Hannibal


Hannibal was born in 247 B. C. He was the son of Hamilcar, a famous general of Carthage. At this time, Carthage and Rome were enemies. Carthage was rich and powerful and Rome was afraid that Carthage would become the greatest power in the Mediterranean. 

Hannibal's Father had fought for Carthage against Rome. When the young Hannibal was only nine years old, his father took him to the family altar and made him swear that he would spend his life fighting against Rome. 

During his childhood, Hannibal was trained as a soldier. He spent his whole life trying to keep the oath he had taken. When he was 26 years old, he became a general in Span. He started a quarrel with Rome by attacking Saguntum, a town on the east coast of Spain. Saguntum was an ally of Rome. 

The Romans feared and hated Hannibal. The Romans declared war on Carthage because Carthage would not surrender Hannibal to Rome. 


Hannibal decided to attack Italy. He crossed the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy with an Army of 60,000 men, with many horses and even elephants. Snow and ice made this a very long and difficult journey. Hannibal lost half of his Army through cold and hunger, and he himself lost an eye, but he was a bold and determined man and he would not give up. 

In Italy, he marched South and defeated the Roman Army but did not march on Rome. At last the Carthaginians stopped sending men and food supplies because the Romans were in command of the sea between Rome and Carthage. 

Now too, scipio, the Roman General, attacked Carthage. After 15 years in Italy, Hannibal returned home to defend Carthage. But the Army was exhausted after the long years of war in Italy and Scipio was able to defeat Hannibal and his Army at the Battle of Zama. 



When he returned to Carthage, Hannibal tried to change the way of ruling the City. His people were angry and Hannibal fled from the city. He went to Asia minor, but here the Romans forced the king to drive him from place to place. 


At last in 183 B. C, to escape the Romans, Hannibal killed himself by taking poison. Hannibal was one of the bravest soldiers of all time.