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War

Second Punic War

Also Known As The Hannibalic War
Ancient

The Second Punic War was fought between Rome and Carthage from 218 to 201 BC across Italy, Iberia, Sicily, Sardinia and North Africa. It began after Hannibal besieged the pro-Roman city of Saguntum, prompting Rome to declare war. Hannibal marched an army over the Alps into Italy and won a string of major victories, but was ultimately unable to force Rome's surrender; the war was decided in Africa, where Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal at Zama in 202 BC. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Start Year
218 BCE 1
End Year
201 BCE 1
Combatants
Rome and its allies against Carthage and its allies. 1
Outcome
Roman victory. Carthage was defeated and Rome established as the dominant power of the western Mediterranean. 1
Classification
Conflict Type
Interstate War 1
Connections

Associated With

Fabian Strategy, Strategy and Doctrine
Source Wikipedia: Fabian strategy
Falcata, Weapons Systems

Iberian troops wielding the falcata fought on both sides during the Second Punic War, most notably in the army led by Hannibal

Sling, Weapons Systems

Balearic slingers, prized mercenaries in Carthaginian service, used the sling to great effect during the Second Punic War

War Elephant, Weapons Systems

Hannibal Barca's Carthaginian war elephants, famously marched across the Alps, were fielded through the Second Punic War.

Source Wikipedia: War elephant

Commanders and Forces

Carthaginian Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Military of Carthage
Numidian Cavalry, Armed Forces and Units

Numidian squadrons fought on both sides at different points in the war: with Hannibal for most of it, then with Rome under Masinissa at Zama.

Source Wikipedia: Numidian cavalry
Quintus Fabius Maximus, Commanders

Quintus Fabius Maximus commanded Roman forces against Hannibal in the Second Punic War using the delaying strategy that bears his name

Source Wikipedia: Second Punic War
Scipio Africanus, Commanders

Scipio Africanus led Roman forces to final victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War

Source Wikipedia: Second Punic War

Led By

Hannibal Barca, Commanders

Hannibal commanded Carthage's forces through most of the war; Scipio Africanus led the winning Roman side at Zama.

Source Wikipedia: Second Punic War

Uses

Falcata, Weapons Systems
Source Wikipedia: Falcata
Spatha, Weapons Systems
Source Wikipedia: Spatha
War Elephant, Weapons Systems
Source Wikipedia: War elephant
In the Other Atlases

Is Discussed By

The Punic Wars

Also in History Atlas: which discusses this subject.

Source Wikipedia: Second Punic Wartier 4
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Second Punic War
Wikipedia
  • Lead section
    The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second in a series of three wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic, who were at the time the two main powers in the western Mediterranean.
  • Lead text
    The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second in a series of three wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic, who were at the time the two main powers in the western Mediterranean.
  • Infobox: date
    Spring 218 - 201 BC ()
  • Led By: Hannibal Barca, lead paragraph, via Hannibal biography
    Hannibal...commanded the forces of Carthage
  • Part Of: Punic Wars, Infobox: part_of
    the Punic Wars
View the Source
World History Encyclopedia: Second Punic War
Mark Cartwright, World History Encyclopedia, 2016opening paragraph
Quote, opening paragraph
The Second Punic War (The Hannibalic War)
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Wikipedia: Battle of Cannae
WikipediaBattles and Campaigns: Battle of Cannae, References
Quote, Battles and Campaigns: Battle of Cannae, References
Carthaginian victory
View the Source
Wikipedia: Battle of Zama
WikipediaBattles and Campaigns: Battle of Zama, infobox/lead
Quote, Battles and Campaigns: Battle of Zama, infobox/lead
the decisive, war-ending engagement of the Second Punic War
View the Source
Wikipedia: Military of Carthage
WikipediaCommanders and Forces: Carthaginian Army, body text
Quote, Commanders and Forces: Carthaginian Army, body text
Iberian warriors serving Carthage were split into scutari heavy infantry and caetrati light infantry.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Numidian cavalry
WikipediaCommanders and Forces: Numidian Cavalry, History section
Quote, Commanders and Forces: Numidian Cavalry, History section
the Romans allied with the Numidian king Masinissa who led 6000 horsemen against Hannibal's own in the battle of Zama
View the Source
Wikipedia: Fabian strategy
WikipediaAssociated With: Fabian Strategy, background section
Quote, Associated With: Fabian Strategy, background section
given the task of defeating the great Carthaginian general Hannibal in southern Italy during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC)
View the Source
Wikipedia: Spatha
Uses: Spatha, Article body
Quote, Uses: Spatha, Article body
During the Second Punic War, Celtic mercenaries introduced the spatha to the Roman army.
View the Source
Wikipedia: War elephant
WikipediaUses: War Elephant, Article text
Quote, Uses: War Elephant, Article text
Perhaps inspired by the victories of Pyrrhus of Epirus, Carthage developed its own use of war elephants and deployed them extensively during the First and Second Punic Wars.
View the Source
Wikipedia: Falcata
WikipediaUses: Falcata, Wikipedia article text
Quote, Uses: Falcata, Wikipedia article text
It was highly prized by the ancient general Hannibal, who equipped Carthaginian troops with it during the Second Punic War.
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Dissenting Readings (1 dissenting reading)
Commanders and Forces: Numidian Cavalry

Appian states that the Numidians brought the total to 34,500 troops at Zama, but modern historians do not accept this; the figure generally followed instead is the lower one on which the ancient sources broadly agree, 6,000 Numidian infantry and 4,000 cavalry under Masinissa.

A dissenting reading, from an independent laneWikipedia: Battle of Zama, Wikipedia
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