Battle of Ilipa. | The Death of Carthage

Book Review: The Scipios in Spain by Kevin Hardy

August 23, 2024 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

It is said that the historian tells you what happened, and the historical novelist tells you what it felt like. Kevin Hardy, in his book The Scipios in Spain seeks to do both! Several times he asks the reader to imagine what it was like to be a velite or a hastatus in the […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Book Review, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cissa, Battle of Dertosa, Battle of Ilipa., Battles of the Upper Baetis, Gneius Cornelius Scipio Calvus, Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Indibilis, Mago Barca, Mandonius, Masinissa, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, Siege of New Carthage, Syphax

Why Didn’t Carthage Support Hannibal in the Second Punic War?

August 13, 2024 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

It is true that the Carthaginian Senate was divided during the Second Punic War. The “Merchant Party” supported Hannibal while the “Land Party” did not. The “Land Party” was led by Hanno the Great who was a staunch political enemy of Hamilcar Barca, the father of Hannibal. Livy quotes him as saying this at the […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ilipa., Battles of the Upper Baetis, Hannibal, Hanno the Great, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, publius cornelius scipio africanus

Who Was the Better General, Hannibal or Scipio?

August 3, 2024 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Hannibal was a genius when it came to battlefield tactics, but not as adept at strategy or logistics. Scipio Africanus was a genius at all three. Scipio’s Spanish campaign shows his proficiency at battlefield tactics, strategy and logistics. The first thing he did was to conquer New Carthage where the Carthaginians stored their wealth and […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: B.F. Liddle-Hart, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Zama, Hannibal, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Second Punic War

How Did Hannibal Lose the Second Punic War When He Was a Military Genius.

May 25, 2024 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

When the Second Punic War began, the Romans did not have any generals who were remotely Hannibal’s equal in battlefield tactics. Hannibal demolished the Roman army at the Battles of Ticinus, Trebia, and Trasimene. Then the Romans elected Quintus Fabius Maximus dictator and he promoted a novel idea: Let’s not fight Hannibal on his terms […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cannae, Battle of Dertosa, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Zama, Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca the brother of Hannibal, Mago Barca the Brother of Hannibal, Publius Corneius Scipio Africanus, Quintus Fabius Maximus Cuncator

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

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

How Good a General Was Scipio Africanus?

January 16, 2021 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

How good of a general was Scipio Africanus? Was he truly one of the greats, or did he simply benefit from the fame of defeating Hannibal at Zama? Robin Levin Scipio Africanus was definitely one of the greatest generals in history. The Battle of Zama, where he defeated Hannibal wasn’t even his most brilliant accomplishment. […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of The Upper Baetis, Battle of Zama, Hannibal, Hasdrubal brother of Hannibal, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago brother of Hannibal, New Carthage, Scipio Africanus, Second Punic War

The Genius of Scipio Africanus: Simple but Deceptive, with an Emphasis on Deceptive

December 27, 2020 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Elephants were known to wreak havoc in ancient warfare. In the case of Zama, it wasn’t a simple matter of stepping out of the way and clearing a path for the elephants. Scipio wanted Hannibal to think that his elephants would be effective in disrupting the Roman lines, so he disguised the paths he was […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: B.F. Liddell Hart, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Zama, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus

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. […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cannae, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of The Metaurus, Battle of Ticinus, Battle of Trasimene, Battle of Trebia, Battle of Zama, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, quintus fabius maximus, Rome. Carthage. Hannibal

Why is Scipio Africanus Considered a Military Genius for Clearing a Path for Hannibal’s Elephants? Isn’t that the Obvious Thing to Do?

September 11, 2019 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Elephants were known to wreak havoc in ancient warfare. In the case of Zama, it wasn’t a simple matter of stepping out of way and clearing a path for the elephants. Scipio wanted Hannibal to think that his elephants would be effective in disrupting the Roman lines, so he disguised the paths he was planning […]