Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder | 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

What Civilizations attempted to Colonize and Rule Spain?

August 3, 2024 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Around 800 B.C. Phoenicians began colonizing Spain, establishing the city of Gades (Cadiz) in the southwest corner of Spain. Greeks also established settlements like Emporion on the east coast of Spain. Carthage, a Phoenician speaking city on the north coast of Africa attempted to colonize and rule Spain during the third century B.C. Hamilcar Barca, […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Dertosa, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Gneius Cornelius Scipio, Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal, Hasdrubal the Fair, Lusitania, Numantia, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, Saguntum

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

Hasdrubal Barca’s Role in the Second Punic War

December 30, 2022 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Hannibal left his brother Hasdrubal in Spain to deal with the Romans whom he suspected were planning to invade. Southern Spain was the site of vast rich gold and silver mines that the Carthaginians used to finance the war, and they needed to be protected. Upon learning that Hannibal and his army were heading toward […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Dertosa, Battle of the Metaurus River, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Gneius Scipio, Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal Son of Gisco, Mago Barca, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, Scipio Africanus

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

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

What Was the Role of Hispanian Tribesmen in the Second Punic War?

October 28, 2019 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

During the Second Punic War, Rome and Carthage contended with each other for the loyalty and support of the native Spanish Tribes. When Hannibal’s father, Hamilcar Barca, came to Spain to establish Carthaginian hegemony, he encountered resistance from some of the tribes. In fact, he was killed in a conflict with the Carpetani, a large […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: Gneius Scipio, Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal the Fair, Hispania, Iberus River, Indibilis, Mandonius, Masinissa, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, Scipio Africanus, Second Punic War, Upper Baetus

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 […]

Filed Under: Carthage Tagged With: Battle of Baecula, Battle of Cissa, Battle of Dertosa, Battle of Ilipa., Battle of Ticinis, Battles of the Upper Baetis, Farther Spain, Gneius Cornelius Scipio, Hannibal, Hasdrubal the Fair, Italica, Nearer Spain, New Carthage, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder

Book Review. Hannibal by Patrick N. Hunt

September 16, 2017 By Robin Levin Leave a Comment

Patrick N. Hunt’s Hannibal is a clear, concise and highly readable account of the life of Hannibal the events of the Second Punic War (218-202 BC) Hannibal’s attack on Rome was clearly rooted in the outcome of the first Punic War and the anger that Hannibal’s father, Hamilcar Barca, felt toward Rome. He raised his […]

Filed Under: Ancient Rome, Book Review, Carthage Tagged With: Cannae, Gaius Claudius Nero, Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca, Mago Barca, Marcus Livius, Metaurus, publius cornelius scipio africanus, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder, quintus fabius maximus, Sempronius, Ticinus, Trasimine, Trebia, Zama.