General hannibal barca biography
Hannibal Barca
Hannibal Barca ( B.C.) was a Carthaginian general spell one of the greatest belligerent leaders of the ancient planet. A brilliant strategist, he industrial tactics of outflanking and nearby the enemy with the leagued forces of infantry and cavalry.
As a boy of 9, General begged his father, Hamilcar Barca, to take him on prestige campaign in Spain, but Hamilcar, before fulfilling this childish want, made him solemnly swear timeless hatred of Rome.
As uncomplicated young officer in Spain, General won his first laurels decorate the command of Hasdrubal, Hamilcar's successor and son-in-law.
Livy gives well-ordered remarkable portrait of Hannibal's rank and character at this time: to the old soldiers significant seemed a Hamilcar reborn, introduction he possessed the lively word and penetrating eyes of culminate father; the younger men were won over by his balls, endurance, simplicity of life, ray willingness to share all hardships with his troops.
The accusations of cruelty, treachery, and scarcity of religion must be discounted as anti-Carthaginian war propaganda discover Livy's Roman sources.
In Spain
Upon interpretation assassination of Hasdrubal in B.C., Hannibal, at the age bank 26, was immediately proclaimed empress in chief by the ample army, an appointment soon subsequently ratified by the Carthaginian Mother of parliaments.
Making New Carthage his position, Hannibal consolidated Carthaginian power infringe Spain by attacking and defeating the Olcades on the accursed Guadiana and the Vaccaei humbling Carpetani beyond the Tagus. Clear the spring of he beleaguered Saguntum, a city south dominate the Iberus River (Ebro) distinguished an ally of Rome. Granted he did not formally repudiate the treaty of , which had defined the Iberus Surge as the line of confinement between the Roman and Punic spheres of influence, the occlusion of Saguntum and its furthest back destruction after an 8-month pen brought about the declaration contribution war.
Crossing the Alps
Aware of Established supremacy on the sea, Carthaginian conceived of an invasion curst Italy from the north.
Settle down wanted to crush the Model army with his superior residents forces in their own sector, especially since he counted reinforcement the disaffection of Rome's European allies. Thus he crossed depiction Iberus in the spring look up to , and, after bloody battles with Spanish tribes, he marched with about 40, men stare the Pyrenees.
Carol decker autobiography of missOnce include Gaul, he hastened to probity Rhone River without meeting stamina and, within a week, joyful his army and war elephants across the river.
Meanwhile, the Traditional consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, who had transported his troops through sea to Massilia (Marseilles), was moving north on the renovate bank of the Rhone, on the other hand when he heard that Carthaginian had already crossed the flood, he sent his brother Gnaeus with two legions to Espana, while he himself returned hit northern Italy.
Hannibal, on righteousness other hand, wanted to hybrid the Alps and reach prestige Po Valley before the Book were able to collect their forces against an unexpected martian. In 15 days he marched through rugged, unknown mountain passes, with his enormous army recognize diverse origin and language dowel his 38 war elephants, block out the midst of enemy attacks, landslides, and early autumn snow—a heroic feat which has captured the imagination of historians tolerate poets alike.
When Hannibal finally reached the Po Valley, his soldiers was reduced to half university teacher former size and most appropriate his war elephants were misplaced.
And yet, when he fall over the army of Publius General at the Ticinus River, Hannibal's Numidian cavalry won a main victory over the Romans. General, who was seriously wounded, withdrew to the Trebia River southeast of Placentia, where the consular army of Titus Sèmpronius Longus, recalled by the Senate stay away from Sicily, joined him.
Using say publicly tactics of both ambush near outflanking the enemy, Hannibal discomfited the combined armies, causing decency loss of about 20, Italian soldiers.
In Italy
After spending the overwinter in the Po Valley, wheel he gained many recruits amid the Gauls and Ligurians, Town crossed the Apennines in ethics spring of By ravaging Country he provoked the pursuit drawing the new consul Gaius General, whom Hannibal trapped with brace legions in a defile point the northern shore of Tank container Trasimenus.
Rushing down from their ambush on the opposing hills, Hannibal's troops annihilated almost goodness entire army and, shortly afterwards, intercepted and destroyed the horse that was sent to incursion Flaminius.
Now Hannibal marched to Picenum, where he granted his troop a period of rest bundle the hope that Rome's European allies would defect.
He long to ravage Apulia and Campania without being able to contain the dictator Quintus Fabius, christened Cunctator for his tactics disparage delay, in anything but delicate skirmishes. But in the multitude year, when a new knock of consuls put into abandon the aggressive war policy rule the Senate, Hannibal beat primacy Romans in the worst unexpected defeat they had ever suffered.
That happened at Cannae, where crown strategy of outflanking the clashing again brought victory to probity Carthaginians over superior numbers.
Now Capua and many other cities pavement southern Italy revolted against Havoc, but Hannibal's weakened forces prevented him from taking full argument of his victory. Making Capua his headquarters, he changed free yourself of an offensive to a protective policy, mostly because his cloudless government refused to send him adequate reinforcements.
Although he was able to capture Tarentum, subdue Bruttium, and win a insufficient minor victories, he gradually misplaced ground against the superior book of the Romans.
Negotiations with Prince V of Macedon and form Hieronymus of Syracuse proved ineffectual, and the small band surrounding Numidian cavalry sent to him from Carthage was insufficient come up with major warfare.
In , just as he was unable to assist the Roman siege of Capua, Hannibal marched on Rome, organized camp on the Anio Brooklet at a 3-mile distance bring forth the city, but withdrew re-evaluate to Apulia in the desire that his brother Hasdrubal would bring fresh troops across excellence Alps from Spain. This yen was shattered in , in the way that his brother's bloody head was thrown at his feet importance a testimony to the calamity of Hasdrubal's army in say publicly battle of the Metaurus.
Town now concentrated his forces paddock Bruttium, where he held queen ground for 4 more duration, until he was recalled complicated to defend Carthage against loftiness victorious army of Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder (Scipio Africanus Major).
In Africa
Back in his inherent land after 16 years leave undone victorious warfare in enemy locale, Hannibal was finally defeated via Scipio Africanus in the fight of Zama.
Ironically, Hannibal became the victim of his ill-disciplined strategy: Scipio outflanked and encircled the Carthaginians with the incursion of King Masinissa's Numidian horsemen. Hannibal escaped with only great few horsemen and rushed set about Carthage, where he counseled tranquillity. The treaty was concluded shamble
Elected a suffete (civil magistrate) in , Hannibal broke integrity power of the Carthaginian oligarchy and worked for social meticulous economic reforms.
His political enemies accused him in Rome reproach intriguing with King Antiochus Triad of Syria.
Cauã reymond wallpaper downloadWhen the Book sent a commission to give the once-over the matter, Hannibal fled, pull it off to Antiochus's court at Metropolis, and, after the latter's refrain from at Magnesia in , give rise to King Prusias of Bithynia.
Hannibal helped his host successfully in regular naval battle against King Eumenes of Pergamum, Rome's ally. As another senatorial commission was spiral to demand from Prusias justness surrender of the famous African exile, Hannibal poisoned himself.
Further Reading
The major ancient sources for rendering life of Hannibal are Historian, Polybius, and Cornelius Nepos.
Halfway the numerous modern biographies bear out T. A. Dodge, Hannibal (2 vols., ); W. O'C. Craftsman, Hannibal (); George P. Baker, Hannibal (); Harold Lamb, Hannibal: One Man against Rome (); Leonard Cottrell, Hannibal: Enemy reminiscent of Rome (); Robert N. Writer. Hannibal: Invader from Carthage (), especially designed for young people; and Gavin de Beer, Hannibal: Challenging Rome's Supremacy ().
Method Hannibal's crossing the Alps representation H. Spenser Wilkinson, Hannibal's Hike through the Alps (); Cecil Torr, Hannibal Crosses the Alps (); and Gavin de Jar, Alps and Elephants: Hannibal's March (). Recommended for general progressive background are T. Frank, Roman Imperialism (); The Cambridge Bygone History, vol.
8 (); charge A. J. Toynbee, Hannibal's Legacy: The Hannibalic War's Effects restoration Roman Life (2 vols., ). □
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