New Carthage | The Death of Carthage

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

Were the Romans Religious?

June 5, 2023 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

The Romans were strongly religious. They worshiped a variety of Gods and believed that, at times, their gods interacted with humans. They never went into battle without first taking auguries to see if the battle would be favorable to them. They built temples everywhere, and rich Romans would sponsor a temple to whichever god he […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Augustus, Carthage, fetial priests, First Punic War, New Carthage, Publius Claudius Pulcher, publius cornelius scipio africanus, rome, Second Punic War, Seneca the Younger, Vespasian, Vestal Virgins

The Importance of Conquering New Carthage

February 7, 2023 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

The Carthaginians controlled southern Spain before the Second Punic war and had alliances with some of the tribes of northern Spain. They had highly productive gold and silver mines in southern Spain which helped finance the war. The Second Punic War began as a result of Hannibal’s destruction of Saguntum, a Roman ally, and Spain […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battles of the Upper Baeits, Gneius Cornelius Scipio Calvus, Hannibal, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder

Was Bribing Hannibal’s Allies a Tactic Scipio Africanus Used to Win the War?

October 23, 2022 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

In terms of the Iberian tribes, it probably was. Livy mentioned that in conquering New Carthage, Scipio acquired all of Carthage’s hostages, which he promptly returned to their respective tribes, and he also acquired a lot of gold and silver. He sent most of it to Rome for their treasury, and also paid bounties to […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Celtiberians, Gneius Cornelius Scipio Calvus, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, Masinissa, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Syphax

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

If a Roman General Ordered Decimation, What Would Have Happened if the Legionaries Refused to Comply?

October 23, 2019 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

If a legion ordered to perform decimation refused to comply, the other legions under the commander would be brought into action. It is quite possible that the entire mutinous legion would be killed. The Romans took mutiny very seriously. In 206 B.C. Publius Cornelius Scipio faced a mutiny among the soldiers at his base at […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome Tagged With: Ancient Rome, Legionaries, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Sucro Mutiny

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 […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Zama, elephants, Hannibal, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Second Punic War

How Did Rome Acquire Iberia as a Province?

September 9, 2019 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Rome maintained a sphere of influence in Iberia even before the beginning of the Second Punic War. They had an alliance with the city of Saguntum, and they made an agreement with the Carthaginian leader Hasdrubal the Fair (brother in law of Hannibal) that the Carthaginian sphere of influence would extend up to the Iberus […]