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date: 06 February 2025

Hanniballocked

Hanniballocked

  • Eve MacDonald

Summary

Hannibal Barca, Carthaginian general, lived from c. 247 to 182 bce. He is considered one of the greatest military strategists of the ancient world, but little is known of the real man. Born in Carthage, Hannibal spent most of his life away from the city, first in the Iberian Peninsula (238–218 bce) and then in Italy fighting the Romans (c. 218–203 bce). His battles in Italy made him a legend, and his victories at Trasimeno and Cannae resonate still in the early 21st century. After a short period back in Carthaginian territory, he was defeated at the Battle of Zama by Scipio Africanus (c. 202 bce), and Carthage lost its second war with Rome. Hannibal survived Zama to be elected as one of the civic magistrates in Carthage (sufetes) in 196 bce before going into political exile in the eastern Mediterranean until his death at age 65 (c. 182 bce).

Subjects

  • Roman History and Historiography

Updated in this version

Article rewritten and expanded to reflect current scholarship. List of primary texts added.

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