Second Punic War

The Second Punic War was fought between Carthage and Rome from 218 to 204 BC. It was the second of three major wars fought between the Phoenician city Carthage, and Rome (then still confined to the Italian Penninsula).

Background

After Carthage lost Sicily to Rome in the First Punic War, Carthage moved to compensate for the loss by extending her territory in Spain. This was began by Hamilcar Barca, and continued by his son-in-law Hadrusbal and then his son Hannibal. According to Roman tradition, Hannibal had sworn hatred to Rome, and he certainly did not take a conciliatory attitude when the Romans berated him for crossing the river Esbro, which they were by treaty required to stay south of. So Rome declared war on Carthage.

The Beginning

Hannibal took a combined army of North Africans and Iberians through southern France and crossed the Alps, losing all but one of his elephants in the process, to invade Italy. Hannibal recieved troops and supplies from the Gallic tribes of northern Italy that were either newly subjugated by Rome, or that never were. Hannibal's aim was to inspire the other cities of Italy to revolt against Rome. He did not, however, plan on laying seige to Rome itself, since he knew that doing so would be foolhardy.

The Middle Campaign

Hannibal inflicted crushing defeat after crushing defeat on the Romans. His army was so successful on the battlefield that the Romans eventually gave up facing him and instead fielded enough armies so that they could reconquer any territory that Hannibal abandoned. Meanwhile, Roman forces under a general named Publius Scipio attacked Iberia, and were able to expel his brother Hadrusbal's forces. These attempted to cross the alps to joing Hannibal, but now the legions were ready for the trick, and Hadrusbal was killed in the ensuing battle.

End

Returning from the conquest of Iberia, Scipio had immense popularity, and moved to attack Carthage herself. Upon discovering that Scipio was coming to Africa, the senate of Carthage ordered Hannibal to come to the city's defense. Roughly 1/3 of his army was Carthaginian, 1/3 was Iberian, and 1/3 was Gallic from northern Italia. Hannibal had to leave his Gallic and Iberian contingents in Italia, experienced troops all, to sail back to Carthage. Hannibal mounted a hastey defense, but was defeated by Scipio's more experienced army at Zama.

Results

Hannibal escaped/was exiled to the east and ended up in Syria. Rome feared him until the day he died, even though the fear was probably unwarranted. Carthage was reduced to a client state, needing to seek Rome's approval in any external matters, etc. Rome kept the territory it conquered in Iberia. For his military victory in Africa, Scipio became known as Scipio Africanus.

Carthage was later destroyed in the third punic war.