Hannibal Big questions Flashcards
Why did hannibal win due to romes failure
P.C Scipio decision to attack at Ticinus rather
than contain Hannibal.
Sempronius decision to march into the freezing
river.
Flaminius failure to wait for reinforcements and
march into the trap at Trasimene.
Varro’s refusal to follow Fabian strategy and
mistakes at Cannae.
Why didn’t he win after Cannae
Lack of siege equipment – Hannibal had crossed
the Alps and only had his troops and Celtic allies
from the North with him.
Poor strategy – If we believe Livy, Maharbal
criticises Hannibal for not seizing the initiative and
marching on Rome when it was in panic.
Hannibal’s decision to establish a port in the South
of Italy and isolate Rome by making alliances with
places like Capua and Tarentum failed.
Scipio Africanus’ success in Spain which reduced
the supplies and reinforcements available to
Carthage. In turn the inability of Hannibal to defend
Carthage due to the defection of Masinissa and his
inexperienced troops at Zama.
Roman manpower and wealth – Rome was able to
quickly counter-attack by weakening Carthage’s
Spanish colonies and Empire. Hannibal may have
defeated Rome’s armies in Italy, but it was
struggling to contain Roman armies on other
fronts
Examples of Hannibal’s strategic strengths
Strategies at Ticinus, Trebia, Trasimene and
Cannae.
Crossing of the Alps caught Rome unprepared.
Hannibal’s success in gaining allies.
How differenet were zama and cannae
Other changes:
* Location: Cannae was in Italy; Zama in Africa
* Hannibal’s role: Hannibal was attacking Italy at Cannae – but was defending Carthage’s
independence at Zama.
* Carthage was weaker: At Cannae Spanish troops and resources had been strengthened by Gaul and Italian support. At Zama Carthage was
under siege and allies had abandoned them.
* Troops: Hannibal still had veterans but relied
upon new recruits. Also his army was larger.
Had to change: Hannibal was fighting in Africa,
new troops, new opponent who used surprise and
innovation.
* Lacked belief: At Cannae he had assembled a
large army of different nationalities and defeated a
far superior Roman force. At Zama he did not trust
new recruits and failed to inspire them – he relied
upon his veterans.
* Tasted defeat: Loss of Tarentum and Capua had
limited his ability to hurt Rome after 209. He had
abandoned Italy and had, therefore, lost any
advantage he had.
Hannibals actions in causing second punic war
Broke the Treaty of Ebro: By attacking Saguntum
Hannibal had shown he planned to develop his
Iberian empire into the north.
* Attacked Saguntum: Saguntum was a Roman
ally/ friend.
* Hannibal’s mobilisation: Hannibal’s creation of an
army may suggest that he intended to attack Rome
through Northern Italy in 218
* Hannibal’s control over Iberia: Hannibal
potentially posed a threat to Roman control of the
Mediterranean.
* Hannibal wanted revenge: Polybius suggests
Carthage angered by the loss of Sicily and Sardinia.
Livy also suggests Hannibal planned for war from
221BC. Promise to father.
* Hannibal united Rome’s allies: Formed alliances
with the Boii who were at war with Rome, and other
Gaul tribes who wished to weaken Rome.
* Hannibal invaded Italy. Turned a dispute into a
war
