Hannibal Barca - Carthaginian general, one of the great military commanders and statesmen of antiquity. Commanded Carthaginian forces against Rome in the Second Punic War, 218–201. BC e. and opposed the empire until his death. The years of life of the military leader Hannibal Barca - 247 BC. e. - 183–181 BC e.

Personality

The personality of Hannibal Barca (you will learn briefly about him as you read the article) is quite controversial. Roman biographers do not treat him impartially and accuse him of cruelty. But despite this, there is evidence that he entered into agreements for the return of prisoners and respected the bodies of fallen enemy generals. The bravery of military leader Hannibal Barca is well known. Many stories and anecdotes about his wit and subtlety of speech have survived to this day. He spoke Greek and Latin fluently.

Appearance

It is difficult to judge the appearance and height of Hannibal Barca, since his only surviving portrait is silver coins from Carthage, which depict him as a young man with a beardless face.

Childhood and youth

The biography of the commander is not rich in accurate data. Many seemingly facts are simply speculation. A short biography of Hannibal Barca begins with the information that he was the son of the great Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca. His mother's name is unknown. Hannibal was brought to Spain by his father, lived and was raised among warriors. At an early age he was instilled with an eternal hostility towards Rome, and his whole life was devoted to this struggle.

First appointment

Hannibal Barca received his first command (the photo, or rather the portrait of the commander, you can see in the article) in the Carthaginian province of Spain. He became a successful officer because after the assassination of Hasdrubal in 221, the army proclaimed him commander-in-chief at age 26, and the Carthaginian government quickly ratified his appointment to the field.

Hannibal immediately became involved in consolidating the Punic takeover of Spain. He married the Spanish princess Imilca and then conquered various Spanish tribes. He fought against the Olcad tribe and captured their capital, Altalia, and conquered the Vaccaei in the northwest. In 221, having made the seaport of Kart-adasht (modern Carthage, Spain) his base, he won a resounding victory over the Carpetani in the area of ​​the Tagus River.

In 219, Hannibal attacked Saguntum, an independent Iberian city south of the Iber River. The treaty between Rome and Carthage after the First Punic War (264–241) established the Iberus as the northern limit of Carthaginian influence in the Iberian Peninsula. Saguntum was south of the Ibra, but the Romans had a "friendship" (though perhaps not an actual treaty) with the city and viewed the Carthaginian attack on it as an act of war.

The siege of Saguntum lasted eight months, during which Hannibal was wounded. The Romans, who had sent envoys to Carthage in protest (though they did not send an army to help Saguntum), demanded Hannibal's surrender after his fall. Thus began the Second Punic War, declared by Rome. Hannibal led the troops on the Carthaginian side.

March to Gaul

Hannibal Barca (unfortunately, we cannot see a photo of the commander) spent the winter of 219–218 in Carthage in active preparations to transfer the war to Italy. Leaving his brother Hasdrubal in command of a sizable army to defend Spain and North Africa, he crossed the Iber in April or May 218 and then went to the Pyrenees.

Hannibal left Carthage with an army of 90,000 men, including 12,000 cavalry, but he left at least 20,000 in Spain to protect supply lines. In the Pyrenees, his army, which included 37 elephants, met stiff resistance from the Pyrenean tribes. This opposition and the retreat of Spanish troops reduced the size of his army. When Hannibal reached the Rhone River, he encountered little resistance from the tribes of southern Gaul.

Meanwhile, the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio moved his army, which had been delayed by a rebellion in Italy, by sea to the area of ​​Massilia (Marseille), a city that was associated with Rome. Thus, Hannibal's access to the coastal route to Italy was blocked not only by the olive trees, but by at least one army and another that was gathering in Italy. As Scipio moved north along the right bank of the Rhone, he learned that Hannibal had already crossed the river and was moving north along the left bank. Realizing that Hannibal planned to cross the Alps, Scipio returned to northern Italy to wait for him there.

Conflicting accounts surround Hannibal's actions after crossing the Rhone. Polybius claims that he crossed the river four days' journey from the sea. Researchers are looking at historical sites such as modern Beaucaire and Avignon. Hannibal used captured fishing boats and built floating platforms and earth-covered rafts for the elephants. The horses were transported on large boats. During the operation, hostile Gauls appeared on the eastern bank, and Hannibal sent forces under the command of Hanno to defend. He crossed the river further upstream and attacked from behind. As the Gauls tried to block Hannibal, Hanno's force struck, scattering the Gauls and allowing the bulk of the Carthaginian army to pass through the Rhone.

Hannibal soon received the support of the Gallic tribes, which were led by the Celtic tribe of the Boii. Their lands had been invaded by Roman settlements and they had good information about Alpine crossings. Polybius makes it clear that Hannibal's army did not cross the Alps "blindly", they had information about the best routes. After crossing the Rhône, Hannibal's army traveled north 80 miles (130 km) into an area called "the island", the location of which is key to Hannibal's subsequent movements on land.

According to Polybius, it was a fertile, densely populated triangle surrounded by hills, the Rhone and a river called Isr. The confluence of the two rivers marked the border of the lands of the Alobrogue tribe. On the “island” there was a civil war between two brother military leaders. Brancus, the elder brother, in exchange for Hannibal's help, provided supplies for the Carthaginian army, which, after marching some 750 miles (1,210 km) four months from Carthage, was in dire need of them.

Crossing the Alps

Some details of Hannibal's crossing of the Alps have been preserved, mainly by Polybius, who is said to have traveled the route himself. A group of tribes, outraged by Brancus's betrayal, ambushed and attacked Hannibal's columns from the rear along the Isr River at the "gate to the Alps" (modern Grenoble). It was a narrow river surrounded by massive mountain ranges. Hannibal took countermeasures, but they entailed heavy losses among the soldiers. On the third day he captured the Gallic city and provided the army with food for two or three days.

After about four days of hiking along the river valleys (the Izr and Ark rivers), Hannibal was ambushed by hostile Gauls in a “white stone” place, not far from the top of the mountain. The Gauls attacked by throwing heavy stones from above, causing both men and animals to panic and lose their positions on the precipitous paths. Haunted by such daylight attacks and distrust of the loyalty of his Gallic guides, Hannibal decided to march at night and hide the animals in the ravine below. Before dawn, he led the rest of his force through the narrow entrance to the gorge, killing several Gauls who were guarding it and hoping that Hannibal would be trapped.

Gathering his forces at the top of the Alps, Hannibal remained there for several days before his descent into Italy. Polybius makes it clear that the peak itself must be high enough to retain snow drifts from the previous winter (at least 8,000 feet, or 2,400 meters). The problem of determining the exact location of the camp is compounded by the fact that the name of the pass was either not known to Polybius or was not considered important enough. Livy, writing 150 years later, does not shed further light on the matter, and modern historians have proposed many theories about Hannibal's exact course through the Alps.

At the final stage of the route, snow fell on the pass, making the descent even more treacherous. The army was detained for most of the day. Finally, after a five-month journey from Carthage, with 25,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry and 30 elephants, Hannibal descended on Italy. He overcame the challenges of climate, terrain and the guerrilla tactics of local tribes.

War in Italy

Hannibal's forces were small compared to those of Scipio, who crossed the Po River to defend the newly established Roman colonies of Placentia (modern Piacenza) and Cremona. The first significant battle between the two armies took place on the plains of the Po, west of the Ticino River, and Hannibal's army was victorious. Scipio was seriously wounded, and the Romans retreated to Placentia. After the maneuvers failed to lead to a second battle, Hannibal successfully sent the army of Sempronius Longus into battle on the left bank of the Trebbia River south of Placentia (December 218).

The Roman forces were defeated. This victory brought both the Gauls and Ligurians to Hannibal's side, and his army was greatly increased by Celtic recruits. After a harsh winter, Hannibal was able to advance as far as the Arno swamps in the spring of 217, where he lost an eye to infection. Although two Roman armies opposed him, he was able to overcome the route to Arrezia (modern Arezzo) and reached Curtuna (modern Cortona). By design, this move forced Flaminius's army into open battle, and in the subsequent Battle of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal's troops destroyed the Roman army, resulting in the death of 15,000 soldiers. Another 15,000 Roman and allied troops were captured.

The reinforcements (about 4,000 cavalry) under the command of Gaius Sentenius were intercepted and destroyed. Either the Carthaginian troops were too exhausted to consolidate their victories and march to Rome, or Hannibal believed that the city was too well fortified. Moreover, he harbored the vain hope that Rome's Italian allies would suffer damage and a civil war would break out.

The commander Hannibal Barca, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, spent the summer of 217 resting in Picenum, but later he ravaged Apulia and Campania. Suddenly, in the early summer of 216, Hannibal moved south and captured the large army depot at Cannae on the Aufidus River. There, in early August, Hannibal Barca's battle at Cannes (modern Monte di Cannes) took place. Hannibal wisely forced the outnumbered Romans down into a narrow plain surrounded by a river and a hill.

When the battle began, the Gauls and Iberian infantry of Hannibal's center line succumbed to the advance of the numerically superior Roman infantry. The Romans continued their advance, breaking both flanks of the Spanish and Libyan infantry. Surrounded on three sides, the Romans' retreat route was closed. So they were defeated by Hannibal's army. Polybius speaks of 70,000 dead, and Livy reports 55,000; either way, it was a disaster for Rome. Almost one in five Roman men of military age was killed. Rome was now justifiably afraid of Hannibal.

The great victory had the desired effect: many regions began to retreat from the Italian confederation. Hannibal, however, did not march on Rome, but spent the winter of 216–215 in Capua, which declared its allegiance to Hannibal, perhaps hoping that he would become Rome's equal. Gradually, the Carthaginian fighting strength weakened. The strategy proposed by Fabius after the Battle of Trasimene was put into action again:

• protect cities loyal to Rome;
• try to rebuild in those cities that fell to Hannibal;
• never engage in battle when the enemy is forcing it.

Thus, Hannibal, unable to spread his forces due to the small size of his army, switched from an offensive to a cautious and not always successful defense in Italy. Moreover, many of his Gallic supporters were tired of the war, and they returned north to their homeland.

Since there were few reinforcements from Carthage, Hannibal, with the exception of the capture of Tarantum (modern Taranto), won only minor victories. In 213, Casilinus and Arpi (captured by Hannibal in the winter of 216–215) were restored to the Romans, and in 211 Hannibal was forced into retirement to lift the Roman siege of Capua. He tried to defeat the Roman armies, but this move was unsuccessful and Capua fell. That same year, Syracuse fell in Sicily, and by 209 Tarentum in southern Italy had also been recaptured by the Romans.

Exile

The treaty between Rome and Carthage, which was concluded a year after the Battle of Zama, frustrated all Hannibal's hopes of again moving against Rome. He was able to overthrow the power of the oligarchic ruling faction in Carthage and achieve certain administrative and constitutional changes.

Although Scipio Africanus, who defeated him at Zama, supported his leadership in Carthage, he became unpopular among the Carthaginian nobility. According to Livy, this resulted in Hannibal being forced to flee first to Tire and then to the court of Antiochus at Ephesus (195). At first he was accepted because Antiochus was preparing a war with Rome. Soon, however, Hannibal's presence and the advice he gave regarding the conduct of the war became irrelevant, and he was sent to command Antiochus' fleet in the Phoenician cities. Inexperienced in naval affairs, he was defeated by the Roman fleet at Saida in Pamphylia. Antiochus was defeated at Magnesia in 190, and one of the Roman demands was that Hannibal had to surrender.

Hannibal's further actions are not precisely known. Either he fled through Crete to the king of Bithynia, or he joined the rebel forces in Armenia. After all, it is known that he took refuge in Bithynia, which was at war with Rome at the time. The great general took part in this war and defeated the Eumenes at sea.

Death of a Commander

Under what circumstances did the military leader die? Roman influence in the east expanded to such an extent that they were able to demand Hannibal's surrender. In the last hours of his life, expecting betrayal from Bithynia, he sent his last faithful servant to check all the secret exits from the fortress at Libissa (near modern Gebze, Turkey). The servant reported that there were unknown enemy guards at every exit. Knowing that he was betrayed and would not be able to escape, Hannibal poisoned himself in a final act of defiance against the Romans (probably 183 BC).

History records Hannibal's greatest achievements in the Second Punic War. He was an outstanding general with an invincible military strategy. Hannibal Barca's daring attempt to fight Rome made him the best commander in ancient history.

As you can see, the personality of Hannibal Barca is quite interesting, although contradictory. Historians have collected some interesting information about this glorious commander.

1. Hannibal Barca's last name means "lightning strike."
2. My father, watching Hannibal as a child, exclaimed: “Here is the lion that I am raising to destroy Rome.”
3. Elephants in Hannibal's army acted as real armored vehicles. They had arrows on their backs, and they broke through any formation, trampling people.
4. The Romans used trumpets to scare the elephants of the Carthaginian army at the Battle of Zama. The frightened elephants ran away, killing many of the Carthaginian troops.
5. To convince people to join his army, the great commander Hannibal Barca chose their best warrior and fought with him.
6. In one of the battles at sea, Hannibal's men threw pots of snakes at the enemy. This was one of the first examples of biological warfare.
7. The phrase “Hannibal’s oath” has become a catchphrase and means a firm determination to see things through to the end.

Hannibal, a commander who fought against Rome for 17 years, the last of the rulers of Carthage, is considered one of the greatest people of antiquity. This great man, who spent his childhood in a military camp, later became an implacable enemy of Rome. Some respected him, others feared him, legends were made about him. This person will be discussed in the article. What kind of person is this, where was he born, in what city did the ancient commander Hannibal live - read about all this further.

Origin and development of Hannibal

Hannibal, who later became a great commander and the threat of Rome, was born in 247 BC. e. in Carthage, a state located in North Africa. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was a Carthaginian military leader and statesman. It is known that during the period when Hannibal was not yet ten years old, his father took him with him on a campaign of conquest against Spain. Having spent his childhood in field camps and campaigns, little Hannibal gradually became involved in military affairs.

The commander Hamilcar, before taking his son with him, demanded that he take a sacred oath, according to which Hannibal pledged to be an irreconcilable enemy of Rome until the end of his days. Many years later, he kept this oath in full and became a worthy successor to his father. It was thanks to this episode that the expression “Hannibal’s Oath” subsequently became popular.

Taking part in his father's campaigns, he gradually acquired military experience. Hannibal's military service began with the position of chief of cavalry. At this point, Hamilcar was no longer alive, and Hannibal joined the army under the leadership of his son-in-law Hasdrubal. After he died in 221 BC. BC, Hannibal was chosen by the Spanish army as their leader. By that time, he had already earned a certain authority among the soldiers.

General personality characteristics

The commander Hannibal, whose biography consists almost entirely of episodes of military battles, received a good education in his youth, which his far-sighted father took care of. Even as commander-in-chief, Hannibal sought to expand his knowledge and studied foreign languages. Hannibal was quite a remarkable personality and possessed many talents. He had good physical fitness, was a skilled and brave warrior, an attentive and caring comrade, tireless in campaigns and moderate in food and sleep. He set his achievements as an example to the soldiers, who, by the way, loved and respected him, and most importantly, were devoted to him.

But the list of Hannibal's advantages does not end there. He discovered his talent as a strategist at the age of 22, while being a cavalry commander. Very inventive, to achieve the desired results he resorted to all sorts of tricks and tricks, analyzed the character of his opponents and skillfully used this knowledge. The commander, whose spy network extended even to Rome, thanks to this he was always one step ahead. He was not only a genius of war, but also possessed political talents, which he fully demonstrated in peacetime, engaged in the reform of Carthaginian government institutions. Thanks to these talents, he became a very influential person.

In addition to all of the above, Hannibal had a unique gift of power over people. This was revealed in his ability to keep a multi-lingual and multi-tribal army in obedience. The warriors never dared to disobey him and unquestioningly obeyed him even in the most difficult times.

Beginning of the Second Punic War

Before Hannibal became commander-in-chief of the Spanish army, his father Hamilcar created a new province in Spain that generated income. In turn, Hamilcar's successor, Hasdrubal, concluded an agreement with Rome, according to which the Carthaginians did not have the right to cross the Iber River, that is, to move deeper into the European continent. Some coastal lands also remained inaccessible to Carthage. Moreover, in Spain itself, Carthage had the right to act at its own discretion. Hannibal, the general of Carthage, had all the necessary resources to wage war, but the government to which he was forced to obey chose to maintain peace.

Thus, the Carthaginian commander decided to act by cunning. He tried to provoke Saguntum, a Spanish colony under the patronage of Rome, and force it to break the peace. However, the Saguntians did not succumb to provocations and complained to Rome, which soon sent commissioners to Spain to resolve the situation. Hannibal continued to escalate the situation, hoping to provoke the ambassadors, but they immediately understood the essence of what was happening and warned Rome of the impending threat.

After some time, Hannibal made his move. The commander reported to Carthage that the Saguntians allegedly crossed the line of what was permitted, then, without waiting for an answer, he began open military action. This turn of events shocked the Carthaginian government, which, however, did not take any serious steps. After several months of siege, Hannibal managed to capture Saguntum.

The year was 218 BC. e.. Rome demanded that Carthage hand over Hannibal, but without waiting for an answer, it declared war. Thus began the Second Punic War, which some ancient sources also call the "Hannibal War".

Trekking in Italy

The Romans expected to carry out a military operation according to the plan provided for such cases. They intended to divide the army and navy between two consuls, one of whom was to begin military operations in Africa, in the immediate vicinity of Carthage. The second part of the army was supposed to resist Hannibal. Nevertheless, Hannibal managed to turn the situation in his favor and destroy the plans of Rome. He provided cover for Africa and Spain, and himself, at the head of an army consisting of 92 thousand people and 37 war elephants, headed on foot to Italy.

In the battles between the Iber River and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20 thousand people, and he had to leave another 11 thousand in Spain to hold the conquered territories. He then followed the southern coast of Gaul towards the Alps. In the Rhone Valley, one of the Roman consuls tried to block his path, but the battle never happened. This was the same Publius Cornelius Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at the end of the war. It became obvious to the Romans that Hannibal intended to invade Italy from the north.

While the Carthaginian commander was approaching Italy, both Roman armies were already heading north to meet him. However, Hannibal faced another obstacle on his way - the Alps, the passage through which lasted 33 days. This entire long journey from Spain to Italy thoroughly exhausted the army of the Carthaginian commander, which during this time was reduced to approximately 26 thousand people. In Italy, Hannibal managed to win a number of victories, even though the enemy hastily transferred significant reinforcements there. Only in Cisalpine Gaul did Hannibal’s army receive rest and replenishment from the detachments of the local tribes that supported him. Here he decided to spend the winter.

Confrontation in Italy. First resounding victory

In the spring, Hannibal was ready to continue his attack on Rome, but this time two enemy armies stood in his way. He, as a skilled strategist, decided not to engage in battle with any of them, but tried to get around the enemy. To do this, the army had to be led through the swamps for four days, which entailed many losses. On the way, the army lost all the remaining elephants, a significant part of the horses, and Hannibal himself lost one eye as a result of an inflammatory process.

Having overcome the swamps, the Carthaginian commander made several raids, thereby demonstrating his intention to march on Rome. Flaminius, one of the consuls, abandoned his position and, forgetting all precautions, went to where Hannibal was seen. The Carthaginian commander was waiting for just this; Taking this opportunity, he ambushed Flaminia. When he and his army entered the valley of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal, who sat down with his army on the nearby hills, attacked the Roman consul. As a result of this maneuver, Flaminius' army was destroyed.

Hannibal is opposed by the dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus. Hannibal's predicament and new victory

As an emergency, the Roman government decided to give dictatorial powers to Quintus Fabius Maximus. He chose a special tactic of warfare, which consisted in the fact that the Romans had to avoid decisive battles. Fabius simply intended to wear down the enemy. It is worth noting that such tactics of the dictator had their advantages, but in Rome Fabius was considered too cautious and indecisive, so in the next year, 216 BC. e., he was removed from the post of dictator.

As already mentioned, Fabius' tactics produced some results. Hannibal was in a difficult situation: his army was exhausted, and Carthage provided practically no support. However, the balance of power changed dramatically after Gaius Terentius Varro, one of the consuls of Rome, made an unforgivable mistake. He had at his disposal an army significantly larger than the army commanded by Hannibal. The commander of Carthage, however, had a significant advantage in the form of 14 thousand horsemen against the 6 thousand available to Rome.

The legendary battle took place near Cannes, where Hannibal was stationed. His position was obviously advantageous, but consul Varro did not take this into account and threw his troops into the attack, as a result of which he was completely defeated. He himself managed to escape, but another Roman consul, Paul Aemilius, was killed.

As a result of such a crushing victory, Hannibal acquired many new allies, including Capua, Syracuse, Macedonia and other regions.

The impossibility of a siege of Rome. The beginning of a losing streak

Despite the achievements that Hannibal achieved, the Carthaginian commander could hardly count on a successful siege of Rome. Simply put, he did not have the resources that were so necessary for this. Hannibal gained the support of Rome's former allies, and he also had the opportunity to rest his exhausted troops. But he never received significant support from Carthage itself, whose rulers, apparently, did not have foresight.

As time passed, Rome gradually regained its strength. The city of Nola was the place where Hannibal was first defeated. The Roman commander, consul Marcellus, managed to defend the city, and from that moment on, perhaps, the Carthaginians’ luck ended. For several years, neither side was able to achieve a significant advantage, but later the Romans managed to take Capua, thereby forcing Hannibal to go on the defensive.

By that time, it had become quite obvious that one should not particularly count on Carthage’s help, because its ruling elite, which was most interested in profits from trade, took some kind of vague passive position in this war. Therefore, in 207 BC. e. Hannibal calls his brother Hasdrubal from Spain. The Romans made every effort to prevent the brothers' troops from uniting, as a result of which Hasdrubal was defeated twice and subsequently completely killed. Having never received reinforcements, Hannibal withdraws his army to Bruttium, in the very south of Italy, where over the next three years he continues the war with the hated Rome.

Return to Carthage

In 204 BC. e. Roman commander, winner of Hannibal Scipio lands in Africa and begins a war there against Carthage. Due to this, the Carthaginian government summoned Hannibal to defend the city. He tried to enter into negotiations with Rome, but this led to nothing. In 202 BC. e. A decisive battle took place, ending the Second Punic War. In this battle, Hannibal's army suffered a crushing defeat. The winner of Hannibal is the ancient Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio.

A year later, a peace agreement was signed between Carthage and Rome, the terms of which turned out to be very humiliating for the losing side. Hannibal himself, who was essentially the instigator of the Second Punic War, was rehabilitated and even received the right to occupy a high position in the Carthaginian government. In the field of government activities, he also proved himself to be a talented and far-sighted person.

Flight and death

It is likely that Hannibal never gave up the idea of ​​​​renewing the war with Rome. Some sources claim that the former commander, hatching plans for revenge, entered into a conspiracy with Antiochus III, the Syrian king, who was in tense relations with Rome. The rulers of Rome became aware of this, and they demanded the extradition of the rebellious Carthaginian. In this regard, Hannibal, the great commander of Carthage, in 195 BC. e. was forced to seek refuge in the Syrian kingdom.

Subsequently, Hannibal took part in the confrontation between Antiochus and Rome, which resulted in the defeat of the Syrian king. The conditions that Rome put forward also included the surrender of Hannibal. Having learned about this, in 189 BC. e. he went on the run again. Sources that have survived to this day provide different information regarding which city the commander Hannibal lived in after he had to leave the Syrian kingdom. It is known that he visited Armenia, then Crete, and also Bithynia.

Ultimately, Prusias, king of Bithynia, betrayed Hannibal, agreeing with Rome to hand over the fugitive. The great Carthaginian commander, who was already 65 years old at that time, chose to take poison and die rather than surrender to his eternal enemy.

Sources

A brief history of Hannibal’s life was compiled by the ancient Roman historian Cornelius Nepos, who lived in the 1st century BC. e. Roman historians such as Titus Livius, Polybius and Appian, who chronicled the events of the Second Punic War, had some admiration for the Carthaginian general as one of Rome's greatest enemies. These historians described Hannibal as a seasoned and strong-willed man, a brave warrior and a loyal comrade. According to them, he never disdained being among ordinary soldiers, was always ready to share with them all the hardships of military life, was the first to enter battle and the last to leave. Cornelius Nepos says that Hannibal is a famous commander who had a first-class command of Greek and Latin and even wrote several books in Greek.

The only depiction of Hannibal made during his lifetime is his profile on a Carthaginian coin that was minted in 221 BC. e., just at the time when he was elected commander-in-chief.

The following words are also attributed to Hannibal: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated me.” And indeed, if the ruling elite of Carthage had provided more support to their commander fighting against Rome, who knows what the outcome of the Second Punic War would have been in this case. Even Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal, may have only achieved victory through a coincidence of circumstances, taking advantage of the situation in his favor.

This is the path of life that Hannibal went through - the legendary commander who never managed to change the course of history. Why everything was the way it was and not otherwise - we do not undertake to judge this, but it is difficult not to agree that Hannibal is truly one of the most striking characters in the history of mankind.

Hannibal, a commander who fought against Rome for 17 years, the last of the rulers of Carthage, is considered one of the greatest people of antiquity. This great man, who spent his childhood in a military camp, later became an implacable enemy of Rome. Some respected him, others feared him, legends were made about him. This person will be discussed in the article. What kind of person is this, where was he born, in what city did the ancient commander Hannibal live - read about all this further.

Origin and development of Hannibal

Hannibal, who later became a great commander and the threat of Rome, was born in 247 BC. e. in Carthage, a state located in North Africa. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was a Carthaginian military leader and statesman. It is known that during the period when Hannibal was not yet ten years old, his father took him with him on a campaign of conquest against Spain. Having spent his childhood in field camps and campaigns, little Hannibal gradually became involved in military affairs.

The commander Hamilcar, before taking his son with him, demanded that he take a sacred oath, according to which Hannibal pledged to be an irreconcilable enemy of Rome until the end of his days. Many years later, he kept this oath in full and became a worthy successor to his father. It was thanks to this episode that the expression “Hannibal’s Oath” subsequently became popular.

Taking part in his father's campaigns, he gradually acquired military experience. Hannibal's military service began with the position of chief of cavalry. At this point, Hamilcar was no longer alive, and Hannibal joined the army under the leadership of his son-in-law Hasdrubal. After he died in 221 BC. BC, Hannibal was chosen by the Spanish army as their leader. By that time, he had already earned a certain authority among the soldiers.

General personality characteristics

The commander Hannibal, whose biography consists almost entirely of episodes of military battles, received a good education in his youth, which his far-sighted father took care of. Even as commander-in-chief, Hannibal sought to expand his knowledge and studied foreign languages. Hannibal was quite a remarkable personality and possessed many talents. He had good physical fitness, was a skilled and brave warrior, an attentive and caring comrade, tireless in campaigns and moderate in food and sleep. He set his achievements as an example to the soldiers, who, by the way, loved and respected him, and most importantly, were devoted to him.

But the list of Hannibal's advantages does not end there. He discovered his talent as a strategist at the age of 22, while being a cavalry commander. Very inventive, to achieve the desired results he resorted to all sorts of tricks and tricks, analyzed the character of his opponents and skillfully used this knowledge. The commander, whose spy network extended even to Rome, thanks to this he was always one step ahead. He was not only a genius of war, but also possessed political talents, which he fully demonstrated in peacetime, engaged in the reform of Carthaginian government institutions. Thanks to these talents, he became a very influential person.

In addition to all of the above, Hannibal had a unique gift of power over people. This was revealed in his ability to keep a multi-lingual and multi-tribal army in obedience. The warriors never dared to disobey him and unquestioningly obeyed him even in the most difficult times.

Beginning of the Second Punic War

Before Hannibal became commander-in-chief of the Spanish army, his father Hamilcar created a new province in Spain that generated income. In turn, Hamilcar's successor, Hasdrubal, concluded an agreement with Rome, according to which the Carthaginians did not have the right to cross the Iber River, that is, to move deeper into the European continent. Some coastal lands also remained inaccessible to Carthage. Moreover, in Spain itself, Carthage had the right to act at its own discretion. Hannibal, the general of Carthage, had all the necessary resources to wage war, but the government to which he was forced to obey chose to maintain peace.

Thus, the Carthaginian commander decided to act by cunning. He tried to provoke Saguntum, a Spanish colony under the patronage of Rome, and force it to break the peace. However, the Saguntians did not succumb to provocations and complained to Rome, which soon sent commissioners to Spain to resolve the situation. Hannibal continued to escalate the situation, hoping to provoke the ambassadors, but they immediately understood the essence of what was happening and warned Rome of the impending threat.

After some time, Hannibal made his move. The commander reported to Carthage that the Saguntians allegedly crossed the line of what was permitted, then, without waiting for an answer, he began open military action. This turn of events shocked the Carthaginian government, which, however, did not take any serious steps. After several months of siege, Hannibal managed to capture Saguntum.

The year was 218 BC. e.. Rome demanded that Carthage hand over Hannibal, but without waiting for an answer, it declared war. Thus began the Second Punic War, which some ancient sources also call the "Hannibal War".

Trekking in Italy

The Romans expected to carry out a military operation according to the plan provided for such cases. They intended to divide the army and navy between two consuls, one of whom was to begin military operations in Africa, in the immediate vicinity of Carthage. The second part of the army was supposed to resist Hannibal. Nevertheless, Hannibal managed to turn the situation in his favor and destroy the plans of Rome. He provided cover for Africa and Spain, and himself, at the head of an army consisting of 92 thousand people and 37 war elephants, headed on foot to Italy.

In the battles between the Iber River and the Pyrenees, Hannibal lost 20 thousand people, and he had to leave another 11 thousand in Spain to hold the conquered territories. He then followed the southern coast of Gaul towards the Alps. In the Rhone Valley, one of the Roman consuls tried to block his path, but the battle never happened. This was the same Publius Cornelius Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at the end of the war. It became obvious to the Romans that Hannibal intended to invade Italy from the north.

While the Carthaginian commander was approaching Italy, both Roman armies were already heading north to meet him. However, Hannibal faced another obstacle on his way - the Alps, the passage through which lasted 33 days. This entire long journey from Spain to Italy thoroughly exhausted the army of the Carthaginian commander, which during this time was reduced to approximately 26 thousand people. In Italy, Hannibal managed to win a number of victories, even though the enemy hastily transferred significant reinforcements there. Only in Cisalpine Gaul did Hannibal’s army receive rest and replenishment from the detachments of the local tribes that supported him. Here he decided to spend the winter.

Confrontation in Italy. First resounding victory

In the spring, Hannibal was ready to continue his attack on Rome, but this time two enemy armies stood in his way. He, as a skilled strategist, decided not to engage in battle with any of them, but tried to get around the enemy. To do this, the army had to be led through the swamps for four days, which entailed many losses. On the way, the army lost all the remaining elephants, a significant part of the horses, and Hannibal himself lost one eye as a result of an inflammatory process.

Having overcome the swamps, the Carthaginian commander made several raids, thereby demonstrating his intention to march on Rome. Flaminius, one of the consuls, abandoned his position and, forgetting all precautions, went to where Hannibal was seen. The Carthaginian commander was waiting for just this; Taking this opportunity, he ambushed Flaminia. When he and his army entered the valley of Lake Trasimene, Hannibal, who sat down with his army on the nearby hills, attacked the Roman consul. As a result of this maneuver, Flaminius' army was destroyed.

Hannibal is opposed by the dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus. Hannibal's predicament and new victory

As an emergency, the Roman government decided to give dictatorial powers to Quintus Fabius Maximus. He chose a special tactic of warfare, which consisted in the fact that the Romans had to avoid decisive battles. Fabius simply intended to wear down the enemy. It is worth noting that such tactics of the dictator had their advantages, but in Rome Fabius was considered too cautious and indecisive, so in the next year, 216 BC. e., he was removed from the post of dictator.

As already mentioned, Fabius' tactics produced some results. Hannibal was in a difficult situation: his army was exhausted, and Carthage provided practically no support. However, the balance of power changed dramatically after Gaius Terentius Varro, one of the consuls of Rome, made an unforgivable mistake. He had at his disposal an army significantly larger than the army commanded by Hannibal. The commander of Carthage, however, had a significant advantage in the form of 14 thousand horsemen against the 6 thousand available to Rome.

The legendary battle took place near Cannes, where Hannibal was stationed. His position was obviously advantageous, but consul Varro did not take this into account and threw his troops into the attack, as a result of which he was completely defeated. He himself managed to escape, but another Roman consul, Paul Aemilius, was killed.

As a result of such a crushing victory, Hannibal acquired many new allies, including Capua, Syracuse, Macedonia and other regions.

The impossibility of a siege of Rome. The beginning of a losing streak

Despite the achievements that Hannibal achieved, the Carthaginian commander could hardly count on a successful siege of Rome. Simply put, he did not have the resources that were so necessary for this. Hannibal gained the support of Rome's former allies, and he also had the opportunity to rest his exhausted troops. But he never received significant support from Carthage itself, whose rulers, apparently, did not have foresight.

As time passed, Rome gradually regained its strength. The city of Nola was the place where Hannibal was first defeated. The Roman commander, consul Marcellus, managed to defend the city, and from that moment on, perhaps, the Carthaginians’ luck ended. For several years, neither side was able to achieve a significant advantage, but later the Romans managed to take Capua, thereby forcing Hannibal to go on the defensive.

By that time, it had become quite obvious that one should not particularly count on Carthage’s help, because its ruling elite, which was most interested in profits from trade, took some kind of vague passive position in this war. Therefore, in 207 BC. e. Hannibal calls his brother Hasdrubal from Spain. The Romans made every effort to prevent the brothers' troops from uniting, as a result of which Hasdrubal was defeated twice and subsequently completely killed. Having never received reinforcements, Hannibal withdraws his army to Bruttium, in the very south of Italy, where over the next three years he continues the war with the hated Rome.

Return to Carthage

In 204 BC. e. Roman commander, winner of Hannibal Scipio lands in Africa and begins a war there against Carthage. Due to this, the Carthaginian government summoned Hannibal to defend the city. He tried to enter into negotiations with Rome, but this led to nothing. In 202 BC. e. A decisive battle took place, ending the Second Punic War. In this battle, Hannibal's army suffered a crushing defeat. The winner of Hannibal is the ancient Roman commander Publius Cornelius Scipio.

A year later, a peace agreement was signed between Carthage and Rome, the terms of which turned out to be very humiliating for the losing side. Hannibal himself, who was essentially the instigator of the Second Punic War, was rehabilitated and even received the right to occupy a high position in the Carthaginian government. In the field of government activities, he also proved himself to be a talented and far-sighted person.

Flight and death

It is likely that Hannibal never gave up the idea of ​​​​renewing the war with Rome. Some sources claim that the former commander, hatching plans for revenge, entered into a conspiracy with Antiochus III, the Syrian king, who was in tense relations with Rome. The rulers of Rome became aware of this, and they demanded the extradition of the rebellious Carthaginian. In this regard, Hannibal, the great commander of Carthage, in 195 BC. e. was forced to seek refuge in the Syrian kingdom.

Subsequently, Hannibal took part in the confrontation between Antiochus and Rome, which resulted in the defeat of the Syrian king. The conditions that Rome put forward also included the surrender of Hannibal. Having learned about this, in 189 BC. e. he went on the run again. Sources that have survived to this day provide different information regarding which city the commander Hannibal lived in after he had to leave the Syrian kingdom. It is known that he visited Armenia, then Crete, and also Bithynia.

Ultimately, Prusias, king of Bithynia, betrayed Hannibal, agreeing with Rome to hand over the fugitive. The great Carthaginian commander, who was already 65 years old at that time, chose to take poison and die rather than surrender to his eternal enemy.

Sources

A brief history of Hannibal’s life was compiled by the ancient Roman historian Cornelius Nepos, who lived in the 1st century BC. e. Roman historians such as Titus Livius, Polybius and Appian, who chronicled the events of the Second Punic War, had some admiration for the Carthaginian general as one of Rome's greatest enemies. These historians described Hannibal as a seasoned and strong-willed man, a brave warrior and a loyal comrade. According to them, he never disdained being among ordinary soldiers, was always ready to share with them all the hardships of military life, was the first to enter battle and the last to leave. Cornelius Nepos says that Hannibal is a famous commander who had a first-class command of Greek and Latin and even wrote several books in Greek.

The only depiction of Hannibal made during his lifetime is his profile on a Carthaginian coin that was minted in 221 BC. e., just at the time when he was elected commander-in-chief.

The following words are also attributed to Hannibal: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated me.” And indeed, if the ruling elite of Carthage had provided more support to their commander fighting against Rome, who knows what the outcome of the Second Punic War would have been in this case. Even Scipio, the Roman general who defeated Hannibal, may have only achieved victory through a coincidence of circumstances, taking advantage of the situation in his favor.

This is the path of life that Hannibal went through - the legendary commander who never managed to change the course of history. Why everything was the way it was and not otherwise - we do not undertake to judge this, but it is difficult not to agree that Hannibal is truly one of the most striking characters in the history of mankind.

Famous generals Ziolkovskaya Alina Vitalievna

Hannibal (Annibal) Barka

Hannibal (Annibal) Barka

(born in 247 (246) - died in 183 BC)

Carthaginian commander who unleashed the 2nd Punic War (218–201 BC) - “Hannibal's War.”

He won victories over the Romans at Lake Trasimene (217 BC), at Cannae (216 BC).

In the Battle of Zama (202 BC) he was defeated.

From 201 BC e. - suffet (head) of Carthage

“Let us finally remove the heavy burden from the shoulders of the Romans, who consider it too long and difficult to wait for the death of the old man they hate...” As Titus Livius noted, these were the last words of Hannibal. Pursued by his eternal enemies, he preferred poison to shameful captivity. The talented commander died an irreconcilable enemy of Rome, having fully kept his oath...

Hannibal was born in 247 (246) BC. e. in the family of the Carthaginian commander Hamilcar Barca, one of the prominent statesmen of antiquity. His childhood was spent in the conditions of a brutal war between the Mediterranean trading center of Carthage and the Roman Republic. As a five-year-old child, he listened with interest to stories about his father’s exploits and the mediocrity of the Carthaginian aristocrats - his political opponents. An atmosphere of hatred towards the Romans reigned in the house, which Hamilcar instilled in his sons - Hannibal, Hasdrubal and Mago. All of Rome knew that Hamilcar was feeding his children like lions, setting them against the Romans.

When Hannibal was nine years old, his father forced him to come to the temple and take part in the sacrifice: his son was to become the heir to his hatred. The future commander swore before the altar to be an implacable enemy of Rome all his life. Later this oath was called the Hannibal oath and became a household word.

The boy grew up in a military camp, so he became a skilled fighter, a brave rider, excelled in running, was flexible, and had a strong physique. But at the same time, he never forgot about his education. It is known that Hannibal, with the help of the Spartan Zozil, mastered the Greek language perfectly.

At the age of 22, Hannibal became the commander of the cavalry of his son-in-law Hasdrubal, and four years after his death he was elected commander. Youth and ardor were combined in him with perseverance, determination and cunning. It seemed that heaven itself favored the young commander: after the death of his father Hamilcar, he was left with a full treasury and a strong army, devoted to its leader.

According to Titus Livy, Hannibal “as much as... he was bold when rushing into danger, he was just as prudent in the danger itself. There was no work that made him tired in body or lost in spirit. He endured both heat and frost with equal patience; he ate and drank exactly as much as nature required, and not for the sake of pleasure;... he devoted only those hours to peace that... remained free from work. His clothes were no different from his peers; Only by his armament and his horse could he be recognized. Both in the cavalry and in the infantry, he left others far behind him; he was the first to rush into battle, the last to leave the battlefield.”

Hannibal had the gift of power over people. And in this he was a worthy successor to his father. Using all his trump cards, the young commander decided that it was time to settle scores with Rome. But it was unsafe to openly start a war - the Carthaginian government did not share the views of Hannibal. Then he decided to act with cunning and tried to resort to provocation - to break the peace on the part of the Spanish colony of Saguntum, which was under the tutelage of Rome. After an eight-month siege, it was captured by Hannibal's army. In response, Rome declared war, which went down in history as the 2nd Punic War, or Hannibal's War (218–201 BC).

Hannibal long ago realized that it was possible to fight Rome only in Italy. Leaving his brother Hasdrubal with an army in Spain, he set out from New Carthage with 80,000 infantry, 12,000 horsemen and 37 war elephants. Despite the losses in the battles between the river. Scami and the Pyrenees, the commander stubbornly advanced with his army further along the eastern coast of Spain and the south of Gaul. Hannibal's goal was to penetrate Italy from the north. The Roman armies marched towards the Carthaginians, realizing that they were going to cross the Alps and invade the Apennine Peninsula.

Transporting a large army with war elephants across the Alps over icy steep slopes through snow storms was an extremely risky undertaking. But Hannibal managed to carry out his intention. He addressed the soldiers, saying that the mountains are the walls of Rome itself, and overcoming them is the key to future victory. Two weeks after the start of the transition, having lost about half of the army, the commander entered the plains of Italy. In the enemy country, Hannibal's army won a series of brilliant victories: west of the Ticino River (Ticin), near the Trebia River.

The successes of the military leader attracted allies to his side - the tribes of the Cisalpine Gauls and Ligurians. Roman troops tried to defend the passes in the Apennine Mountains, but Hannibal bypassed their positions by passing through the marshy valley of the Arno River. This transition was difficult for his army and brought huge losses. The commander himself received an eye infection and subsequently became blind in one eye. But at Lake Trasimene in 217 BC. e. Hannibal defeated the army of the Roman consul Gaius Flaminius. And in August 216 BC. e. On the Aufid River in Apulia, in the town of Canna, one of the most famous battles of the ancient world took place. The Carthaginian armies managed to encircle and almost completely destroy the Romans. During the battle, consul Aemilius Paulus was killed. The disorderly flight of the Roman army could only be stopped by the young military tribune Publius Cornelius Scipio, who in the future was destined to become the conqueror of Hannibal.

The successes of the Carthaginian army can be explained by the fact that it was led by not only a talented but also a cunning commander, who repeatedly resorted to various traps and always carefully studied the character of his opponents. Even in Rome, Hannibal had spies, which allowed him to navigate the enemy’s plans well.

The commander's strategy was characterized by good organization of long troop transitions, the creation of main and intermediate bases both along the route of the army's movement and in the conquered territories. This reduced the dependence of troops on distant Carthage. In addition, Hannibal brilliantly organized reconnaissance and skillfully used the discontent of Rome's Italian allies to attract them to his side.

The talented military leader considered the ground army to be the basis of the army, the main force of which was the African cavalry, which was quantitatively and qualitatively superior to the Roman cavalry.

At the Battle of Cannae, for the first time in the history of military affairs, the main blow was delivered not on one flank, but on two, where the cavalry and the most combat-ready part of the Carthaginian infantry were concentrated. This is how the ancient Greek historian Plutarch described Hannibal’s military leadership in his “Comparative Lives”: “During the battle, Hannibal used several military tricks. First, he positioned his soldiers in such a way that the wind was at their backs. And this wind was like a sultry whirlwind - raising thick dust on the open, sandy plain, it carried it over the ranks of the Carthaginians and threw it into the faces of the Romans, who, willy-nilly, turned away, breaking the ranks. Secondly, on both wings he placed the strongest, most skillful and brave warriors, and with the most unreliable he filled the middle, built in the form of a wedge protruding far forward. The elite received an order: when the Romans break through the center, which naturally moves back, taking the shape of a depression, and burst into the Carthaginian formation, make a turn and quickly strike them on both flanks in order to completely surround the enemy. This, apparently, was the main reason for the monstrous massacre. When the center of the Carthaginians began to retreat, and the Romans, rushing in pursuit, found themselves deep in the enemy ranks, Hannibal’s formation changed shape and became like a crescent, and then the best troops, following the orders of their commanders, quickly turned - some to the right, others to the left - and attacked on the exposed flanks of the enemy and, uniting, destroyed everyone who did not manage to slip out of the ring.” All this helped to achieve complete encirclement and destruction of the enemy and made Hannibal one of the greatest commanders in the world.

However, as Titus Livy wrote, the Carthaginian military leader, along with “... had high virtues and terrible vices. His cruelty reached the point of inhumanity... He knew neither truth nor virtue, did not fear the gods... did not respect shrines.” A story has reached our time about how Hannibal once dealt with his soldiers who ran over to the enemy. He announced that he himself had sent them to the enemy’s camp. This information was intended for the Roman spies who were in the Carthaginian camp. The Romans cut off the hands of the defectors and handed them over to Hannibal...

In addition, it should be noted that the commander was strict not only with the soldiers, but also with himself, devoting himself completely to military affairs. So, he never indulged in debauchery with harlots and fought in every possible way against this in the army, believing that this undermined the strength of the soldiers, so necessary for future battles.

After the victory at Cannae, many Italian regions and small communities passed to Hannibal, as well as such large cities as Tarentum, Syracuse and Capua, which the commander held for about 12 years, despite frequent sieges by the Romans.

After Cannae, Hannibal launched an attack on Rome, but he did not have enough funds for a siege: the Carthaginian government did little to help the commander. The opportunity to crush the Romans was missed...

The military leader also failed to get help from his brother Hasdrubal, whom he called from Spain. As a result, the consul Claudius Nero defeated Hannibal at Grumentum. Then, uniting with another consul, Livius Sampator, he defeated Hasdrubal. The last one had his head cut off.

Hannibal retreated to Brutium, where he fought his enemies for another three years. But it was already clear that now Rome’s hegemony over Italy was indestructible and the commander’s military plan was defeated. He was forced to return to Carthage, which was threatened by Publius Cornelius Scipio, who had by that time become consul.

In 202 BC. e. A decisive battle took place at Zama, as a result of which the 2nd Punic War ended with the complete defeat of Carthage. In 201 BC. e. A humiliating peace treaty was signed, according to which Carthage was deprived of all its overseas possessions, navy, fighting legions and had to pay Rome a huge indemnity of 10 thousand talents.

During this difficult time for the fatherland, Hannibal became the head of the republic and ensured the payment of indemnity. But thoughts of revenge on Rome still did not leave him. Hannibal began to conduct secret negotiations with the Syrian king Antiochus III, trying to persuade him to begin military operations against Rome. The Carthaginian Senate did not support its hero in this endeavor, and he was forced to flee the city.

Meanwhile, Cornelius Scipio defeated Antiochus III. According to the terms of the agreement concluded between them, the latter had to hand Hannibal over to his enemies... The commander had to flee again (189 BC). According to some sources, at one time he lived at the court of the Armenian king Artaxius, then on the island. Crete. But luck turned away from its chosen one. Betrayals and sorrows haunted him relentlessly. King Prusius (Prusius) betrayed Hannibal. Having learned about the betrayal, he took poison, which he always carried in his ring.

Thus ended the life of the great commander and patriot ingloriously. He always remained true to his oath: to fight the hated Rome until the end of his days. But, as they say, there is no prophet in his own country - Hannibal ended his journey, rejected by Carthage, to whom he devoted his entire life. It is not for nothing that ancient historians claimed that the commander himself said: “It was not Rome, but the Carthaginian Senate that defeated Hannibal.”