Hannibal

HANNIBAL

Hannibal was born in 247 B.C at Carthage and was the son of Hamilcar Barrca, the head of the Carthage army. After Hannibal's father died in 229 B.C Hannibal's brother in law Hasdrubal, took over command. In 221 B.C Hasdrubal was killed and Hannibal was elected commander by the Carthaginian government.

After crossing the Alps to attack Rome with an army of 60,000 strong (a remarkable achievement at that time) Hannibal arrived at the Italian town of Turin with a force of around only 30,000. Even though he lost so many men in the Alps Hannibal managed to get men to fight for him from the Gauls and a number of other people.

After a successful military campaign throughout Italy, Rome attacked Hannibal's homeland Carthage and he was forced to withdraw. After returning to Carthage Hannibal went up against a young Roman commander by the name of Publius Cornelius Scipio and was defeated. After his lose to Scipio, Hannibal was on the run from Roman forces. Hannibal found refuge in Bithynia