Battle of Cannae | The Death of Carthage

Who Was Quintus Fabius Maximus and What Was His Strategy?

October 6, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Quintus Fabius Maximus was a Roman politician and general during the Second Punic War. When Hannibal invaded Italy in 218 B.C., he soundly defeated the Romans in the battles of Ticinus, Trebia and Trasimene causing the loss of some 45,000 Roman and allied soldiers. After the Battle of Trasimene in June of 217 B.C. the […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ticinus, Battle of Trasimene, Battle of Trebia, Battle of Zama, Gaius Tarentius Varro, Hannibal Barca, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, Mago Barca, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cuncator

What Did Scipio Do to Oppose Hannibal after He Invaded Italy?

August 17, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

When Hannibal invaded Italy Scipio was only seventeen, so he served in the legions, first under his father, Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder, who was Consul at the time. At the Battle of Ticinus he was in charge of a Turma, a group of 30 cavalry, and he led the charge of the turma to […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ticinus, Battle of Zama, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Gneius Cornelius Scipio, Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, Masinissa, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cuncator, Syphax

Quora Question: Who do You Think is the Most Under Rated Historical Figure.

July 25, 2021 By Robin Levin 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 […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Tiinus, Battle of Zama, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Conquest of New Carthage, Gneius Cornelius Scipio, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder

What Happened to the Scipio Family and Why did They Fade From History.

July 22, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Scipio Africanus had four children, two boys and two girls. Neither of his sons had children. The elder, Publius, adopted the second son of Lucius Aemilius Paullus, who took the name Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus. He is known as Scipio Minor, and he conquered and destroyed Carthage in 146 B.C. He was married to Scipio’s […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome Tagged With: Augustus Caesar, Battle of Cannae, Battle of Carrhae, Battle of Pharsalus, Battle of Thapsus, Cornelia Major, Cornelia Minor, Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. Aemilius Paullus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Corculum, Publius Cornelius Scipio Metellus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Serapio, Sempronia Graccha, Tiberius Gracchus

Why Did Hannibal Not Besiege Rome After the Battle of Cannae?

July 9, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

After the Battle of Cannae, according to the Roman historian Livy, Hannibal’s chief of cavalry, Maharbal offered to take the cavalry to Rome and besiege it. while waiting for the infantry to arrive. Hannibal turned down the offer. Maharbal commented “So the Gods don’t grant all their gifts to one person. You know very well […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Cannae, Capua, Carthalo, Hannibal, Maharbal, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator, Tarentum

Why Did Rome Win the Second Punic War

June 9, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

There were several reasons. After the Battle of Cannae in which some 55,000 Romans and allies were killed, the Romans largely stopped confronting Hannibal in set piece battles and the war became one of attrition. The Romans concentrated on gaining back the territories that went over to Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae. They successfully […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of the Metaurus River, Battle of Zama, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Gneius Cornelius Scipio, Hannibal, Hasdrubal brother of Hannibal, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago brother of Hannibal, Publius Corneius Scipio Africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder

Quora Question: Did Carthaginian Senators Fell that Hannibal Invited the Wrath of Rome on its People. Were It Not For Hannibal Would Carthage Have Survived?

June 4, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Carthaginian Senators were very much divided as to whether they should support Hannibal in the war against Rome. Initially the Barca faction was very strong and their adversary, Hanno the Great was very much in the minority. Hanno strongly opposed the war. When a delegation of Romans descended on Carthage to protest the siege of […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Cannae, Battle of Dertosa, Carthage, Hannibal, Hanno the Great, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago, Treaty of Lutatius

Quora Question: Who was Hannibal Barca and What Books Should I Read to Learn More About Him?

December 5, 2020 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Who was Hannibal Barca? Which book should I read to learn more about him? Robin Levin · During the third and second centuries B.C. the ancient civilizations of Rome in Italy and Carthage in North Africa fought three wars, these are known as the Punic wars-the word Punic comes from the Roman word for Phoenician […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Ancient Rome, Battle of Cannae, Battle of the Metaurus River, Battle of Ticinus, Battle of Trasimene, Battle of Trebia, Battle of Zama. Hamilcar Barca, Carthage, Hannibal, Hasdurbal Barca, Mago Barca, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Second Punic War

What Were Hannibal’s Mistakes?

October 26, 2019 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Some people believe Hannibal’s biggest mistake was in failing to march on Rome and besiege it after the devastating battle of Cannae, in which some 55,000 Romans and their allies were slain. I doubt that such a siege would have been successful. Hannibal had no siege equipment and it would have been difficult to maintain […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: Ancient Rome, Battle of Cannae, Capua, Hannibal, Maharbal, Saguntum

Quora Question: What Was the Greatest Military Comeback in History

September 28, 2019 By Robin Levin 4 Comments

I’d have to give that to the Romans in the Second Punic War. The Carthaginian general Hannibal brought an army over the Alps in 218 B.C. During the next two years he won four battles: Ticinus, 2300 Roman casualties, Roman Consul wounded. Trebia 28,000 Roman Casualties. Trasimene, 15,000 Romans killed, 15,000 captured, Roman Consul killed. […]