Second Punic War

The Second Punic War was a massive conflict between 218 and 201 BC.

It was the second of three major wars fought between Rome and Carthage. These two states were the most powerful in the western Mediterranean. They struggled for supremacy for 17 years. The fighting took place in several major regions. These included Italy, Iberia, Sicily, and Sardinia. Eventually, the war even moved into North Africa.

This war changed the balance of power in the ancient world forever.

To understand the war, one must look at how the armies were built. Roman armies were organized into large units called legions. Each legion usually consisted of 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry. Most Roman soldiers were heavy infantry. They carried large shields, body armor, and short thrusting swords. Some men served as light skirmishers called velites. They used javelins to attack from a distance. Rome's leaders were called consuls. Two consuls were elected every year to lead the armies.

The Carthaginian military functioned very differently. While Carthaginian citizens fought as heavy infantry, the army relied heavily on foreigners. Many soldiers came from North Africa and were called Libyans. These troops included heavy infantry and light cavalry. The Numidians were famous for providing light cavalry skirmishers. Carthage also used war elephants in battle.

Some infantry used a tight formation called a phalanx. These diverse groups made the battles very complex and unpredictable.

The war began after Carthage captured the pro-Roman city of Saguntum in 219 BC. In 218 BC, Rome declared war. The Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca launched a famous surprise attack. He marched his army from Iberia through Gaul and over the Alps.

This difficult journey brought his forces into northern Italy. Hannibal won major victories at the battles of Trebia and Lake Trasimene. In 216 BC, he won a massive victory at Cannae. At Cannae, Hannibal destroyed the largest army Rome had ever assembled.

This loss caused many Italian cities to defect to Carthage.

Rome responded to these losses with drastic measures. To increase their numbers, they enrolled slaves and criminals into the legions. This allowed Rome to keep fighting despite losing over 120,000 troops in three years. While Hannibal stayed in southern Italy, the war spread elsewhere. Macedonia and Syracuse joined the Carthaginian side. However, the Romans began to win back control of Italian cities. In Iberia, the Roman commander Publius Scipio changed the course of the war. In 209 BC, he captured the main Carthaginian base, Carthago Nova.

Scipio eventually took the fight directly to North Africa in 204 BC.

This move forced the Carthaginian Senate to recall Hannibal from Italy. The final major battle occurred at Zama in 202 BC. At Zama, Scipio defeated Hannibal. This led to a peace treaty that heavily favored Rome. Carthage had to pay an indemnity of 10,000 silver talents over 50 years. They also lost their overseas territories. Carthage was no longer allowed to wage war without Rome's permission. This made Carthage politically subordinate to Rome.

Much of what we know comes from ancient historians. Polybius is considered the most reliable source for this war.

He was a Greek historian who wrote *The Histories*. Polybius interviewed many people who participated in the war. He is described as an analytical and objective writer. Another major source is the Roman historian Livy. Livy wrote about Roman politics and military events. However, some historians believe Livy was not always accurate because he was pro-Roman. By studying these different accounts, modern historians piece together the true story of this great struggle.