Rome and Carthage


Before the Second Punic War, 241--218 B.C.E.
 
241-238: Rome seizes Corsica, Sardinia from Carthage (limited resources, limited strategic value)
 
236: Rome pacifies Cisalpine Gaul (Gallia Cisalpina)
 
237: Hamilcar Barca, general at end of 1st Punic War, arrives in Gades (Cadiz) with 9-year-old Hannibal 
Livy 21.1: "Hannibal's Oath"
Geography: Spanish natural resources
 
231: Massilia (Marseilles) appeals to Rome
 
229: Hasdrubal drowns, succeeded by son-in-law Hasdrubal, founder of Carthago Nova
 
226: Treaty of Ebro River
 
225-221: 2nd front for Rome: 130,000 infantry vs. 70,000 Gauls
Epic battle at Telamon (coastal Etruscan city) resulting in Gallic slaughter
 
220:
  • Rome conquers Gallia Cispadana and Gallia Transpadana (Padanus = "region of the Padana (Po) River")
  • Colonies at Placentia, Cremona (middle Po River valley)
  • Gaius Flamininus constructs Via Flaminia (east coast), Via Aurelia (west coast)
 
221: Hasdrubal murdered in 221; succeeded by brother-in-law Hannibal
 
221: Rome interferes in Saguntum, siding vs. Carthage
 
219: Saguntum falls to Carthage after eight-month siege. War looms
 
The Second Punic War, 218-202 B.C.E.
 
Comparison of Rome and Carthage on Eve of War:
  • Polyb. Hist. 6.51-52:
    Political:
      "The multitude of Carthage had already acquired the chief voice in deliberations; while at Rome the Senate still retained this; and hence, as in one case the masses deliberated and in the other the most eminent men, the Roman decisions on public affairs were superior ...."
    Moral:
      "Now not only do Italians in general naturally excel Phoenicians and Africans in bodily strength and personal courage, but by their institutions also they do much to foster a spirit of bravery in the young men."
       
  • Polyb. Hist. 2.24, 3.33.5-18:
    Military:
      Carthaginian naval superiority (57 ships, including 32 manned quinqueremes)
      Roman infantry superiority (700,000 infantry, 70,000 cavalry vs. 20-25,000 infantry, boosted by 25,000 in Spain)
      Principal players:
      • P. Cornelius Scipio (consul --> Spain) and Ti. Sempronius Longus (consul --> Sicily & Africa), the Aemilius ("the Aemilii") and Scipio ("the Scipiones") families vs. the Fabius ("the Fabii") family
      • Hannibal Barca (foreign conquest: pro-war) and Hanno (African expansion: anti-war)
March 218: Rome chooses war. Causes?
 
Fall 218: Hasdrubal (brother) remains in Spain, Hannibal crosses the Ebro, the Pyrenees, the Rhone and Alps (Polyb. Hist. 3.50; Livy a.u.c. 31.30-38) (formal violation of 226: Treaty of Ebro River)
218: Battle of Ticinus in Gallia Transpadana. Skirmish
218: Battle of Trebia River: Roman consul Publius Cornelius Scipio + 40,000 men vs. Hannibal + 26,000 men. Disastrous defeat
 
217:
  • Battle of Lake Trasimene in central Etruria: Roman consul Gaius Flaminius + 25,000 men vs. Hannibal + 50,000 men (Italian and Gallic recruits). Disastrous defeat
  • Hannibal avoids Rome, takes Samnium, Campania
  • Panicked Senate switches to the Fabius family ("Fabii") & appoints Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus as dictator (later known as Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator, "the Delayer," for dogging Hannibals heels in Campania and Apulia; policy of attrition)
 
216: 
  • Battle of Cannae: Roman consules L. Aemilius Paullus, G. Terentius Varro (both inexperienced) + 50,000 men vs. Hannibal + 40,000 men. Disastrous defeat: armies destroyed; one of greatest military losses in history
  • Southern Italian allies revolt & defect
  • Hannibal seizes all of s. Italy except colonies, coastal cities
  • Capua (industrial: promised primacy by Hannibal), Syracuse (economic), Philip V of Macedon (2nd front) ally with Hannibal (Rome allies with Aetolians vs. Macedon)
 
213: Rome does not collapse; quite the contrary. Rome amasses army of 125,000 men (25 legions) from the poor and disaffected, doubles property tax, enlists slaves(!), strengthens fleet, borrows from patres
 
213-211: Marcus Claudius Marcellus ("Sword of Rome," consul 222, 215, 214, 210, 208); sacks Syracuse with Archimedes' siege-engines; Syracuse becomes tribute-paying ally, treasures looted and transferred to Rome, Archimedes perishes
 
211: Hannibal takes Greek coastal cities (including Tarentum, Heraclea), threatens Rome but fails. Capua falls to Rome: slaughter, loss of autonomy. Beginning of the end.
 
211: Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio and Publius Cornelius Scipio cross the Ebro, defeated & killed by Hasdrubal
 
210: P. Cornelius Scipio the younger (son), 25 years old & ineligible for command, dispatched by comitia centuriata to Spain as proconsul with imperium; seizes Nova Carthago (primary base) in 209
 
207: Hasdrubal (brother of Hannibal) killed in northern Italy
 
206: Scipio conquers Spain; Rome adopts Carthaginian tactics
 
205: Rome-Macedon treaty. Scipio consul & plans invasion of north Africa
 
204: Rome defeats Carthage and Numidia; Masinissa as Roman puppet. Carthage sues for peace; armistice by 203
 
202: Hannibal returns with army, rallies Carthage. Battle of Zama. Disastrous defeat
 
Aftermath:
  • Peace between Rome and Carthage (Polyb. Hist. 15.18):
  • Carthage surrenders all territory except city, previous possessions in n. Africa
  • Carthage surrenders elephants, fleet (except 10 ships), flocks, herds, slaves
  • Carthage surrenders prisoners of war
  • Carthage fined 10,000 Talents of silver (200 T./year x 50 years)
  • Carthage allowed autonomy but cannot wage war without Roman consent
  • Carthage supports Masinissa, feeds Roman troops, hands over 100 hostages
 
Dignitas: P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus Triumphator
 
Conclusions?

 

 

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