Hannibal - The Second Punic War

1. Hannibal - The Second Punic War Battle of Cannae Battle of Zama Consequences of the Second Punic War

2. Battle of Cannae: Prelude • 216 BC: Hannibal attacked Roman supply lines • GauisTerrentius Varro was elected consul • Found Hannibal at the Audifus River • Hannibal declared for battle – It was refused • Hannibal sent his cavalry to a small roman camp harassing the water-bearing soldiers • According to Polybius, “Hannibal's cavalry boldly rode up to the edge of the Roman encampment, causing havoc and thoroughly disrupting the supply of water to the Roman camp”.

3. Battle of Cannae: Summary • 216BC: Near town of Cannae in Apulia in southeast Italy • Greatest tactical featsin military history • Roman Commanders: • LuciusAemiliusPaullus • Gaius Terrentius Varro • Roman’s methods of fighting and their equipment were highly sophisticated • Rome led ≈80,000 • Hannibal led ≈40,000 • Hannibal’s men came from different regions:

4. Roman Allied Cavalry Numidian Cavalry African Infantry Spanish and Gaulish Infantry African Infantry Roman CavalryDestroyed Numidian Cavalry The Battle of Cannae: Collision • Romans densely packed their infantry in the centre and the cavalry on the wings • Consuls planned to use the infantry to quickly break the Carthaginian lines • Hannibal placed his cavalry and most veteran infantry on the wings and his lighter infantry in the centre. • Hannibal formed their line into a bow • Hannibal had his centre ranks slowly retreat – Leading the Romans into a trap • The Carthaginian Cavalry destroyed the Roman cavalry on the left • Then advanced behind the Roman allied cavalry on the right and assaulted them from the rear

5. The Battle of Cannae: Destruction • Romans were drawn in • Carthaginian Cavalry return and assaulted the Romans from behind • Completely surrounded the Romans  Trapped and Compressed • Many Romans did not have space to raise their weapons Polybius notes: ‘70,000 Romans and their allies were killed, 10,000 captured’ Spanish and Gaulish Cavalry Numidia Cavalry African Infantry African Infantry

6. Battle of Cannae: Aftermath • Hannibal refuses to march to Rome  He lacked equipment and supplies • Hanno, leader of the Carthaginian senate, refuses to assist Hannibal with reinforcements • Roman elected a new commander: Marcus Claudius Marcellus • Marcellus was able to restrain Hannibal in three separate battles in Nola • 212BC: Hannibal decided to take the Roman port, Tarentum, to wait for Hasdrubal with reinforcements • 208BC: Marcellus gets ambushed by the Numidian Cavalry • 207BC: Rome ambushed Hasdrubal at Metaurus River before reaching Hannibal • 205BC: Scipio was elected consul • Scipio retook control of Spain and prepared for an invasion of North Africa

7. Battle of Zama: Prelude • Romans decided to attack Carthage • Forcing Carthaginians to recall Hannibal • Scipio was elected Consul • He Proposed to end war by invading Carthage • He landed on Utica with 7,000 men –Defeated Carthage army in 203BC (The Battle of the Great Plains) • Scipio offered a new treaty to Carthage: • Carthage would lose its overseas empire • Carthage was to reduce its fleet and pay a war indemnity. • Masinissa was to be allowed to expand Numidia into parts of Africa.  • 203BC: Carthage senate recalled Hannibal back • Romans fleet were cutting supply lines in the Gulf of Tunis

8. The Battle of Zama: Summary • 100 Miles south from Carthage • Marked the final and decisive end of the Second Punic War • Romans were led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus • Allied with Berber Numidian forces • Hannibal had a force of ≈50,000 Men • Outnumbering Romans by ≈10,000 • Hannibal requested a meeting with Scipio • Offered all the cities and a promise to never attack again – Scipio refused

9. The Battle of Zama • Hannibal sent his elephants • Scipio anticipated this move and created open lanes for attack • Some panicked, ramming into Hannibal’s front line • Some was lured and killed • Scipio sent his cavalry to push Hannibal aside – Forcing the infantry to the centre • Regular legionaries began to push back the front of Hannibal's force • The Roman cavalry routes the Carthaginian cavalry off the field

10. The Battle of Zama • Scipio attacks Hannibal's first and second line of infantry and forces them to retreat • Both armies extended their lines to prevent being flanked • Scipio failed to encircle Hannibal • Roman and Numidian cavalry broke off its pursuit - Returned to attack Hannibal's infantry= Trapped! • Carthaginian soon broke off – Second Punic was soon to be over • Scipio used much of the same tactic at Zama as Hannibal at Cannae

11. The Battle of Zama: Aftermath • ≈20,000 Hannibal’s men killed & ≈20,000 imprisoned • After 16 years of war - Rome was victorious • Scipio defeating Hannibal led to being the world’s greatest general • Hannibal managed to escape the slaughter • Escaped to Hadrumentumwith a small escort • He advised Carthage to accept good terms with Rome – the war, at this time, was futile Polybius notes: “Hannibal, escaping with a few horsemen, did not draw rein until he arrived safely at Hadrumentum. He had done in the battle all that was to be expected of a good and experienced general.”

12. Consequence of the Second Punic War • Ended in Roman victory • Scipio became the world’s greatest general • Carthage was forced to surrender and accept Scipio’s terms: • Carthaginian territory outside of Africa were to be surrendered; along with navy and elephant fleet • Carthage agreed to not engage in warfare without the permission of Rome • Pay Rome 10,000 talents for the next 50 years • Lost resources had to be provided to Rome  • Hannibal became a businessman for several years  committed suicide to avoid capture.

13. References • http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234%3Abook%3D15%3Achapter%3D18 • http://www.roman-empire.net/army/zama.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Zama • http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/mediterranean/2ndPunic.html • http://www.unrv.com/empire/result-of-second-punic-war.php