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The Punic Wars
Origins of the Second Punic War
The peace treaty had put Carthage in an impossible position. Carthage had to fight to regain her position or wither away to insignificance, a fate she would not accept willingly. Moreover, Rome continued to be aggressive, acquiring Corsica in the 220s.
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| Hamilcar Barca |
Not long after the end of the First Punic War, Carthage acquired
a genuine hero:
Hamilcar Barca. This member of a noble Carthaginian
family conquered much of Spain, acquiring in the process great
quantities of Spanish bullion, gaining Spanish cavalry as auxiliaries, and
forging in the process a field army of great skill and experience.
Hamilcar hated Rome and longed to be the man who would avenge the shame of the First Punic War. As the years went by, however, he began to realize it was not fated for him, and he taught his son both his skill in battle and his hatred of Rome.
His son's name was Hannibal.
Hamilcar died when Hannibal was still a young man. The son spent some time dealing with the inevitable rebellions, but quickly established himself as an even greater leader than his father. Hannibal was, by all accounts both ancient and modern, a military genius. Because he eventually was on the losing side, he is also rather a figure of tragedy.
When he marched on Rome, at the age of twenty-five, he cast a shadow over the entire history of the Roman Republic.