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这是我几周前交给老师的一篇作业， 论文。

Assess the significance and legacy of Carthage's greatest general, Hannibal

Hannibal is one of the greatest general in history along with Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great. This essay will assess the significance and legacy of this great general. He made great significance in ancient history during the Second Punic War as the greatest general of Carthage. Hannibal crossed the Alps and threatened the Romans at their homeland in Italy. Even though Hannibal was defeated at the end, he left a legacy to not only his own people, but also to everyone else including his enemies. Many strategists today still regard him as a military genius.

Hannibal made his goal very clear when he first gained power from the military vote that he will go into war with the Romans and take Italy. Polybius and Livy “As soon as he took up his command it became clear from the measures which he put in hand that his purpose was to declare war on Rome” By the Ebro River Treaty signed in the year 226BC, Carthaginians were not supposed to cross the Ebro River with armed forces and should not attack the city of Saguntum which the Romans are allied with. The Second Punic War started when Hannibal laid siege upon Saguntum. Hannibal was warned by the Romans, so he requested the Carthaginian government for instruction. The Carthaginian government showed no opinion on the matter and simply told him to carry on whatever action he saw fit. Appearing to know what to do, Hannibal continued the siege. After 8months, Saguntum fell. This showed that Hannibal always had the intention to start the war with Roman, hoping to trigger the Romans to declare war and he, would gain support from the Carthage government on the war against the Romans. This act was very significant as it is the direct cause of the war, and forced the Romans to enter the war, and at the same time, forcing the Carthage government to support him on this war.

Speed is the essence of strategy of Hannibal in this war. Hannibal left New Carthage in June 218BC with 90000 infantry, 12000calvalry and 37 elephants. Unaware that Hannibal’s intention was for Rome, Scipio headed for the mouth of river Rhone, hoping to intercept Hannibal, but missed by a few days. Without further delay, Hannibal crossed the Alps with haste. By leaving troops in Pyrennes, heavy fighting and the harsh conditions of the Alps, Hannibal arrived in Italy with 20000 infantry and 6000 cavalry. Scipio, instead of moving all his legionary back to Italy to fight Hannibal, he sent most of his men to Spain, and doing what he could to stop Hannibal from reaching Italy before the consuls can draw forces to defend. The act of crossing Alps forced the Roman government into a state of emergency, a stage of panic.

Tactical advantages of Hannibal allowed him to maneuver smoothly through battles in Italy. Ticinis, Trebia, Trasmene, Cannae, Hannibal overcame the Romans in all these battles with brilliant strategy and applying the geographical advantage. The Battle of Cannae was most significant. Livius wrote“Never before, while the City itself was still safe, had there been such excitement and panic within its walls. I shall not attempt to describe it, nor will I weaken the reality by going into details... it was not wound upon wound but multiplied disaster that was now announced. For according to the reports two consular armies and two consuls were lost; there was no longer any Roman camp, any general, any single soldier in existence; Apulia, Samnium, almost the whole of Italy lay at Hannibal's feet. Certainly there is no other nation that would not have succumbed beneath such a weight of calamity.” This showed that the Roman military power was utterly shattered at Cannae, even so, Romans refused defeat or even accepting peace when few of their southern allies turned to Hannibal. The Romans viewed this as punishment by gods, and they resulted to many spiritual ceremonies in attempt to please the gods. The Romans were also having financial difficulties, and resulted to private contracts and donations to support its expenses. “Thus public business was carried on by means of private funds-so deep was the patriotic sentiment in all classes of society almost without exception”(ibid,.XIII:48). Gaining their hands on troops was one of the main concern now, many young men was recruited, slave volunteers was also used and even criminals are released from jails to serve and defend the country. To Hannibal, this was a big step forward in his policy of turning Rome’s allies into Carthage’s. Having allies all over Italy may not be as great as Hannibal imagined it would be, he had to garrison troops all over the place in order to protect the newly claimed allies. His troops gradually reduced. He badly needed troops from Africa or Spain, but Carthaginian government never sent him the reinforcement he acquired because Scipio’s main forces are still keeping Spain busy. Now Romans were having the initiative by leading attack on Hannibal and his allies, forcing Hannibal to march to counter these strategies. Hannibal was left in a very submissive position where he has few troops with him compared to Rome’s 45000 men, and lost initiative.

The Battle of Cannae, also marked a turning points in Hannibal’s campaign in Italy. Hannibal gradually lost many of his allies as he was unable to defend them with the lack of forces. Then Hasdrubal suffered defeat in Spain from Scipio, and led a bit of his troops towards Italy to relive the pressure on Hannibal. However, Romans expected his arrival and defeated him. Lord Byron wrote "The consul Nero, who made the unequalled march which deceived Hannibal and deceived Hasdrubal, thereby accomplishing an achievement almost unrivaled in military annals. The first intelligence of his return, to Hannibal, was the sight of Hasdrubal's head thrown into his camp. When Hannibal saw this, he exclaimed, with a sigh, that 'Rome would now be the mistress of the world.' To this victory of Nero's it might be owing that his imperial namesake reigned at all. But the infamy of the one has eclipsed the glory of the other. When the name of Nero is heard, who thinks of the consul? But such are human things." Clearly, this act was very significant and devastated Hannibal, he was sad at the loss of a brother and a chance for reinforcement, and also realizes that Rome was going to win this war, and he would end in defeat. Hannibal was forced to retreat to Bruttium in southern Italy and apply a defensive strategy for the next few years. With the failure of his negotiation with Phillip of Macedon, the last hope of turning the tide of this war was broken. In 203 BC, after years of marching and fighting in Italy, Hannibal was summoned back to Carthage to defend his native land.

The battlefield was turned to Africa under the control of Scipio Africanus. In 202BC, Hannibal met with Scipio in a peace conference, the result was fruitless despite the mutual admiration. It resulted to the battle of Zama, the final showdown between Hannibal and Scipio. Unlike most battles so far, this time, Hannibal outnumbered Scipio in infantry, while Scipio outnumbered Hannibal in cavalry. The number of troops was roughly the same, but Hannibal’s infantry was of mixed quality and he was much weaker in cavalry in both numbers and ability. It was the battle of Cannae in reverse. Carthage’s greatest general, Hannibal, experienced a crushing defeat. This marked the end of war. Livy wrote “ the battle was to decide whether Rome or Carthage was destined to give laws to the nations, for the prize of victory would be not Italy or Africa but the whole world…to decide this great issue, the two most famour generals and two mightiest armies of the two wealthiest nations in the world advanced to battle, doomed either to crown or o destroy the many triumps each had won in the past.” Hannibal was very significant in this battle even though he ended up in defeat, he determined the outcome of the battle and the aftermath. After the end of the war, Hannibal went into the Carthaginian government and was elected as chief magistrate. He restored the government’s power and authority and organized payments of the tributed imposed on Romans. Seven years after the battle of Zama, Rome feared Carthage’s new prosperity and demanded Hannibal’s surrender. Hannibal voluntarily went into exile, he fled from city to city, country to country, and served many occasions in war against Romans. In Prusia, when the government was about to surrender him to the Romans after Roman’s determination to capture him, Hannibal took poison from a ring which he long carried and suicided. Hannibal rather die than fall in the hands of Romans, this showed how strong his hatred for Romans is even since a very early stage of life. He was still quite significant even after the war. Romans insisted on capturing Hannibal long after the war was over showed their fear of him; fear that he might lead an army once again to invade Italy.

Hannibal left behind a legacy, not only to his own people, but also to his enemy. Ancient Roman historians referred to Hannibal as Roman’s greatest enemy ever. Even Cicero, when he talked of Rome and her two great enemies, spoke of the "honorable" Pyrrhus and the "cruel" Hannibal.The Romans referred to Hannibal as a cruel and merciless killer, for generations, Roman housekeeper would tell their children horrific tales of Hannibal when they misbehave, and later, turned into “Bogeyman”. He became the symbol of the horror, whenever a disaster strike, it would be exclaimed as “Hannibal ad portas” meaning “Hannibal is at the gate.” The Romans feared this general and even after his death, he was still remembered. A different picture is presented when Hannibal’s victory brought over the death of two Roman Consuls; he vainly searched the body, held ceremonial rituals and sent their ashes back to their family in Rome. By contrast, when Nero accomplished his march to and from the Metaurus, he flung the head of Hannibal’s brother’s head into Hannibal’s camp. Most of the sources found about Hannibal today are from the Romans, these sources may still be the product of propaganda of Roman government in fear of him.

Hannibal was defeated, but his military talent was never forgotten. He was remembered as “Father of Strategy” Napoleon Bonaparte regarded Hannibal as a gifted strategist, describing him as “the most audacious of all, probably the most stunning, so hardy, so sure, so great in all things.” His battles are still studies today due to the significant results. Norman Schwartzkopt commented that “The technology of war may change, the sophistication of weapons certainly changes. But those same principles of war that applied to the days of Hannibal apply today." Many Generals, even a Roman Legionary, believed they are the reincarnation of Hannibal himself. According to the military historian, Theodore Ayrault Dodge, “Hannibal excelled as a tactician. No battle in history is a finer sample of tactics than Cannae. But he was yet greater in logistics and strategy. No captain ever matched to and fro among so many armies of troops superior to his own numbers and material as fearlessly and skillfully as he. No man ever held his own so long or so ably against such odds. Constantly overmatched by better soldiers, led by generals always respectable, often of great ability, he yet defied all their efforts to drive him from Italy, for half a generation.” Hannibal benefited the military world and strategists by providing the world a series of great battles in which he achieved victory. Many military academies today still examine the battle of Cannae and applies its strategy in many modern day military operations.
In conclusion, Hannibal is a very significant person in history. Hannibal was important in every part of the battle and he literally guided the course of history. He led numerous battles and led the crucial role. Even after his defeat, the Romans still feared this general and marked him as significant by wanting to capture him. Hannibal left behind a legacy that is still visible until today; he is remembered not only in his homeland, but also in the hearts of the enemy; and today, he is marked down as a very significant figure in history and also one of the greatest military leader of all times.