, and Paul Aemilius was killed.
Hannibal's victory at Cannes had a wide resonance. The communities of Southern Italy began to go over to the side of the Carthaginian commander one after another. Most of Samnium, Bruttia, and a significant part of Lucania fell from the Romans.
Hannibal's successes were also appreciated outside of Italy. The Macedonian king Philip V offered him an alliance and military assistance. In Sicily, Syracuse went over to Hannibal's side. The Romans risked losing the entire island.
Despite the victory, Hannibal could not now, as before, attempt to take possession of Rome itself, since he did not have any means for a proper siege. He had to be content with the fact that after the battle of Cannae most of the Roman allies in Italy took his side and that Capua, the second city of the republic, opened its gates to him. In this city, the commander gave temporary rest to his exhausted troops, but Hannibal’s position improved little, since the rulers of Carthage, occupied exclusively with their selfish trade interests, missed the opportunity to completely crush their ancient rivals, the Romans, and did not provide their brilliant commander with almost any support. A fatal role for Hannibal was played by the short-sighted policy of the Carthaginian government, because of which the Carthaginian army, located in enemy territory, did not have regular connections with its metropolis and was deprived of sources of replenishment of material and human reserves. For all this time, only 12 thousand infantry and 1500 cavalry were sent to Hannibal as reinforcements. Meanwhile, Rome recovered, gathered new troops, and consul Marcellus won his first victory over the Carthaginians at Nola. After a series of military operations with varying success, Capua was taken by the Romans, and Hannibal had to take a purely defensive position.
Not receiving help from his fatherland, the commander summoned his brother, Hasdrubal, from Spain, who (207) consequently moved with his troops to Italy, but could not unite with Hannibal, since the Romans took timely measures to prevent this. The consul Claudius Nero defeated Hannibal at Grumentum, and then, uniting with another consul, Livius Sampator, defeated Hasdrubal. Having learned about the fate that befell his brother (whose severed head was thrown into the Carthaginian camp), Hannibal retreated to Brutium, where for another 3 years he endured an unequal struggle with his sworn enemies.
Return to Carthage.
After this time, the Carthaginian Senate summoned the commander to defend his native city, which was threatened by the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who moved the war to Africa.
In 203, Hannibal left Italy, sailed to the African shores, landed at Leptis and stationed his troops at Adrumet. An attempt to enter into negotiations with the Romans was unsuccessful. Finally, at a distance of five marches from Carthage, at Zama, a decisive battle followed (202). The decisive role in the victory over Hannibal was played by the Numidian cavalry led by King Masinissa, who went over to the side of the Romans. The Carthaginians were completely defeated, and this ended the 2nd Punic War. In 201 BC. a peace treaty was signed. Its conditions were difficult and humiliating for the Carthaginians. They lost all their overseas possessions, including Spain. They were forbidden to wage war even with neighboring tribes without the permission of the Roman Senate. Carthage paid a huge indemnity of 10 thousand talents and gave the Romans its entire navy and war elephants.In the subsequent period of peace, the commander Hannibal showed himself to be a statesman; occupying the position of praetor, or head of the republic, Hannibal put finances in order, ensured urgent payments of the heavy indemnity imposed by the victors, and in general, in peacetime, as in wartime, he rose to the occasion of his position.
Flight and death.
The thought of resuming the fight with Rome, however, did not leave him, and in order to secure greater chances of success, he entered into secret relations with the Syrian king Antiochus III. Hannibal's enemies reported this to Rome, and the Romans demanded his extradition. Then the commander fled to Antiochus (195) and managed to persuade him to take up arms against Rome, hoping to persuade his compatriots to do the same. But the Carthaginian Senate decisively refused to wage war. The Syrian and Phoenician fleets were defeated by the Romans, and at the same time Cornelius Scipio defeated Antiochus at Magnesia. Antiochus III, having suffered defeat, was forced to seek peace, one of the conditions of which was the surrender of Hannibal.
The new demand of the Romans for the extradition of Hannibal forced him to flee (189). According to some sources, Hannibal at one time lived at the court of the Armenian king Artaxius, founding for him the city of Artashat on the river. Araks, then to the island. Crete, from where he went to the Bithynian king Prusius. Here he became the head of an alliance between Prusius and his neighboring rulers against the Roman ally, the Pergamon king Eumenes.
In one of the naval battles, Hannibal managed to put the Pergamon ships to flight by throwing vessels with snakes onto their decks. Hannibal's actions against the enemy were still victorious, but Prusius betrayed him and entered into relations with the Roman Senate regarding the extradition of his guest. Having learned about this, 65-year-old Hannibal, in order to get rid of shameful captivity after such a glorious life, took poison, which he constantly carried in a ring.
Thus died this man, equally brilliant as a warrior and a ruler, who, however, failed to stop the course of world history, perhaps because the ancient valor of Rome found in Carthage a selfish rival, incapable of rising above the interests of the moment and looking for solid foundations of state life in the depths people, and not in the mercantile calculations of the oligarchy. In Hannibal’s own words: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated Hannibal.” He was buried in Libissa on the European shore of the Bosphorus, far from Carthage, which was destined to outlive its great commander by only 37 years.
Ancient historians about the personality of Hannibal.
There is the only lifetime depiction of Hannibal, his profile on a Carthage coin minted in 221 at the time of his election as military leader.
The works of historians preserve a semi-legendary story about the meeting between Hannibal and Scipio, who arrived in Ephesus in 193 as part of the Roman embassy to Antiochus III. Once during a conversation, Scipio asked Hannibal who he considered the greatest commander. The great commander named Alexander the Great, Pyrrhus the king of Epirus and himself in third place after them, adding then that if he managed to defeat the Romans, he would consider himself superior to Alexander, Pyrrhus, and all other generals.