Hannibal and the Second Punic War - Essay Example

Hannibal and the Second Punic War Hannibal and the Second Punic War The Second Punic War is considered to be an essential second war fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. Warriors were brought in from both the western and eastern Mediterranean to participate in this battle. The War in itself stretched over a long period of time, lasting from 218 to 201 BC (Bagnall 2002). The Punic Wars were fought by both countries three times over the courses of their existences. The reason behind the name Punic is because the Romans had chosen a particular name for the Carthaginians Punici. This name was selected because of the Carthaginians Phoenician ancestry thus leading to the word Punici. The Second Punic War is referred to by different names. Apart from the title of Punic it is also known as The Hannibalic War. The Romans chose to call it The War against Hannibal. This history of the Punic Wars is grim and intricate. The reason behind the Second Punic war is simple: the defeat of the Carthaginians in the First Punic War. It became necessary for the losing power to develop and maintain a sentiment of hatred and anger against those who had led them to defeat. The best way to regain Carthage's lost prestige was to conquer and replace large tracts of land to their empire. For the Carthaginians, Spain became an area of ample interest. This idea was further encouraged by Hamilcar Barca. As the premier Phoenician General he had been greatly dishonored and incensed over the defeat and the peace terms set out by Rome. This was coupled with the capture of Sardinia during Carthage's own mercenary war. Spain was then seen as the launching point for future action against Rome: a battle that would help resume the reputation that had been lost by Carthage. The events that befell Cartage before the Second Punic War are important because it was Barca's son who continued with his invasion plans: turning the Second Punic War into a battle which would be remembered for years to come. It began with Barca's designs to construct a strategy that would allow Carthage to retake, establish and maintain its identity. According to the treaty signed between the two countries, Barca had the freedom to expand his conquests in all directions that were meant to be west of the River lberus. This river would flow southeast into the Mediterranean Sea. Its name, Iberus, was later changed, to Ebro. Following the treaty with the Romans meant that the Carthaginians were not to cross the lberus (Arnold 1886). This was coupled with another important aspect to the treaty. The Carthaginians were also bound by the treaty not to interfere with the people of Saguntum. This was a crucial city because it laid between the lberus and the Carthaginian dominions. The Romans knew of its immense significance. They chose this area especially in an effort to control the ever growing Carthaginian forces. They saw the danger of leaving Saguntum to itself and thus enforced another clause in their treaty with Carthage. It was thus that because of Sagnutum's role in alliance with the Romans it was also placed under their protection. Hannibal was Barca's son and developed the same anger and loss of pride that ran deep in his father's veins. He soon transformed into an ardent General: one whose tactics and style would be revered for generations. It was during Barca's time that Carthage had begun to assume a control over Spain. Rome was concerned by these moves of the Carthaginian army and sought a treaty with Carthage which forbade limited them to expand South of the town of Ebro. It was then that an alliance with Saguntum was signed by Rome. This decision was responsible for giving the Romans a small but significant stronghold in the heart of Carthaginian lands. Thus, the Second Punic War was created by the dispute over the hegemony of Saguntum. When Hannibal came into power the Romans and Carthaginians were not at a state of war. Both rested in the comforts of the peace deals that had been signed between thee and were bound by formal treaties to continue in this manner. As mentioned earlier, the division of the territories was such that The River lberus was the frontier which separated the dominions. In this manner, the territory east of that boundary was under the Roman's power and that on the west under that of the Carthaginians. Dividing both of the two nations from each other within Spain. The problem however raised over one region: Saguntum. This was because of the area's position inside Carthaginian soil. Being as it was on the western side, it was an ally of the Romans. Also, the Carthaginians were bound by the treaty to leave it independent and free. This created problems for the new General Hannibal who wanted to expand the empire further into Spain. With Saguntum posing as the fraction of land blocking the invaders path, it was seen as a necessary tool to regain the Carthaginian's lost pride. But, for Hannibal to take part in any instance that pointed towards a design at Saguntum would lead to a breakdown in relationships between Carthage and Rome. Fuel was added to the fire because of events within the city itself. A great degree of tension was created within the city government. This led to a culmination of events that can now be held as responsible for igniting the issue. Included in it is the assassination of the supporters of Carthage which allowed for Carthage to achieve the breakthrough it had been waiting for. The General Hannibal immediately laid siege to the city of Saguntum during 219 BC. Because of its agreements, the city called for Roman assistance to help solve this crisis. However, all their efforts were in vain because their pleas fell on deaf ears. In short, Saguntum met with a prolonged siege and a bloody struggle in which Hannibal himself was wounded and the army practically destroyed. However, the Carthaginians finally took control of the city. The Carthaginian army in Iberia, excluding the forces in Africa, totaled, according to Polybius, 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and an unknown number of war elephants and was thus one of the largest in the Hellenistic world and equal in numbers to any that the Romans had yet fielded (Lazenby 1998). The Romans did not live up to their vows of protecting the men and women of Saguntum. It was evident that there interest in the region was only one that led to their self propagation. Once the Romans felt their own safeties threatened they stepped out of the deal made to one of their satellite states. Instead, they left the small nation to fend for themselves against the brutal yet mighty forces of Hannibal. Many of the Saguntians chose to commit suicide rather than face the subjugation by the Carthaginians. There is an alternative opinion that assumes that the Romans pact with Saguntum is a dark and complicated treaty that could be difficult to decipher. According to Hoyos, this treaty was so obscure that the Romans were able to repeatedly ignore the frantic messages sent to them by Sagnutum (1998). If this was the case then it seems that the Romans ignored the civilians of Sagnutum in their time of need. Hannibal began this attack by declaring a siege on the city itself. The siege was the first warning sign of the Hannibal's plans. Hannibal allowed this siege to continue for eight to nine months. During this time, no efforts were made by the Romans to prevent or forbid the dangerous designs begin set by Carthage. Instead, the siege in itself was ignored with no efforts made by the Romans to warn the Carthaginians of their movements. The question that baffles historians for centuries is, whether a treaty had been signed by the two parties: Rome and Sagnutum. It was only after Hannibal declared a war on the society of Sagnutum that the Romans declared it an act of war and sent troops to fight off the advancing Carthaginian forces. The outbreak of the Second Punic War began when the historic march over the Alps was undertaken by Hannibal who moved north across Ebro. Hannibal was a brilliant General but a better strategist. He forecast the retaliation that would be prepared for the Carthagenian army by their Roman contenders. It was for this reason that he foresaw the movement of the Roman army. Before leaving Spain, Hannibal was already alert to the idea of the intentions set for him by the Roman forces in their method to meet him as he crossed at Alps. He secured Spain with an army of about 16,000 men under the command of Hasdrubal and took 12,000 Iberian and Numidian soldiers, 80,000 infantry and a number of elephants with him on his march (Prevas 2001). According to many historians, Saguntum immediately understood and feared the rivaling threat that had been established by Hannibal's siege. The citizens of Sanguatine were afraid. They made quick measures to ensure that their ambassadors reached Rome. This was to ask the Romans to step in and guard them from the dangers with which Hannibal rendered them defenseless. The Sanguitine ambassadors had tried to appear at Rome as fast as they could but despite their diligent efforts to protect their city they were unable to get there on time. On some pretext or other, Hannibal contrived to raise a dispute between the city and one of the neighboring tribes, and then, taking sides with the tribe, he advanced to attack the city. The Saguntines prepared for their defense, hoping soon to receive succors from Rome. They strengthened and fortified their walls, while Hannibal began to move forward great military engines for battering them down. However, by this time, 218 BC, Hannibal had already obtained control of the Greek city and Roman ally, Saguntum. Hannibal was fully aware of the consequences that would be wrought by his hostilities against this city. He was beginning a contest with the nation Rome itself. This was because despite all arguments against the Roman behavior towards the siege, Rome would necessarily retaliate if any direct moves were made against her ally. Hannibal was aware of the seriousness of his actions. He knew that his designs would immediately bring on a general war between the two nations. As a superb general, Hannibal has two reasons for beginning with Saguntum. The first was that, it would not be safe for him to cross the lberus, and advance into the Roman territory if he left such wealthy and powerful city behind him; and then, in the second place, it was easier for him to find pretexts for getting in some way into a quarrel with Saguntum. This allowed him to throw the odium of a declaration of war on Rome. The two fold effect of this hostility was that he would not have to persuade the Carthaginian state to renounce the peace and the Romans themselves would choose to instigate the hostilities. The problem arose when Rome misappropriated the strength of the Carthaginian General. They thought it would be easy to defeat Hannibal. They grossly underestimated his skill and ambitions which led to tremendous defeats. Hannibal was full of surprises that would create immense trouble for the Roman troops. This was coupled with his manner of entering the Italic peninsula from Spain. He took a route that was unexpected and surprising because this tactic had never been used in a war between the two regions before. Hannibal chose to leave 20,000 troops with his brother Hasdrubal. With this move, he himself went further north on to the Rhone River than the Romans had expected. He did so along with his troops and animals. Hannibal crossed the river with his elephants on flotation devices. Hannibal was a General who knew his strengths and weaknesses. He never under or over estimated the power of his rivaling forces. He immediately realized that his forces didn't have as much manpower as the Romans. Instead, he counted on the support and alliance of Italian tribes unhappy with Rome. This was especially useful after these areas saw the Romans treatment of Saguntum before and after Hannibal invaded the area. What followed was immense bloodshed and destruction. Hannibal continued to advance despite the evident lost of lives and manpower. It was one of the deadliest wars in history which left the hostilities between the two countries unanswered and lead to the Third Punic War. Notes 1. Bagnall N, The Punic Wars 264-146, (Osprey Publishing, 2002) 9 2. Arnold T ,The Second Punic War, (Abe Books 1886) 3. Lazenby J F, Hannibal's War: A military history of the Second Punic War, (University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A 1988) 4. Hoyos B D,Unplanned Wars: The Origins of the First and Second Punic War, (Walter De Gruyter 1998), 174 5. Prevas J , Hannibal Crosses the Alps: The Invasion of Italy and the Second Punic War,( De Capo Press 2001) 1. Bibliography Arnold T The Second Punic War , Abe Books, 1886 Bagnall N,The Punic Wars 264-146, Osprey Publishing,(2002) 9 Hoyos B D,Unplanned Wars: The Origins of the First and Second Punic War, Walter De Gruyter, (1998) 174 Lazenby J F, Hannibal's War: A military history of the Second Punic War, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A, 1998 Prevas J ,Hannibal Crosses the Alps: The Invasion of Italy and the Second Punic War, De Capo Press, 2001 Read More