Hannibal: One of the greatest generals of ancient times
Hannibal: One of the greatest generals of ancient times
Profile of Hannibal, including a discussion of the Battle of Zama.
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Transcript
Hannibal, a man born in the third century B.C. in Carthage - his name echoes through the ages. He is considered one of the greatest generals of ancient times and has gone down in history as an adept tactician who conceived daredevil plans. Hannibal's home was in Carthage, Africa, a city situated in what is now Tunisia. His aim was to defeat the Roman Empire.
Hannibal, a man with many faces - he is said to have been unscrupulous and cruel. Yet he was also duteous, modest and always very attentive to the well-being of his men. With his siege of Saguntum in 221, Hannibal puts all his eggs in one basket, and starts a world war. He set out across the Alps on his way to Rome with 40,000 men, 4,000 horses and 37 war elephants.
This plan must have been born of a combination of genius and madness. Lumbering elephants were expected to surmount 2,000-meter mountain passes. It was an almost unending struggle for everyone involved, and a great logistic challenge. They had to trudge over mountainsides towing winter equipment, food and weapons. The only way to traverse the mountains was via trails on which man and beast could only proceed in single file. As a result, the procession of soldiers stretched over many kilometers. The march was endless. The troops had no way of replenishing their rations. For Hannibal this was an unacceptable situation, so he made a smart tactical decision. He split up his soldiers into two groups and sent them on different routes.
After Hannibal had put the Alps behind him he proceeded on a triumphant march through northern Italy. The Romans were subjected to defeat after defeat. Hannibal was now the general who put fear into the hearts of the Romans. Hannibal continually drove his enemy into ambushes, taking advantage of surprise situations and the adaptability of his soldiers. Who deserved to rule the known world? Was it Rome or Carthage? This question would now be resolved on the field of battle. It appeared as if Hannibal and his forces were unstoppable. But then the tides of history turned. The Roman Senate appointed a 23-year-old named Scipio general, and he devised a plan to defeat Hannibal. The decisive conflict would take place on the battlefield at Zama. This time the Romans devised cleverer tactics. They used a formation that led the feared elephants up empty alleyways. Hannibal's only defeat after a long series of triumphs would cost him Carthage. Hannibal escaped by sea and was on the run for nearly 20 years. He eventually took his own life, far from his home of Carthage, from which he had been forever exiled.
Hannibal, a man with many faces - he is said to have been unscrupulous and cruel. Yet he was also duteous, modest and always very attentive to the well-being of his men. With his siege of Saguntum in 221, Hannibal puts all his eggs in one basket, and starts a world war. He set out across the Alps on his way to Rome with 40,000 men, 4,000 horses and 37 war elephants.
This plan must have been born of a combination of genius and madness. Lumbering elephants were expected to surmount 2,000-meter mountain passes. It was an almost unending struggle for everyone involved, and a great logistic challenge. They had to trudge over mountainsides towing winter equipment, food and weapons. The only way to traverse the mountains was via trails on which man and beast could only proceed in single file. As a result, the procession of soldiers stretched over many kilometers. The march was endless. The troops had no way of replenishing their rations. For Hannibal this was an unacceptable situation, so he made a smart tactical decision. He split up his soldiers into two groups and sent them on different routes.
After Hannibal had put the Alps behind him he proceeded on a triumphant march through northern Italy. The Romans were subjected to defeat after defeat. Hannibal was now the general who put fear into the hearts of the Romans. Hannibal continually drove his enemy into ambushes, taking advantage of surprise situations and the adaptability of his soldiers. Who deserved to rule the known world? Was it Rome or Carthage? This question would now be resolved on the field of battle. It appeared as if Hannibal and his forces were unstoppable. But then the tides of history turned. The Roman Senate appointed a 23-year-old named Scipio general, and he devised a plan to defeat Hannibal. The decisive conflict would take place on the battlefield at Zama. This time the Romans devised cleverer tactics. They used a formation that led the feared elephants up empty alleyways. Hannibal's only defeat after a long series of triumphs would cost him Carthage. Hannibal escaped by sea and was on the run for nearly 20 years. He eventually took his own life, far from his home of Carthage, from which he had been forever exiled.