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The
Second Punic War, fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from
218-202 BC, was the final major Carthaginian military opposition to
Rome's dominence in the Mediterranean.
After
the end of the First Punic War in 241 BC, Carthage decided to
concentrate on controlling Spain to gain direct control over its
mineral resources and to mount an army of the inhabitants to go against
the Roman legions. This policy was started by the great leadership of
Hamilcar Barca and continued under his son, Hannibal.
In
the Second Punic War, with his masterful war tactics, Hannibal wreaked
havoc all over Italy under harsh conditions. No Roman commander was
able to successfully match his army even though they mounted more
numerous and experienced armies. In the end, Roman perseverance was the
key, though. Carthage failed to supply Hannibal with needed
reinforcements and Rome began to attack Carthage forcing Hannibal to
return and defend it. With a smaller but experienced army, the Roman
commander Scipio was able to defeat Hannibal and conquer Carthage,
ending the war. Carthage was then stripped of much of its power and was
never again a formidable opponent to Rome.
Livy's analysis of the causes of the Second Punic War | Causes of the
Second Punic War | Alternative scenarios | After the Second Punic War |
Map of the Second Punic War | Deployment of the Roman Legions
|
| Year |
Spain |
Italy |
Sicily /Africa |
Elsewhere |
| 220 |
Hannibal and brother Hasdrubal conquer the entire Peninsula up to the Ebro. Romans warn Hannibal to keep away from Saguntum. |
|
|
Outbreak of the War of the Allies in Greece. |
| 219 |
Hannibal
Attacks Saguntum (Spring) and captures it (November?) after a siege of
eight months. This breaks Ebro River treaty, provoking the Second Punic
War. Hannibal Prepares for War |
Second
Illyrian War against against the piratical Demetrius of Pharos who
again threatens the flow of trade between NW Greece and the Greeks in S
Italy linked to the Romans - completed in 2 months. A Roman navy
defeated Demetrius of Pharos, who fled to the Macedonian court of
Philip V |
|
Fourth Syrian War |
| 218 (early) |
Hannibal's War begins.
Hannibal Crosses the Ebro | Hannibal Marches into Gaul | crossing the Rhone (August?) |
Romans
protest fate of Saguntum to Carthage: demand that Hannibal be given to
them - Upon refusal of Carthage, Rome declares war.
Second Punic War (218-201) - Hannibal's War begins |
Rome is victorious at sea near Lilybaeum -- Malta lost to Carthage.
Lex Claudia prohibits senators & sons from owning ships with
sea-going capacity (> 300 amphorae ca. 225 bushels - effectively
prevents senators from engaging in overseas trade)-Roman colonial
cities are now established at strategic points: Thus Rome begins to
protect the city and the government from any incursion or rebellion. |
Philip successful. Thermum sacked.
|
| 218 (late) |
The Romans invade Spain | Cissa |
The Early Campaigns in Spain |
Hannibal
Crosses the Alps in 14 days with elephants (October) Hannibal arrives
in Italy and defeats P. Cornelius Scipio at River Ticinus; defeats
Sempronius Longus at Trebbia River (December?) |
The Boii rise in revolt. |
|
| 217 |
Roman naval victory the Ebro |
Servilius was sent to Ariminium with his army.
Roman disaster at Lake Trasimeno in central Italy, Hannibal defeats
Romans led by Flaminius; 15,000 Romans killed. Romans appoint Fabius
Maximum dictator. Fabius avoids contact with Hannibal's army but fails
to avoid his escape from Campania. After Trasimeno | Hannibal winters
at Gerontium. The road to Cannae |
|
Conference of Naupactus.
End of the War of the Allies in Greece.
Battle of Raphia. Peace between Egypt and Syria.
|
| 216 |
Cn. and P. Scipio defeat Hasdrubal Barca near the Ebro (Iber) |
Hannibal
defeats Roman consuls C. Terentius Varro & L. Aemilius Paullus at
Cannae; Paulus and 50,000 Romans killed. The army of the praetor in
Gaul was destroyed. Reaction of Rome. Revolts in central Italy against
Rome. Among those who align themselves with Hannibal: Some towns in
Apulia; Samnites; Lucania & Bruttium except the Greeks. - Silva
Litani. Capua defects to Hannibal (Autumn) Hannibal fails to take
Neapolis (Naples); winters at Capua. Hannibal After Cannae in Italy.
Roman army massacred in Cisapline Gaul. |
|
Philip in Illyria |
| 215 |
Gracchus defeats Hanno at River Calor. Acre Leuce | 214-211 BC - The Five Armies and Roman defeat |
Casilinum
retaken by Rome. Lack of manpower leads Rome to lowering of the minimum
property qualification for serving in the land forces.
More fighting near Nola. Hannibal moves South |
Murder
of Hieronymous; Syracuse switches allegiance from Rome to Carthage. M.
Claudius Marcellus sent to Sicily. Assault of Syracuse fails and
Marcellus begins Siege of Syracuse (214-212). |
First Macedonian War
(214-205) begins against Philip V of Macedonia, an ally of Hannibal.
Laevinius defeats Macedonians at Apollonaria. |
| 213 |
|
Arpi recovered by the Romans. Hannibal occupies Tarentum (except for the citadel).
Campaign of 213 End of C. Terentius Varro's proconsulship of Picenum |
Carthaginian army lands in Sicily.Roman siege of Syracuse led by Marcellus continues. |
|
| 212 |
Saguntum retaken |
Hannibal
takes Tarentum (Romans kept its citadel) | Most places in Samnium &
Apulia recovered by the Romans. Romans begin siege of Capua. Hanno
defeated at Beneventum. Ti.S. Gracchus killed. Hannibal wins victory at
Herdonea. |
Fall
of Syracuse to Rome, through an act of treason: Archimedes is killed.
As part of the campaign against Syracuse, the Romans destroy the city
of Morgantina.
|
212/211 Roman alliance with Greek federal state of Aetolia and Attalus I of Pergamum for joint cooperation against Philip V.
Perseus of Macedonia born. |
| 211 |
Castulo | Ilorca - Publius and Gnaeus Scipio killed |
Fall of Capua despite Hannibal's desperate efforts and march to Rome.
Introduction of the denarius coin. |
|
|
| 210 |
A
new Scipio in Spain Scipio Africanus assumes command in Spain as
privatus and then holds some form of command for ten consecutive years. |
Hannibal wins second victory at Herdonea and Numistro 12 out of 30 Latin colonies refused contingents to Rome.
Rome raids African coast. |
Fall of Agrigentum - Sicily regained by Rome. Lilybaeum captured by Rome. |
Alliance between Rome and Aetolian League. Mixed fortunes for Rome in Greece |
| 209 |
Scipio takes Carthago Nova |
Battle of Canusium | Fabius (and Cato,later the Censor) capture Tarentum. |
|
Further fighting in Greece |
| 208 |
Scipio defeats Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal at Baecula ; Hasdrubal succeeds in escaping towards the Pyrenees |
Death of Marcellus at Venusia. Varro becomes propraetor in Etruria. Both consuls killed in ambush. |
|
|
| 207 |
|
Hannibal's
brother Hasbrubal arrives in Italy. He is defeated and killed at the
Metaurus River in N. Italy by the troops led by the two consuls, M.
Livius Salinator & C. Claudius Nero and his head is catapulted into
Hannibal�s camp - Hannibal flees to Bruttium where he stays for four
years. Further Roman raids on African coast. |
|
Philip V's allies win victory at Mantineia. |
| 206 |
Battle
of Ilipa near Seville - Scipio against Mago Barca and Hasdrubal Gisgo.
Scipio destroys the last Carthaginian forces in Spain.
Mutiny of Scipio's troops at Sucro |
After Metaurus - Rome's consuls keep Hannibal pinned in Bruttium. |
|
Aetolians make separate peace with Phillip V. |
| 205 |
Mago sails to Liguria Revolt of Indibilis - killed by Scipio.
Scipio prepared invasion of Africa. More Roman raids on African coast. |
Scipio
elected consul | Scipio in Sicily Augustus' great-grandfather fights as
a colonel under Aemilius Papus in SicilyLocri captured and Pleminius
scandal Scipio in Sicily . |
|
Philip V of Macedon
defeated; End of First Macedonian War after ten years of battles. Peace
of Phoenice ; Roman influence in Greece deepens |
| 204 |
|
Mago
is defeated in northern Italy attempting to reinforce Hannibal | Magna
Mater�s worship instituted - The sacred stone of Cybele, the Great
Mother, was brought to Rome from Asia Minor, and her worship was
established.The Asian cult of the mother goddess Cybele was brought to
Rome. |
|
Scipio allies with Libyans, Moors and Numidian Prince Massinissa to take the war to Africa.
Scipio lands in Africa | Scipio defeats a Carthaginian army and
captures Tunis. Carthage backs rival Numidian Syphax who along with
Hasdrubal Gisco is defeated by Scipio in two successive battles. |
| 203 |
Secret
treaty between Philip V of Macedonia and Antiochus III, Seleucid king
to attack and partition overseas dominions of Ptolemy V of Egypt |
Hannibal
and Mago are recalled to Carthage. Hannibal's convoy slips through
carrying about 15,000 men. - C. Terentius Varro serves on a diplomatic
mission to Greece - Q. Fabius Maximus Cunctator dies |
Protracted
negotiations by Scipio (for spying and delay) - 'Burning of the Camps'.
Carthage assembles another army but this is destroyed at Great Plains
|Syphax's army is routed near Cirta and he is captured | A peace treaty
is declared |
Downfall of Agathocles in Alexandria.
203/2 Secret pact between Philip V and Antiochus III against Egypt.
|
| 202 |
Aggressions of Philip and Antiochus. |
|
Carthaginans
attack on Roman convoy which has run aground re-opens the war |
Hannibal Returns to Africa | Defeat of Carthage at Zama /Naragara
(autumn?) Carthage surrenders End of the Second Punic War |
|
| 201 |
War Against Hannibal ends - Peace granted to Carthage at the cost of Spain. Masinissa made king of Greater Numidia |
Rome unites with Attalus I of Pergamum and Rhodes against Philip V of Macedonia |
Massinissa becomes King of Numidia |
Philip in Aegean and Asia Minor, fighting against Attalus and Rhodes. |
Before the First Punic War | First Punic War | Between the First and Second Punic Wars | Second Punic War | Between the Second and Third Punic Wars | The Third Punic War and after (until the death of Scipio Aemilianus) |
