Hannibal

Born 247 BC his father was Hamilcar Barca. He was born in Carthage just as it was about to lose the Punic War. Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica were all taken by Rome Hannibal is said to have been influenced by these events. Hannibal was forced by his father to pledge eternal hatred against Rome. Hannibal's father died in 229 BC and the successor to the throne was Hamilcar's son-in-law Hasdrubal the Fair. Hannibal married a native princess and visited carthage a few times after links were formed between Carthage and Iberia. In 221 BC Hasdrubal was murdered and Hannibal was elected commander. He was aggressive and bright, attacking and capturing Salamanca and Saguntum. Romans said this broke a standing treaty between Hasdrubal and demanded Hannibal thrown out by the Carthaginian government. In the meantime Hannibal extended Carthage's boundaries. He went to conquer the rest of the Iberian peninsula which sparked the Second Punic War. He invaded Italy to catch the Romans off guard. He crossed the Alps on elephant and reached Turin. Hannibal recruited the plain people, called the Gauls, to revolt against Rome, defeating a Roman army at the river Trebia. He lost an eye some time in 217 BC while taking over Etruria. Hannibal fought back the Roman counterattack. Hannibal tried to entice the Roman allies diplomatically but they appointed a dictator who chased Hannibal away without conflict. The allies remained loyal. In 216 Hannibal and his army defeated what the Romans thought would be the ultimate attack to end everything. Hannibal received Sardinia and Capua. Hannibal received an alliance with Philip V of Macedonia and Syracuse. Hannibal failed to capture the ports of Cumae and Puteoli. Hannibal's contacts were being severed by Rome. Capua, and Tarentum were taken back. Hannibal himself was hunted down but avoided, meanwhile Iberia was taken and Carthage was attacked. The Roman forces and Hannibal's met at Zama and Hannibal was defeated. He fled to Carthage and agreed to Rome's demands for peace. Hannibal resigned from his position as general.

Hannibal's reputation for being a monster in Roman eyes was unfair. He was not going out to destroy nations single-handedly. He was a fierce general who knew what he was doing and that was misconstrued as being fiendish and horrible. He wanted to do what any other city wanted to do at the time: expand his empire and he was not afraid to let blood be shed.

"Hannibal." Livius. Articles on Ancient History. Web. 02 Mar. 2010.                              <http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/hannibal/hannibal.html>.

"Hannibal." Livius. Articles on Ancient History. Web. 02 Mar. 2010. <http://www.livius.org/hahd/hannibal/hannibal2.html>.

"File:Hannibal.jpg -." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 02 Mar. 2010. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hannibal.jpg>.