Facts on Hannibal Barca

- Hannibal's father was Hamilcar Barca a great general of the Carthaginian army.

- Hamilcar fought against the Roman army for many years in a war known as the Punic War.

-The Carthaginians lost the war and signed peace treaty with Romans.


-Hamilcar died and handed over job of general of the Carthaginian army to his step son Hasdrubal.

-Hasdrubal was a good general but was weak in confidence so he made his step brother Hannibal the general of the entire Carthaginian army.

-At age 26 Hannibal becomes in control of the whole Carthaginian army and ruler of Carthage.

-Saguntians come to Carthage to remind Carthaginians about a treaty they had made.

-When Saguntians leave they kill some Taressian settlers who were allies of the Carthaginians.

-Hannibal leads his army to Spain where the Saguntians lived.

-Hannibal destroys and loots Saguntum.

- The Saguntians were allies of the Romans.

-Roman devastated and mad.

-Romans declare war on Carthaginians which starts second Punic War.

- Hannibal has a lot of hatred toward Rome and wants to defeat the Romans.

-Hannibal decided to attack Rome through the north of Italy because he knew he couldn't
invade Rome by sea because of the great Roman navy.

-Hannibal decided to go through the Alps.

-He took 50,000 foot soldiers, 9,000 horse riding soldiers, a baggage train to carry supplies and 37 trained war elephants.


- The Alps had many dangers
- Very hostile tribesmen
- A lot of ice and snow
- Very steep
- Very cold

- It took his army 15 days to cross the Alps.

-Although the Carthaginians lost many soldiers.

- Romans were shocked when the Carthaginians entered Italy.

-The Romans sent armies to fight Hannibal.

-They were all killed.

-Eventually the Romans sent Quintus Fabius and his army to hold the Carthaginians from reaching Rome.

- When Quintus could hold the Carthaginians no longer, the two forces met at the river Poe in Cannae.

- The Carthaginians destroyed the Romans.

- The Romans lost 50,000 soldiers and the Carthaginians only lost 6,700.

- At the end of the battle Hannibal asked for reinforcements from the Carthaginian government.

- The government didn't send him any.

- Hasdrubal tried bringing him reinforcements but failed and he was assassinated.

- Hannibal tried to conquer some cities but failed with his small army.

- When Romans attacked Carthage Hannibal had to return to Carthage to defend his home country.

- When Hannibal's army saw the huge Roman army, some of his soldiers fled. Only his veteran soldiers remained to get killed and defeated.

- The Romans ordered Hannibal to surrender himself to them after Hannibal tried to make plans to start another war.

- Hannibal committed suicide by taking poison at the age of 65.







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