Hannibal was a military genius. That is, he was a genius at battlefield tactics, although not so much at strategy. At the time when Hannibal crossed the Alps, 218 B.C., the Romans had no military geniuses, no Roman general could come near to Hannibal in battlefield tactics. In fact, several of the Roman generals in […]
Who Was Polybius and What did he Write?
April 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment
Polybius was the son of Lycortus the Stratigos of the Achaean league in Greece. He was born around 198 B.C. He was very well educated for his time and intended to follow in his father’s footsteps as Stratigos for the League. By the time he was thirty he was appointed Hipparch (cavalry commander) of the […]
What Was the Role of Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator in Defeating Hannibal in the Second Punic War?
September 23, 2024 By Leave a Comment
The Roman poet Ennius referred to Marcus Claudius Marcellus as Rome’s sword during the Second Punic War, and he referred to Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator as Rome’s shield. Fabius Maximus thought outside the box. The normal Roman response to foreign aggression was to confront the enemy on the battlefield. Fabius was astute enough to realize […]
What Did Hannibal Think of the Romans?
September 22, 2024 By Leave a Comment
What did Hannibal think of the Romans? Hannibal was indoctrinated by his father, Hamilcar Barca, to hate the Romans. There is a story that, before taking Hannibal with him to Spain, Hamilcar took him to the Temple of Elissa at Carthage and made him swear an oath: “When I come to age, I shall pursue […]
Riding the Tiger You Dare Not Dismount
August 24, 2024 By Leave a Comment
History provides us with a number of examples of nations or individuals riding a tiger they dare not dismount. The ancient Spartans conquered and enslaved their neighbors, the Messenians, around 700 B.C. Fearing a bloody uprising, the Spartans redesigned their society to prevent such an event. Every Spartiate male was required to train as […]
What Role Did the Berbers Have in the Punic Wars Between Rome and Carthage?
August 15, 2024 By Leave a Comment
The Romans called the Berbers, the native peoples of North Africa Numidians, which meant nomads. They were distinct from the Carthaginians who were descended from Phoenician colonists. The Numidians provided the Carthaginians with mercenaries, and at the start of the Second Punic War in 218 B.C. both major tribes, the Masaesyli under King Syphax and […]
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