There were several reasons. Rome relied on citizen and allied soldiery while Carthage relied largely on mercenaries. Mercenaries have to be paid and are not as reliable as citizen soldiers and can be bought off. Carthage during the Second Punic War did not support its military to the same degree that Rome supported theirs. Carthage’s […]
Was There Opposition in Rome to the Destruction of Carthage?
November 14, 2021 By Leave a Comment
The destruction of Carthage was not without opposition in Rome. Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder ended every speech in the Senate or in the Forum with the words “Cetera censeo Cartagine esse delendum!”- And furthermore I think that Carthage must be destroyed.” Publius Cornelius Nasica Corculum, the Pontifex Maximus, on the other hand, said “Carthage […]
Why Did the Romans Oppose the Fabian Strategy?
October 28, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Quintus Fabius Maximus realized that Hannibal was a military genius and that the best thing to do was not to confront him in battle but to starve him out. He tried to prevent Hannibal’s men from foraging and he forbade farmers from sowing crops in the areas where Hannibal’s army traveled. It was sort of […]
What Happened to Hannibal After the Second Punic War?
October 12, 2021 By Leave a Comment
The decision allow Hannibal to return to Carthage was made by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. After the Battle of Zama, Hannibal escaped to Hadrumetum. Scipio then had the decision whether to besiege and destroy Carthage, or to allow the city to negotiate a treaty on Roman terms. Besieging the city would have taken months. The […]
Guest Post by S. Leung: What Advice would Sun Tsu have had for Hannibal?
August 31, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Taking the long way via the Alps to attack Rome, whilst Hannibal’s foundations in newly conquered Spain was still infirm may have achieved early success via initial surprise but may have been, strategically, a longer term mistake. By the time he reached Italy he had already lost a lot of men and almost all his […]
Quora Question: Who do You Think is the Most Under Rated Historical Figure.
July 25, 2021 By Leave a Comment
Mine is Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. He was a pivotal figure in the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage, 218–201 B.C. His father, Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder was one of the two Roman Consuls when the Second Punic War broke out in 218 B.C. He assembled several legions and took them to Massilia […]
Quora Question: Did Cato the Elder Believe that the Destruction Was the Most Important Thing For Rome?
July 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment
It would be hard to say whether Cato the Elder thought that the destruction of Carthage was more important than anything else for Rome, but it was certainly a top priority for him. Cato was in his 80s at the time of the Third Punic War which began in 149 B.C. He was a veteran […]
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