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.
Facts
CombatantsRome and its allies against Carthage and its allies. 1 OutcomeRoman victory. Carthage was defeated and Rome established as the dominant power of the western Mediterranean. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Battles and Campaigns
Commanders and Forces
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.
Led By
Hannibal commanded Carthage's forces through most of the war; Scipio Africanus led the winning Roman side at Zama.
Part Of
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Second Punic War
WikipediaopeningQuote, opening
the Carthaginians were once again defeated
1. Wikipedia: Second Punic War
1. Wikipedia: Second Punic War
WikipediaLed By: Hannibal Barca, lead paragraph, via Hannibal biographyQuote, Led By: Hannibal Barca, lead paragraph, via Hannibal biography
Hannibal...commanded the forces of Carthage
1. Wikipedia: Second Punic War
WikipediaPart Of: Punic Wars, Infobox, Part of lineQuote, Part Of: Punic Wars, Infobox, Part of line
Part of the Punic Wars
World History Encyclopedia: Second Punic War
Mark Cartwright, World History Encyclopedia, 2016opening paragraphQuote, opening paragraph
The Second Punic War (The Hannibalic War)
Wikipedia: Battle of Cannae
WikipediaBattles and Campaigns: Battle of Cannae, openingQuote, Battles and Campaigns: Battle of Cannae, opening
Carthaginian victory
Wikipedia: Battle of Zama
WikipediaBattles and Campaigns: Battle of Zama, infobox/leadQuote, Battles and Campaigns: Battle of Zama, infobox/lead
the decisive, war-ending engagement of the Second Punic War
Wikipedia: Military of Carthage
WikipediaCommanders and Forces: Carthaginian Army, body textQuote, Commanders and Forces: Carthaginian Army, body text
Iberian warriors serving Carthage were split into scutari heavy infantry and caetrati light infantry.
Wikipedia: Numidian cavalry
WikipediaCommanders and Forces: Numidian Cavalry, History sectionQuote, 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
Wikipedia: Fabian strategy
WikipediaAssociated With: Fabian Strategy, background sectionQuote, 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)
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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