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Hannibal biography
Hannibal Barca was born in 247 BC. He was the son of the commander-in-chief Hamilcar Barca. As a nine-year-old boy, Hannibal promised that he would become Rome’s worst enemy.
The young man received an excellent upbringing and education. He was fluent in several languages and dialects of the Iberian tribes. This was very useful during his military campaigns in these areas.
The Barkid family was aristocratic and considered its ancestor – one of the companions of the founder of the city of Elissa. The authorities of Carthage even feared the Barca clan to some extent. But at the age of 26, probably due to the patronage of his sister’s husband and excellent characterization, Hannibal was put in the head of the army.
The Devil of Rome №1
Having received power and armed forces, he is looking for any, even the most insignificant, reason to unleash a war against Rome. For two years, Hannibal significantly expanded the possessions of Carthage in the northwest of the Pyrenees. In 221 BC, he campaigned against the Olcads and took their main cities by storm: Altalia and Kartala.
218 BC – the date of the first hostilities that followed after the capture and destruction of Sagunta. This marked the beginning of the Second Punic War. The enemy in no way expected that Hannibal with his army would come into the possession of Italy from the side, which was considered an impassable part of the alpine mountain pass.
The first successes of the commander-in-chief were noted on the Ticin, Trebbia and Cannes rivers. Two years later, he won a new streak of brilliant victories. Most of the Romans go over to his side. He did not storm Rome directly, but was busy consolidating his position in Italy. In parallel, battles were fought in Sicily and Spain.
But then Hannibal began to be haunted by misfortune and defeat. First, one of his brothers died – Hasdrubal, then the second – Magon was also killed. At the same time, the position of Carthage deteriorated significantly. Gradually, the Romans captured the cities – allies of Hannibal, the detachments of his best commanders were defeated.
Carthage
In 204 BC, the fighting moved to Africa. The military leader was urgently summoned to his homeland, against his will. Two years later, the commander suffered the only defeat in his life at the battle of Zama from the Roman commander Scipio. The reason was poorly trained unprepared army.
As a result, Carthage had to conclude a peace that was unfavorable to him. The main condition of the treaty was the departure of Spain to Rome with all its islands. They were also forced to maintain enemy warships and pay an indemnity monthly.
Carthage was strictly forbidden to carry out any hostilities without the knowledge of Rome. Such a peace for Carthage was humiliating.
Hannibal sought to preserve the independence of his homeland, and considered the plan to subjugate Rome to be simply disastrous. As a result, not finding understanding with the authorities and saving his life, he fled from Carthage.
The leaders of the aristocracy, after the end of hostilities, longed for the trial of the military leader. But he received support from the population and remained in his post.
Rome in 196 BC won a convincing victory over Carthage’s ally – Macedonia. In the same year, Hannibal was elected to the post of Suffet – the highest official of Carthage.
Thanks to the People’s Assembly, he was able to ensure that judges were elected annually. Each judge could not run twice. Prior to that, the appointment to the post of judge had no term and was for life. This reform was of great political importance, it was aimed at democratizing society.
Death of Hannibal
The commander Hannibal Barca had another loyal ally – the king of Syria Antiochus III. Becoming his adviser, he pushed Antiochus to military action with Rome, which lasted from 192 to 188 BC.
Using his authority, the strategist provoked a conflict situation with the current political power and seized it. He acted very harshly, angrily opposed corruption among officials. This made many enemies.
The Romans reported on Hannibal’s connections with Antiochus. The Roman government demanded to extradite the commander. Knowing that a negative response from Carthage will lead to a new war, Hannibal flees the country. At night, on horseback, he rushed to his estate, where a ship was waiting for him. On it he sailed to the island of Kerkina. Then he went to Tire.
Subsequently, Antiochus was defeated and Hannibal had no choice but to flee and hide in Crete in the kingdom of Bithynia. The Romans persecuted him constantly. Tired and unwilling to surrender and fall into the hands of the Roman envoys, Hannibal decided to commit suicide. He drank the poison from the ring, which he carried with him all the time.
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