) Child as he then was,
Hannibal
of the neighbouring tribes, who invoked the assist-
never forgot his vow, and his whole life was one ance of Hannibal.
never forgot his vow, and his whole life was one ance of Hannibal.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
80— of his ships, and with difficulty made his escape to
86. )
Sicily with the remainder. Here, however, he joined
3. Father of Hanno, who joined Hieron in the the rest of his fleet, and C. Duilius, having taken
siege of Messana (HANNO, No. 8. )
the command of that of the Romans, almost im-
4. A Carthaginian general, who happened to be mediately brought on a general action off Mylae.
stationed with a fleet at Lipara, when Hieron, after Hannibal, well knowing the inexperience and want
gaining a great victory over the Mamertines, was of skill of the Romans in naval warfare, and having
preparing to follow up his advantage, and besiege apparently a superior force, had anticipated an easy
Messana itself. The Carthaginians were at this victory, but the valour of the Romans, together
time hostile to the Mamertines, and, in name at with the strange contrivance of the corvi, or board.
least, friendly to Hieron ; but Hannibal was ing bridges, gained them the advantage ; the Care
alarmed at the prospect of the latter obtaining so thaginians were totally defeated, and not less than
important an accession of power ; he therefore has- fifty of their ships sunk, destroyed, or taken.
tened to the camp of Hieron, and induced him to Hannibal himself was obliged to abandon his own
grant terms to the Mamertines, while he bimself ship (a vessel of seven banks of oars, which had
succeeded in introducing a Carthaginian garrison formerly belonged to Pyrrhus), and make his escape
into the city of Messana (Diod. Exc. Hoeschel. in a small boat. He hastened to Carthage, where,
xxii. 15. p. 500. ) These events must have occurred it is said, he contrived by an ingenious stratagem to
in 270 B. C. (See Droysen, Hellenismus, vol. ii. escape the punishment so often inflicted by the
p. 268, not. ) It may probably have been this same Carthaginians on their unsuccessful generals. (Po-
Hannibal who is mentioned by Diodorus (Exc. lyb. i. 21-23; Zonar. viii. 10, 11 ; Oros. iv. 7 ;
Hoeschel. xxiil 5) as arriving at Xiphonias with a Diod. E. rc. Vatic. xxiii. 2 ; Dion Cass. Frag. l'at.
naval force to the support of Hieron, but too late to 62 ; Polyaen. vi. 16. § 5. ) He was, nevertheless,
prevent that prince from concluding peace with the deprived of his command, but was soon after (ap-
Romans, B. C. 263.
parently the very next year, 259) again sent out,
5. Son of Gisco (Zonar. viii. 10), and com- with a considerable fleet, to the defence of Sardinia
mander of the Carthaginian forces at Agrigentum, which had been attacked by the Romans under
when it was besieged by the Romans during the L. Scipio. Here he was again unfortunate, and,
first Punic war, B. C. 262. It seems not improbable having lost many of his ships, was seized by his
that this may be the same person with the pre own mutinous troops, and put to death. (Polyb.
ceding, but we bave no evidence by which to i. 24; Oros. iv. 8; Zonar. viii. 12. There is some
decide the fact, and the name of Hannibal appears discrepancy between these accounts, and it is not
to have been so common at Carthage, that it can clear whether he perished in the year of Scipio's
by no means be assumed. Hannibal had a con- operations in Sardinia, or in the following consul-
siderable army under his command, yet he did not ship of Sulpicius Paterculus, B. C. 258. )
venture to face the Romans in the field, and shut 6. A son of the preceding, was one of the Car-
himself up within the walls of Agrigentum. The thaginian officers at Lily baeum during the siege of
Roman consuls, L. Postumius Megellus and Q. that city by the Romans. He was employed by
Mamilius Vitulus, established their armies in two the general, Himilco, to treat with the disaffected
separate fortified camps, which they united by lines Gaulish mercenaries, and succeeded in inducing
of intrenchment, and thus proceeded to blockade them to remain faithful. (Polyb. i 43. )
the city. Hannibal was soon reduced to great dis- 7. Son of Hamilcar (perhaps the Hamilcar who
tress, for want of provisions, but held out, in hopes was opposed to Regulus (HAMILCAR, No. 7]), was
of being relieved by Hanno, who had advanced as chosen by the Carthaginians, as a distinguished
far as Heraclea to his support. (HANNO, No. 8. ) naval officer and a friend of their admiral, Adher-
But the operations of the latter were unsuccessful, bal, to command the squadron destined for the
and when he at length ventured on a decisive relief of Lily baeum in the 15th year of the first
effort, he was completely defeated. Hereupon Punic War, B. C. 250. That city was at the time
Hannibal, who had himself made an unsuccessful blockaded by the Romans both by sea and land;
attack upon the Roman camp, during their engage- but Hannibal, sailing from Carthage with fifty
ment with Hanno, determined to abandon the town, ships to the small islands of the Aegusae, lay there
and succeeded, under cover of the night, in forcing awaiting a favourable wind ; and no sooner did
his way through the enemy's lines, and making this arise, than he put out to sea, and spreading all
good his retreat with what troops remained to him sail
, stood straight into the harbour of Lily baeum,
in safety to Panormus. Agrigentum itself was im- before the Romans could collect their ships to op-
mediately afterwards stormed and plurdered by pose him. He thus landed a force of 10,000 men
## p. 333 (#349) ############################################
HANNIBAL.
333
HANNIBAL.
besides large supplies of provisions ; after which, | Hamilcar perished (B. c. 229); and though only
again eluding the Romans, he repaired with his eighteen years old at this time, he had already dis-
Aeet to join that of Adherbal at Drepanum. His played so much courage and capacity for war, that
name is not mentioned as taking part in the great he was entrusted by Hasdrubal (the son-in-law and
victory of that commander over P. Claudius in the successor of Hamilcar) with the chief command of
following year (249), though it is probable that most of the military enterprises planned by that
he was present, as immediately afterwards we find general. (Diod. Exc. Hoesch xxv. p. 511; Liv.
him detached, with a force of thirty ships, to Pa- xxi. 4; Appian, Hisp. 6. ) Of the details of these
normus, where he seized the Roman magazines of campaigns we know nothing ; but it is clear that
corn, and carried them off to Lily baeum. (Polyb. i. Hannibal thus early gave proof of that remarkable
44, 46; Diod. Exc. Hoeschel. xxiv. 1 ; Oros. iv. power over the minds of men, which he afterwards
10. )
displayed in so eminent a degree, and secured to
8. Surnamed the Rhodian, distinguished him- himself the devoted attachment of the army under
self during the siege of Lilybaeum by the skill and his command. The consequence was, that on the
daring with which he contrived to run in and out assassination of Hasdrubal (B. C. 221), the soldiers
of the harbour of that place with his single ship, unanimously proclaimed their youthful leader com-
and thus keep up the communication of the be mander-in-chief, and the government at Carthage
sieged with Carthage, in spite of the vigilance of hastened to ratify an appointment which they had
the Roman blockading squadron. At length, how- not, in fact, the power to prevent. (Polyb. iii. 13;
ever, he fell into the hands of the enemy, who Appian, Hisp. 8; Zonar. viii. 21. ).
subsequently made use of his galley, of the swift- Hannibal was at this time in the twenty-sixth
ness of which they had had so much experience, as year of his age. There can be no doubt that he
a model after which to construct their own. (Polyb. already looked forward to the invasion and con-
i. 46, 47; Zonar. viii. 15, who erroneously calls quest of Italy as the goal of his ambition ; but it
him Hanno. )
was necessary for him first to complete the work
9. A general in the war of the Carthaginians which had been so ably begun by his two prede-
against their revolted mercenaries, B. C. 240-238, cessors, and to establish the Carthaginian power as
who was appointed to succeed Hanno, when the dis firmly as possible in Spain, before he made that
sensions between that general and Hamilcar Barca country the base of his subsequent operations.
bad terminated in the deposition of the former. This was the work of two campaigns. Immediately
(HANNO, No. 12. ] It is probable that the new com- after he had received the command, he turned his
mander, if not distinctly placed in subordination arms against the Olcades, a nation of the interior,
to Hamilcar, was content to follow his directions, who were speedily compelled to submit by the fall
and we hear nothing of him separately until the of their capital city, Althaea. Hannibal levied
two generals besieged Tunis with their combined large sums of money from them and the neigh-
forces. On this occasion Hamilcar encamped with bouring tribes, after which he returned into winter
a part of the army on one side of the city, Hannibal quarters at New Carthage. The next year (220),
on the other ; but the latter was 80 wanting in he penetrated farther into the country, in order to
vigilance, that Matho, the commander of the be assail the powerful tribe of the Vaccaeans, and re-
sieged forces, by a sudden sally, broke into his duced their two strong and populous cities of Hel-
camp, made a great slaughter among his troops, mantica and Arbocala. On his return from this
and carried off Hannibal himself prisoner. The expedition, he was involved in great danger by a
next morning the unfortunate general was nailed to sudden attack from the Carpetaniane together
the same cross on which Spendius, the chief leader with the remaining forces of the Olcades and Vac-
of the insurgents, had been previously crucified by creans, but by a dexterous manoeuvre he placed
Hamilcar. (Polyb. i. 82, 86 ; Diod. Exc. Vat. the river Tagus between himself and the enemy,
xxv. 1. )
and the barbarian army was cut to pieces in the
10. Son of Hamilcar Barca, and one of the most attempt to force their passage. After these successes
illustrious generals of antiquity. The year of his he again returned to spend the winter at New
birth is not mentioned by any ancient writer, but Carthage. (Polyb. iii. 13-15; Liv. xxi. 5. )
from the statements concerning his age at the battle Early in the ensuing spring (B. C. 219) Hannibal
of Zama, it appears that he must have been born proceeded to lay siege to Saguntum, a city of
in B. c. 247, the very year in which his father Greek origin, which, though situated to the south
Hamilcar was first appointed to the command in of the Iberus, and therefore not included under the
Sicily. (Clinton, F. Ħ. vol. iii. pp. 20, 52; but protection of the treaty between Hasdrubal and
compare Niebuhr, Lect. on Rom, Fist. vol. i. p. the Romans (HASDRUBAL, No. 5), had con-
158. ) He was only nine years old when his cluded an alliance with the latter people. There
father took him with him into Spain, and it was on could be little doubt, therefore, that an attack upon
this occasion that Hamilcar made him swear upon Saguntum would inevitably bring on a war with
the altar eternal hostility to Rome. The story was Rome ; but for this Hannibal was prepared, or
told by Hannibal himself many years afterwards to rather it was unquestionably his real object. The
Antiochus, and is one of the best attested in ancient immediate pretext of his invasion was the same of
history. (Polyb. iii. 11; Liv. xxi. 1, xxxv. 19; which the Romans so often availed themselves,
Com. Nep. Hann. 2; Appian, Hisp. 9 ; Val. Max. some injuries inflicted by the Saguntines upon one
ix. 3, ext. § 3.
) Child as he then was, Hannibal of the neighbouring tribes, who invoked the assist-
never forgot his vow, and his whole life was one ance of Hannibal. But the resistance of the city
continual struggle against the power and domina- was long and desperate, and it was not till after a
tion of Rome. He was early trained in arms siege of near eight months, in the course of which
under the eye of his father, and probably accom- Hannibal himself had been severely wounded, that
panied him on most of his campaigns in Spain. We he made himself master of the place. (Polyb. iii.
find him present with him in the battle in which I 17; Liv. xxi. 6-15; Appian, llisp. 10–12 ;
## p. 334 (#350) ############################################
334
HANNIBAL
HANNIBAL. .
test.
Zonár. viii. 21. ) During all this period the Ro | ously gained over by his emissaries. • The Roman
mans sent no assiblance to their allies: they had, consul, P. Scipio, had already arrived in the neigh-
indced, as soon as they heard of the siege, dis bourhood of Massilia, when he heard that Hannibal
patched ambassadors to Hannibal, but he referred had reached the Rhone, but was too late to dispute
them for an answer to the government at home, the passage of that river: the barbarians on the
and they could obtain no satisfaction from the left bank in vain endeavoured to prevent the Car-
Carthaginians, in whose councils the war party had | thaginian army from crossing; and Hannibal, hav-
now a decided predominance. A second embassy ing effected his passage with but little loss, continued
wns sent after the fall of Saguntum to demand the his march up the left bank of the Rhone as far as
surrender of Hannibal in atonement for the breach its confluence with the Isère. Here he interposed
of the treaty ; but this was met by an open decla- in a dispute between two rival chiefs of the Allo-
ration of war, and thus began the long and ar brnges, and by lending his aid to establish one of
duous struggle called the Second Punic War. Of them firmly on the throne, secured the co-opemtion
this it has been justly remarked, that it was not 80 of an efficient ally, who greatly facilitated his
much a contest between the powers of two great farther progress. But at the very commencement
nations, - between Carthage and Rome, -as be of the actual passage of the Alps he was met by
tween the individual genius of Hannibal on the one hostile barbarians, who at first threatened altogether
hand, and the combined energies of the Roman to prevent his ndvance ; and it was not without
penple on the other. The position of Hannibal heavy loss that he was able to surmount this diffi-
was indeed very peculiar: his command in Spain, cult pass. For some time after this his advance
and the powerful army there, which was entirely was comparatively unimpeded ; but a sudden and
at his own disposal, rendered him in great measure treacherous attack from the Gaulish mountaineers
independent of the government at Carthage, and at the moment when his troops were struggling
the latter seemed disposed to take advantage of through a narrow and dangerous defile, went near
this circunıstance to devolve all responsibility upon to annihilate his whole army. Surmounting all
him. When he sent to Carthage for instructions these dangers, he at length reached the summit of
as to how he should act in regard to Saguntum, the pass, and thenceforth suffered but little from
he could obtain no other reply than that he should hostile attacks; but the natural difficulties of the
do as he thought best (Appian, Hisp. 10); and road, enhanced by the lateness of the season (the
though the government afterwards avowed and sup beginning of October, at which time the snows
ported his proceedings in that instance, they did have already commenced in the high Alps), caused
little themselves to prepare for the impending con him almost as much detention and difficulty as the
All was left to Hannibal, who, after the opposition of the barbarians on the other side of
conquest of Saguntum, had returned once more to the mountains. So heavy were his losses from
New Carthage for the winter, and was there ac- these combined causes, that when he at length
tively engaged in preparations for transporting the emerged from the valley of Aosta into the plains of
scene of war in the ensuing campaign from Spain the Po, and encamped in the friendly country of
into Italy. At the same time, he did not neglect to the Insubrians, he had with him no more than
provide for the defence of Spain and Africa during 20,000 foot and 6000 horse. Such were the forces,
his absence : in the former country he placed his as Polybius remarks (ii. 21), with which he de-
brother Hasdrubal with a considerable army, great scended into Italy, to attempt the overthrow of a
part of which was composed of Africans, while he power that a few years before was able to muster
sent over a large body of Spanish troops to con- a disposable force of above 700,000 fighting men.
tribute to the defence of Africa and even of Car- (Polyb. iii. 35, 40—56 ; Liv. xxi. 21—37. )
thage itself. (Polyb. iii. 33. ) During the winter The march of Hannibal across the Alps is one of
he allowed many of the Spaniards in his own the most remarkable events in ancient history, and,
army to return to their homes, that they might re- as such, was early disfigured by exaggerations and
join their standards with fresh spirits for the ap- misconceptions. The above narrative is taken
proaching campaign : he himself is said to have wholly from that of Polybius, which is certainly by
repaired to Gades, and there to have offered up in far the most trustworthy that has descended to us;
the temple of Melkarth, the tutelary deity of Tyre but that author has nowhere clearly stated by
and of Carthage, a solemn sacrifice for the success which of the passes across the Alps Hannibal
of his expedition. (Liv. xxi. 21. )
cffected his march; and this qnestion has given
All his preparations being now completed, Han- rise to much controversy both in ancient and mo-
nibal quitted his winter-quarters at New Carthage dern times. Into this discussion our limits will not
in the spring of 218, and crossed the Iberus with allow us to enter, but the following may be briefly
an army of 90,000 foot and 12,000 horse. (Polyb. stated as the general results :- 1. That after a
iii. 35). The tribes between that river and the careful examination of the text of Polybius, and
Pyrenees offered at first a vigorous resistance; and comparison of the different localities, his narrative
though they were quickly subdued, Hannibal will be found on the whole to agree best with the
thought it necessary to leave behind him a force of supposition that Hannibal crossed the Graian Alps,
11,000 men, under Hanno, to maintain this newly or Little St. Bernard, though it cannot be denied
acquired province. His forces were farther thinned that there are some difficulties attending this line,
during the passage of the Pyrenees by desertion, especially in regard to the descent into Italy. 2.
which obliged him to send home a large body of his That Caelius Antipater certainly represented him
Spanish troops. With a greatly diminished army, as taking this route (Liv. xxi. 38); and as he is
but one on which he could securely rely, he now con- known to have followed the Greek history of
tinued his march from the foot of the Pyrenees to Silenus, who is said to have accompanied Hannibal
the Rhone without meeting with any opposition, in many of his campaigns, his authority is of the
the Gaulish tribes through which he passed being greatest weight. 3. That Livy and Strabo, on
favourably disposed to him, or having been previ- che contrary, both suppose him to have crossed the
a
## p. 335 (#351) ############################################
HANNIBAL.
333
&
HANNIBAL.
Cottian Alps, or Mont Genèvre. (Liv. I. c. ; Strab. Gaul, took the command of the praetor's army,
iv. p. 209. ) But the main argument that appears which he found there, and led it against Hannibal.
to have weighed with Livy, as it has done with in the first action, which took place in the plains
several modern writers on the subject, is the as-westward of the Ticinus, the cavalry and light-
sumption that Hannibal descended in the first armed troops of the two armies were alone engaged;
instance into the country of the Taurinians, which and the superiority of Hannibal's Numidian horse
is opposed to the direct testimony of Polybius, at once decided the combat in his favour. The
who says expressly that he descended among the Romans were completely routed, and Scipio him-
Insubrians (xat pe tohumpôs els td tepl Tov self severely wounded; in consequence of which he
Πάδον πεδία, και το των Ισόμβρων έθνος, iii. 56. ), hastened to retreat beyond the Ticinus and the Po,
and subscquently mentions his attack on the Tauri- under the walls of Placentia. Hannibal crossed
nians. 4. That as according to Livy himself (xxi. the Po higher up; and advancing to Placentin,
29) the Gaulish emissaries who acted as Hannibal's offered battle to Scipio; but the latter declined the
guides were Boians, it was natural that these should combat, and withdrew to the hills on the left bank
conduct him by the passage that led directly into of the Trebia. Here he was soon after joined by
the territory of their allies and brothers-in-arms, the other consul, Ti. Sempronius Longus, who had
the Insubrians, rather than into that of the Tauri- hastened from Ariminum to his support: their
nians, a Ligurian tribe, who were at this very time combined armies were greatly superior to that of
in a state of hostility with the Insubrians. (Polyb. the Carthaginians, and Sempronius was eager to
iii
. 60. ) And this remark will serve to explain bring on a general battle, of which Hannibal, on
why Hannibal chose apparently a longer route his side, was not less desirous, notwithstanding
instead of the more direct one of the Mont Genèvre. the great inferiority of his force. The result was
Lastly, it is remarkable that Polybius, though he decisive: the Romans were completely defeated,
censures the exaggerations and absurdities with with heavy loss; and the remains of their shattered
which earlier writers had encumbered their narra- army, together with the two consuls, took refuge
tive (iii. 47, 48), does not intimate that any doubt within the walls of Placentia. (Polyb. iii. 60—74;
was entertained as to the line of his march ; and Liv. xxi. 39--48, 52–56; Appian, Annib, 5—7;
Pompey, in a letter to the senate, written in 73 Zonar. viii. 23, 24. )
B. c. (ap. Sallust. Hist. Frag. lib. iii. ), alludes to the The battle of the Trebia was fought late in the
route of Hannibal across the Alps as something year, and the winter had already begun with un-
well known : hence it appears clear that the pas usual severity, so that Hannibal's troops suffered
sage by which he crossed them must have been one severely from cold, and all his elephants perished,
of those frequented in subsequent times by the except one. But his victory had caused all the
Romans; and this argument seems decisive against wavering tribes of the Gauls to declare in his
the claims of the Mont Cenis, which have been ad-favour; and he was now able to take up his winter-
vocated by some modern writers, that pass having quarters in security, and to levy fresh troops among
apparently never been used until the middle ages. the Gauls, while he awaited the approach of spring.
For a fuller examination of this much controverted According to Livy (xxi. 58), he made an unsuc-
subject, the reader may consult De Luc, Histoire du cessful attempt to cross the Apennines before the
Passage des Alpes par Annibal, 8vo. Genève, 2d winter was well over, but was driven back by the
edit. 1825; Wickham and Cramer, Dissertation violence of the storms that he encountered. But
on the Passage of Hannibal over the Alps, Lond, as soon as the season permitted the renewal of
1828, 2d edit. ; Ukert, Hannibal's Zug. über die military operations (B. C. 217), he entered the
Alpen, appended to the 4th vol. of his Geographie country of the Ligurian tribes, who had lately de-
d. Griech. z. Römer: in which works the earlier clared in his favour, and descended by the valley
dissertations and scattered remarks of other writers of the Macra into the marshes on the banks of the
are discussed or referred to. Of the latest histo- Amo. He had apparently chosen this route in
rians it may be noticed that Niebuhr (Lect. on order to avoid the Roman armies, which, under the
Rom. Hist, vol. i. p. 170) and Arnold (Hist. of two consuls, Flaminius and Servilius, guarded the
Rome, vol. iii. p. 83–92, note m), as well as Böt- more obvious passes of the Apennines; but the
ticher (Gesch. d. Carthager, p. 261), have decided hardships and difficulties which he encountered in
in favour of the Little St. Bernard ; while Michelet struggling through the marshes were immense,
(Hist. Romaine, vol. ii. p. 10) and Thierry (Hist. great numbers of his horses and beasts of burthen
des Gaulois, vol. i. p. 276), in common with almost perished, and he himself lost the sight of one eye
all French writers, adopt the Mont Genèvre or by a violent attack of ophthalmia. At length,
Mont Cenis.
however, he reached Faesulae in safety, and was
Five months had been employed in the march able to allow his troops a short interval of repose.
from New Carthage to the plains of Italy, of which Flaminius, with his army, was at this time at
the actual passage of the Alps had occupied fifteen Arretium; and Hannibal (whose object was always
days. (Polyb. iii. 56. ) Hannibal's first care was to bring the Roman commanders to a battle, in
now to recruit the strength of his troops, exhausted which the superior discipline of his veteran troops,
by the hardships and fatigues they had undergone : and the excellence of his numerous cavalry, rendered
after a short interval of repose, he turned his arms him secure of victory), when he moved from
against the Taurinians (a tribe bordering on, and Faesulae, passed by the Roman general, and ad-
hostile to, the Insubrians), whom he quickly re- vanced towards Perugia, laying waste the fertile
duced, and took their principal city. The news of country on his line of march. Flaminius imme-
the approach of P. Scipio next obliged him to turn diately broke up his camp, and following the traces
his attention towards a more formidable enemy. of Hannibal, fell into the snare which was prepared
Scipio had sent on his own army from Massilia for him. His army was attacked under the most
into Spain, while he himself, returning to Etruria, disadvantageous circumstances, where it was
crossed the Apennines from thence into Cisalpine hemmed in between rocky heights previously occu-
## p. 336 (#352) ############################################
335
HANNIBAL.
HANNIBAL
pied by the enemy and the lake of Thrasymenus ; | the Roman magazines at Cannae, a small town of
and its destruction was almost complete, thousands Apulia, and established his head-quarters there
fell by the sword, among whom was the consul until the harvest could be got in. Meanwhile, the
himself; thousands more perished in the lake, and two Roman consuls, L. Aemilius Paullus and C.
no less than 15,000 prisoners fell into the hands | Terentius Varro, arrived at the head of an army of
of Hannibal, who on his side is said to have lost little less than 90,000 men. To this mighty host
only 1500 men. A body of 4000 horse, who had Hannibal gave battle in the plains on the right
been sent to the support of Flaminius, under C. bank of the Aufidus, just below the town of Can-
Centenius, were also intercepted, and the whole of nae. We have no statement of the numbers
them cut to pieces or made prisoners. (Polyb. iii. of his army, but it is certain that it must bare
77—86 ; Liv. xxii, 1–8 ; Appian, Annib. 9, 10; been greatly inferior to that of the enemy; not-
Zonar. viii. 25. ) Hannibal's treatment of the cap- withstanding which, the excellence of his cavalry,
tives on this occasion, as well as after the battle of and the disciplined valour of his African and
the Trebia, was marked by the same policy on which Spanish infantry, gave him the most decisive vic-
he afterwards uniformly acted: the Roman citizens tory. The immense army of the Romans was
alone were retained ns prisoners, while their Italian noi only defeated, but annihilated ; and between
allies were dismissed without ransom to their re- forty and fifty thousand men are said to have fallen
spective homes. By this means he hoped to ex- in the field, among whom was the consul Aemilius
cite the nations of Italy against their Roman Paullus, both the consuls of the preceding year, the
masters, and to place himself in the position of the late master of the horse, Minucius, above eighty
leader of a national movement rather than that of senators, and a multitude of the wealthy knights
a foreign invader. It was probably in order to give who composed the Roman cavalry. The other consul,
time for this feeling to display itself, that he did Varro, escaped with a few horsemen to Venusia,
not, after so decisive a victory, push on towards and a small band of resolute men forced their way
Rome itself; but after an unsuccessful attempt from the Roman camp to Canusium ; all the rest
upon the Roman colony of Spoletium, he turned were killed, dispersed, or taken prisoners. (Polyb.
aside through the Apennines into Picenum, and ii. 107-117; Liv. xxii. 36, 38—50 ; Plut. Fab.
thence into the northern part of Apulia. Here he 14–16; Appian, Annib. 17-25; Zonar. ix. 1. )
spent a great part of the summer, and was able Hannibal has been generally blamed for not fol-
effectually to restore his troops, which had suffered lowing up his advantage at once, after so decisive
much from the hardships of their previous marches. a victory, by an immediate advance upon Rome
But no symptoms appeared of the insurrections he itself,- - a measure which was strongly urged upon
had looked for among the Italians. The Romans him by Maharbal (MAHARBAL); and we are told
had collected a fresh army; and Fabius, who had that he himself afterwards bitterly repented of his
been appointed to the command of in with the error. Whatever may be the motives that de-
title of dictator, while he prudently avoided a terred him from such a step, we cannot but be sur-
general action, was able frequently to harass and prised at his apparent inactivity after the battle.
annoy the Carthaginian army. Hannibal now, He probably expected that so brilliant a success
therefore, recrossed the Apennines, descended into would immediately produce a general rising among
the rich plains of Campania, and laid waste, with the nations of Italy, and remained for a time
out opposition, that fertile territory. But he was quietly in Apuliah until they should have had
unable either to make himself master of any of the time to declare themselves. Nor were his hopes
towns, or to draw the wary Fabius to a battle. disappointed: the Hirpinians, all the Samnites
The Roman general contented himself with occupy- (except the Pentrian tribe), and almost all the
ing the mountain passes leading from Samnium Apulians, Lucanians, and Bruttians declared in
into Campania, by which Hannibal must of neces- favour of Carthage. But though the whole of the
sity retreat, and believed that he had caught him south of Italy was thus apparently lost to the Ro
as it were in a trap; but Hannibal eluded his vigi- mans, yet the effect of this insurrection was not so
iance by an ingenious stratagem, passed the defiles decisive as it would at first appear ; for the Latin
of the Apennines without loss, and established him- colonies, which still without exception remained
self in the plains of Apulia, where he collected sup-faithful, gave the Romans a powerful hold upon the
plies from all sides, in order to prepare for the revolted provinces ; and the Greek cities on the
winter. During this operation the impatience of coast, though mostly disposed to join the Cartha-
the Romans and the rashness of Minucius (who ginians, were restrained by the presence of Roman
had been raised by the voice of popular clamour to garrisons. Hence it became necessary to support
an equality in the command with Fabius) were the insurrection in the different parts of Italy with
very near giving Hannibal the opportunity for a Carthaginian force ; and Hannibal, while he
which he was ever on the watch, to crush the himself moved forward into Samnium, detached his
Roman army by a decisive blow ; but Fabius was brother Mago into Bruttium, and Hanno, one of
able to save his colleague from destruction; and his ablest officers, into Lucania After securing the
Hannibal, after obtaining only a partial advantage,
took up his winter-quarters at the small town of • The battle of Cannae was fought, according
Geronium. (Polyb.
86. )
Sicily with the remainder. Here, however, he joined
3. Father of Hanno, who joined Hieron in the the rest of his fleet, and C. Duilius, having taken
siege of Messana (HANNO, No. 8. )
the command of that of the Romans, almost im-
4. A Carthaginian general, who happened to be mediately brought on a general action off Mylae.
stationed with a fleet at Lipara, when Hieron, after Hannibal, well knowing the inexperience and want
gaining a great victory over the Mamertines, was of skill of the Romans in naval warfare, and having
preparing to follow up his advantage, and besiege apparently a superior force, had anticipated an easy
Messana itself. The Carthaginians were at this victory, but the valour of the Romans, together
time hostile to the Mamertines, and, in name at with the strange contrivance of the corvi, or board.
least, friendly to Hieron ; but Hannibal was ing bridges, gained them the advantage ; the Care
alarmed at the prospect of the latter obtaining so thaginians were totally defeated, and not less than
important an accession of power ; he therefore has- fifty of their ships sunk, destroyed, or taken.
tened to the camp of Hieron, and induced him to Hannibal himself was obliged to abandon his own
grant terms to the Mamertines, while he bimself ship (a vessel of seven banks of oars, which had
succeeded in introducing a Carthaginian garrison formerly belonged to Pyrrhus), and make his escape
into the city of Messana (Diod. Exc. Hoeschel. in a small boat. He hastened to Carthage, where,
xxii. 15. p. 500. ) These events must have occurred it is said, he contrived by an ingenious stratagem to
in 270 B. C. (See Droysen, Hellenismus, vol. ii. escape the punishment so often inflicted by the
p. 268, not. ) It may probably have been this same Carthaginians on their unsuccessful generals. (Po-
Hannibal who is mentioned by Diodorus (Exc. lyb. i. 21-23; Zonar. viii. 10, 11 ; Oros. iv. 7 ;
Hoeschel. xxiil 5) as arriving at Xiphonias with a Diod. E. rc. Vatic. xxiii. 2 ; Dion Cass. Frag. l'at.
naval force to the support of Hieron, but too late to 62 ; Polyaen. vi. 16. § 5. ) He was, nevertheless,
prevent that prince from concluding peace with the deprived of his command, but was soon after (ap-
Romans, B. C. 263.
parently the very next year, 259) again sent out,
5. Son of Gisco (Zonar. viii. 10), and com- with a considerable fleet, to the defence of Sardinia
mander of the Carthaginian forces at Agrigentum, which had been attacked by the Romans under
when it was besieged by the Romans during the L. Scipio. Here he was again unfortunate, and,
first Punic war, B. C. 262. It seems not improbable having lost many of his ships, was seized by his
that this may be the same person with the pre own mutinous troops, and put to death. (Polyb.
ceding, but we bave no evidence by which to i. 24; Oros. iv. 8; Zonar. viii. 12. There is some
decide the fact, and the name of Hannibal appears discrepancy between these accounts, and it is not
to have been so common at Carthage, that it can clear whether he perished in the year of Scipio's
by no means be assumed. Hannibal had a con- operations in Sardinia, or in the following consul-
siderable army under his command, yet he did not ship of Sulpicius Paterculus, B. C. 258. )
venture to face the Romans in the field, and shut 6. A son of the preceding, was one of the Car-
himself up within the walls of Agrigentum. The thaginian officers at Lily baeum during the siege of
Roman consuls, L. Postumius Megellus and Q. that city by the Romans. He was employed by
Mamilius Vitulus, established their armies in two the general, Himilco, to treat with the disaffected
separate fortified camps, which they united by lines Gaulish mercenaries, and succeeded in inducing
of intrenchment, and thus proceeded to blockade them to remain faithful. (Polyb. i 43. )
the city. Hannibal was soon reduced to great dis- 7. Son of Hamilcar (perhaps the Hamilcar who
tress, for want of provisions, but held out, in hopes was opposed to Regulus (HAMILCAR, No. 7]), was
of being relieved by Hanno, who had advanced as chosen by the Carthaginians, as a distinguished
far as Heraclea to his support. (HANNO, No. 8. ) naval officer and a friend of their admiral, Adher-
But the operations of the latter were unsuccessful, bal, to command the squadron destined for the
and when he at length ventured on a decisive relief of Lily baeum in the 15th year of the first
effort, he was completely defeated. Hereupon Punic War, B. C. 250. That city was at the time
Hannibal, who had himself made an unsuccessful blockaded by the Romans both by sea and land;
attack upon the Roman camp, during their engage- but Hannibal, sailing from Carthage with fifty
ment with Hanno, determined to abandon the town, ships to the small islands of the Aegusae, lay there
and succeeded, under cover of the night, in forcing awaiting a favourable wind ; and no sooner did
his way through the enemy's lines, and making this arise, than he put out to sea, and spreading all
good his retreat with what troops remained to him sail
, stood straight into the harbour of Lily baeum,
in safety to Panormus. Agrigentum itself was im- before the Romans could collect their ships to op-
mediately afterwards stormed and plurdered by pose him. He thus landed a force of 10,000 men
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HANNIBAL.
333
HANNIBAL.
besides large supplies of provisions ; after which, | Hamilcar perished (B. c. 229); and though only
again eluding the Romans, he repaired with his eighteen years old at this time, he had already dis-
Aeet to join that of Adherbal at Drepanum. His played so much courage and capacity for war, that
name is not mentioned as taking part in the great he was entrusted by Hasdrubal (the son-in-law and
victory of that commander over P. Claudius in the successor of Hamilcar) with the chief command of
following year (249), though it is probable that most of the military enterprises planned by that
he was present, as immediately afterwards we find general. (Diod. Exc. Hoesch xxv. p. 511; Liv.
him detached, with a force of thirty ships, to Pa- xxi. 4; Appian, Hisp. 6. ) Of the details of these
normus, where he seized the Roman magazines of campaigns we know nothing ; but it is clear that
corn, and carried them off to Lily baeum. (Polyb. i. Hannibal thus early gave proof of that remarkable
44, 46; Diod. Exc. Hoeschel. xxiv. 1 ; Oros. iv. power over the minds of men, which he afterwards
10. )
displayed in so eminent a degree, and secured to
8. Surnamed the Rhodian, distinguished him- himself the devoted attachment of the army under
self during the siege of Lilybaeum by the skill and his command. The consequence was, that on the
daring with which he contrived to run in and out assassination of Hasdrubal (B. C. 221), the soldiers
of the harbour of that place with his single ship, unanimously proclaimed their youthful leader com-
and thus keep up the communication of the be mander-in-chief, and the government at Carthage
sieged with Carthage, in spite of the vigilance of hastened to ratify an appointment which they had
the Roman blockading squadron. At length, how- not, in fact, the power to prevent. (Polyb. iii. 13;
ever, he fell into the hands of the enemy, who Appian, Hisp. 8; Zonar. viii. 21. ).
subsequently made use of his galley, of the swift- Hannibal was at this time in the twenty-sixth
ness of which they had had so much experience, as year of his age. There can be no doubt that he
a model after which to construct their own. (Polyb. already looked forward to the invasion and con-
i. 46, 47; Zonar. viii. 15, who erroneously calls quest of Italy as the goal of his ambition ; but it
him Hanno. )
was necessary for him first to complete the work
9. A general in the war of the Carthaginians which had been so ably begun by his two prede-
against their revolted mercenaries, B. C. 240-238, cessors, and to establish the Carthaginian power as
who was appointed to succeed Hanno, when the dis firmly as possible in Spain, before he made that
sensions between that general and Hamilcar Barca country the base of his subsequent operations.
bad terminated in the deposition of the former. This was the work of two campaigns. Immediately
(HANNO, No. 12. ] It is probable that the new com- after he had received the command, he turned his
mander, if not distinctly placed in subordination arms against the Olcades, a nation of the interior,
to Hamilcar, was content to follow his directions, who were speedily compelled to submit by the fall
and we hear nothing of him separately until the of their capital city, Althaea. Hannibal levied
two generals besieged Tunis with their combined large sums of money from them and the neigh-
forces. On this occasion Hamilcar encamped with bouring tribes, after which he returned into winter
a part of the army on one side of the city, Hannibal quarters at New Carthage. The next year (220),
on the other ; but the latter was 80 wanting in he penetrated farther into the country, in order to
vigilance, that Matho, the commander of the be assail the powerful tribe of the Vaccaeans, and re-
sieged forces, by a sudden sally, broke into his duced their two strong and populous cities of Hel-
camp, made a great slaughter among his troops, mantica and Arbocala. On his return from this
and carried off Hannibal himself prisoner. The expedition, he was involved in great danger by a
next morning the unfortunate general was nailed to sudden attack from the Carpetaniane together
the same cross on which Spendius, the chief leader with the remaining forces of the Olcades and Vac-
of the insurgents, had been previously crucified by creans, but by a dexterous manoeuvre he placed
Hamilcar. (Polyb. i. 82, 86 ; Diod. Exc. Vat. the river Tagus between himself and the enemy,
xxv. 1. )
and the barbarian army was cut to pieces in the
10. Son of Hamilcar Barca, and one of the most attempt to force their passage. After these successes
illustrious generals of antiquity. The year of his he again returned to spend the winter at New
birth is not mentioned by any ancient writer, but Carthage. (Polyb. iii. 13-15; Liv. xxi. 5. )
from the statements concerning his age at the battle Early in the ensuing spring (B. C. 219) Hannibal
of Zama, it appears that he must have been born proceeded to lay siege to Saguntum, a city of
in B. c. 247, the very year in which his father Greek origin, which, though situated to the south
Hamilcar was first appointed to the command in of the Iberus, and therefore not included under the
Sicily. (Clinton, F. Ħ. vol. iii. pp. 20, 52; but protection of the treaty between Hasdrubal and
compare Niebuhr, Lect. on Rom, Fist. vol. i. p. the Romans (HASDRUBAL, No. 5), had con-
158. ) He was only nine years old when his cluded an alliance with the latter people. There
father took him with him into Spain, and it was on could be little doubt, therefore, that an attack upon
this occasion that Hamilcar made him swear upon Saguntum would inevitably bring on a war with
the altar eternal hostility to Rome. The story was Rome ; but for this Hannibal was prepared, or
told by Hannibal himself many years afterwards to rather it was unquestionably his real object. The
Antiochus, and is one of the best attested in ancient immediate pretext of his invasion was the same of
history. (Polyb. iii. 11; Liv. xxi. 1, xxxv. 19; which the Romans so often availed themselves,
Com. Nep. Hann. 2; Appian, Hisp. 9 ; Val. Max. some injuries inflicted by the Saguntines upon one
ix. 3, ext. § 3.
) Child as he then was, Hannibal of the neighbouring tribes, who invoked the assist-
never forgot his vow, and his whole life was one ance of Hannibal. But the resistance of the city
continual struggle against the power and domina- was long and desperate, and it was not till after a
tion of Rome. He was early trained in arms siege of near eight months, in the course of which
under the eye of his father, and probably accom- Hannibal himself had been severely wounded, that
panied him on most of his campaigns in Spain. We he made himself master of the place. (Polyb. iii.
find him present with him in the battle in which I 17; Liv. xxi. 6-15; Appian, llisp. 10–12 ;
## p. 334 (#350) ############################################
334
HANNIBAL
HANNIBAL. .
test.
Zonár. viii. 21. ) During all this period the Ro | ously gained over by his emissaries. • The Roman
mans sent no assiblance to their allies: they had, consul, P. Scipio, had already arrived in the neigh-
indced, as soon as they heard of the siege, dis bourhood of Massilia, when he heard that Hannibal
patched ambassadors to Hannibal, but he referred had reached the Rhone, but was too late to dispute
them for an answer to the government at home, the passage of that river: the barbarians on the
and they could obtain no satisfaction from the left bank in vain endeavoured to prevent the Car-
Carthaginians, in whose councils the war party had | thaginian army from crossing; and Hannibal, hav-
now a decided predominance. A second embassy ing effected his passage with but little loss, continued
wns sent after the fall of Saguntum to demand the his march up the left bank of the Rhone as far as
surrender of Hannibal in atonement for the breach its confluence with the Isère. Here he interposed
of the treaty ; but this was met by an open decla- in a dispute between two rival chiefs of the Allo-
ration of war, and thus began the long and ar brnges, and by lending his aid to establish one of
duous struggle called the Second Punic War. Of them firmly on the throne, secured the co-opemtion
this it has been justly remarked, that it was not 80 of an efficient ally, who greatly facilitated his
much a contest between the powers of two great farther progress. But at the very commencement
nations, - between Carthage and Rome, -as be of the actual passage of the Alps he was met by
tween the individual genius of Hannibal on the one hostile barbarians, who at first threatened altogether
hand, and the combined energies of the Roman to prevent his ndvance ; and it was not without
penple on the other. The position of Hannibal heavy loss that he was able to surmount this diffi-
was indeed very peculiar: his command in Spain, cult pass. For some time after this his advance
and the powerful army there, which was entirely was comparatively unimpeded ; but a sudden and
at his own disposal, rendered him in great measure treacherous attack from the Gaulish mountaineers
independent of the government at Carthage, and at the moment when his troops were struggling
the latter seemed disposed to take advantage of through a narrow and dangerous defile, went near
this circunıstance to devolve all responsibility upon to annihilate his whole army. Surmounting all
him. When he sent to Carthage for instructions these dangers, he at length reached the summit of
as to how he should act in regard to Saguntum, the pass, and thenceforth suffered but little from
he could obtain no other reply than that he should hostile attacks; but the natural difficulties of the
do as he thought best (Appian, Hisp. 10); and road, enhanced by the lateness of the season (the
though the government afterwards avowed and sup beginning of October, at which time the snows
ported his proceedings in that instance, they did have already commenced in the high Alps), caused
little themselves to prepare for the impending con him almost as much detention and difficulty as the
All was left to Hannibal, who, after the opposition of the barbarians on the other side of
conquest of Saguntum, had returned once more to the mountains. So heavy were his losses from
New Carthage for the winter, and was there ac- these combined causes, that when he at length
tively engaged in preparations for transporting the emerged from the valley of Aosta into the plains of
scene of war in the ensuing campaign from Spain the Po, and encamped in the friendly country of
into Italy. At the same time, he did not neglect to the Insubrians, he had with him no more than
provide for the defence of Spain and Africa during 20,000 foot and 6000 horse. Such were the forces,
his absence : in the former country he placed his as Polybius remarks (ii. 21), with which he de-
brother Hasdrubal with a considerable army, great scended into Italy, to attempt the overthrow of a
part of which was composed of Africans, while he power that a few years before was able to muster
sent over a large body of Spanish troops to con- a disposable force of above 700,000 fighting men.
tribute to the defence of Africa and even of Car- (Polyb. iii. 35, 40—56 ; Liv. xxi. 21—37. )
thage itself. (Polyb. iii. 33. ) During the winter The march of Hannibal across the Alps is one of
he allowed many of the Spaniards in his own the most remarkable events in ancient history, and,
army to return to their homes, that they might re- as such, was early disfigured by exaggerations and
join their standards with fresh spirits for the ap- misconceptions. The above narrative is taken
proaching campaign : he himself is said to have wholly from that of Polybius, which is certainly by
repaired to Gades, and there to have offered up in far the most trustworthy that has descended to us;
the temple of Melkarth, the tutelary deity of Tyre but that author has nowhere clearly stated by
and of Carthage, a solemn sacrifice for the success which of the passes across the Alps Hannibal
of his expedition. (Liv. xxi. 21. )
cffected his march; and this qnestion has given
All his preparations being now completed, Han- rise to much controversy both in ancient and mo-
nibal quitted his winter-quarters at New Carthage dern times. Into this discussion our limits will not
in the spring of 218, and crossed the Iberus with allow us to enter, but the following may be briefly
an army of 90,000 foot and 12,000 horse. (Polyb. stated as the general results :- 1. That after a
iii. 35). The tribes between that river and the careful examination of the text of Polybius, and
Pyrenees offered at first a vigorous resistance; and comparison of the different localities, his narrative
though they were quickly subdued, Hannibal will be found on the whole to agree best with the
thought it necessary to leave behind him a force of supposition that Hannibal crossed the Graian Alps,
11,000 men, under Hanno, to maintain this newly or Little St. Bernard, though it cannot be denied
acquired province. His forces were farther thinned that there are some difficulties attending this line,
during the passage of the Pyrenees by desertion, especially in regard to the descent into Italy. 2.
which obliged him to send home a large body of his That Caelius Antipater certainly represented him
Spanish troops. With a greatly diminished army, as taking this route (Liv. xxi. 38); and as he is
but one on which he could securely rely, he now con- known to have followed the Greek history of
tinued his march from the foot of the Pyrenees to Silenus, who is said to have accompanied Hannibal
the Rhone without meeting with any opposition, in many of his campaigns, his authority is of the
the Gaulish tribes through which he passed being greatest weight. 3. That Livy and Strabo, on
favourably disposed to him, or having been previ- che contrary, both suppose him to have crossed the
a
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HANNIBAL.
333
&
HANNIBAL.
Cottian Alps, or Mont Genèvre. (Liv. I. c. ; Strab. Gaul, took the command of the praetor's army,
iv. p. 209. ) But the main argument that appears which he found there, and led it against Hannibal.
to have weighed with Livy, as it has done with in the first action, which took place in the plains
several modern writers on the subject, is the as-westward of the Ticinus, the cavalry and light-
sumption that Hannibal descended in the first armed troops of the two armies were alone engaged;
instance into the country of the Taurinians, which and the superiority of Hannibal's Numidian horse
is opposed to the direct testimony of Polybius, at once decided the combat in his favour. The
who says expressly that he descended among the Romans were completely routed, and Scipio him-
Insubrians (xat pe tohumpôs els td tepl Tov self severely wounded; in consequence of which he
Πάδον πεδία, και το των Ισόμβρων έθνος, iii. 56. ), hastened to retreat beyond the Ticinus and the Po,
and subscquently mentions his attack on the Tauri- under the walls of Placentia. Hannibal crossed
nians. 4. That as according to Livy himself (xxi. the Po higher up; and advancing to Placentin,
29) the Gaulish emissaries who acted as Hannibal's offered battle to Scipio; but the latter declined the
guides were Boians, it was natural that these should combat, and withdrew to the hills on the left bank
conduct him by the passage that led directly into of the Trebia. Here he was soon after joined by
the territory of their allies and brothers-in-arms, the other consul, Ti. Sempronius Longus, who had
the Insubrians, rather than into that of the Tauri- hastened from Ariminum to his support: their
nians, a Ligurian tribe, who were at this very time combined armies were greatly superior to that of
in a state of hostility with the Insubrians. (Polyb. the Carthaginians, and Sempronius was eager to
iii
. 60. ) And this remark will serve to explain bring on a general battle, of which Hannibal, on
why Hannibal chose apparently a longer route his side, was not less desirous, notwithstanding
instead of the more direct one of the Mont Genèvre. the great inferiority of his force. The result was
Lastly, it is remarkable that Polybius, though he decisive: the Romans were completely defeated,
censures the exaggerations and absurdities with with heavy loss; and the remains of their shattered
which earlier writers had encumbered their narra- army, together with the two consuls, took refuge
tive (iii. 47, 48), does not intimate that any doubt within the walls of Placentia. (Polyb. iii. 60—74;
was entertained as to the line of his march ; and Liv. xxi. 39--48, 52–56; Appian, Annib, 5—7;
Pompey, in a letter to the senate, written in 73 Zonar. viii. 23, 24. )
B. c. (ap. Sallust. Hist. Frag. lib. iii. ), alludes to the The battle of the Trebia was fought late in the
route of Hannibal across the Alps as something year, and the winter had already begun with un-
well known : hence it appears clear that the pas usual severity, so that Hannibal's troops suffered
sage by which he crossed them must have been one severely from cold, and all his elephants perished,
of those frequented in subsequent times by the except one. But his victory had caused all the
Romans; and this argument seems decisive against wavering tribes of the Gauls to declare in his
the claims of the Mont Cenis, which have been ad-favour; and he was now able to take up his winter-
vocated by some modern writers, that pass having quarters in security, and to levy fresh troops among
apparently never been used until the middle ages. the Gauls, while he awaited the approach of spring.
For a fuller examination of this much controverted According to Livy (xxi. 58), he made an unsuc-
subject, the reader may consult De Luc, Histoire du cessful attempt to cross the Apennines before the
Passage des Alpes par Annibal, 8vo. Genève, 2d winter was well over, but was driven back by the
edit. 1825; Wickham and Cramer, Dissertation violence of the storms that he encountered. But
on the Passage of Hannibal over the Alps, Lond, as soon as the season permitted the renewal of
1828, 2d edit. ; Ukert, Hannibal's Zug. über die military operations (B. C. 217), he entered the
Alpen, appended to the 4th vol. of his Geographie country of the Ligurian tribes, who had lately de-
d. Griech. z. Römer: in which works the earlier clared in his favour, and descended by the valley
dissertations and scattered remarks of other writers of the Macra into the marshes on the banks of the
are discussed or referred to. Of the latest histo- Amo. He had apparently chosen this route in
rians it may be noticed that Niebuhr (Lect. on order to avoid the Roman armies, which, under the
Rom. Hist, vol. i. p. 170) and Arnold (Hist. of two consuls, Flaminius and Servilius, guarded the
Rome, vol. iii. p. 83–92, note m), as well as Böt- more obvious passes of the Apennines; but the
ticher (Gesch. d. Carthager, p. 261), have decided hardships and difficulties which he encountered in
in favour of the Little St. Bernard ; while Michelet struggling through the marshes were immense,
(Hist. Romaine, vol. ii. p. 10) and Thierry (Hist. great numbers of his horses and beasts of burthen
des Gaulois, vol. i. p. 276), in common with almost perished, and he himself lost the sight of one eye
all French writers, adopt the Mont Genèvre or by a violent attack of ophthalmia. At length,
Mont Cenis.
however, he reached Faesulae in safety, and was
Five months had been employed in the march able to allow his troops a short interval of repose.
from New Carthage to the plains of Italy, of which Flaminius, with his army, was at this time at
the actual passage of the Alps had occupied fifteen Arretium; and Hannibal (whose object was always
days. (Polyb. iii. 56. ) Hannibal's first care was to bring the Roman commanders to a battle, in
now to recruit the strength of his troops, exhausted which the superior discipline of his veteran troops,
by the hardships and fatigues they had undergone : and the excellence of his numerous cavalry, rendered
after a short interval of repose, he turned his arms him secure of victory), when he moved from
against the Taurinians (a tribe bordering on, and Faesulae, passed by the Roman general, and ad-
hostile to, the Insubrians), whom he quickly re- vanced towards Perugia, laying waste the fertile
duced, and took their principal city. The news of country on his line of march. Flaminius imme-
the approach of P. Scipio next obliged him to turn diately broke up his camp, and following the traces
his attention towards a more formidable enemy. of Hannibal, fell into the snare which was prepared
Scipio had sent on his own army from Massilia for him. His army was attacked under the most
into Spain, while he himself, returning to Etruria, disadvantageous circumstances, where it was
crossed the Apennines from thence into Cisalpine hemmed in between rocky heights previously occu-
## p. 336 (#352) ############################################
335
HANNIBAL.
HANNIBAL
pied by the enemy and the lake of Thrasymenus ; | the Roman magazines at Cannae, a small town of
and its destruction was almost complete, thousands Apulia, and established his head-quarters there
fell by the sword, among whom was the consul until the harvest could be got in. Meanwhile, the
himself; thousands more perished in the lake, and two Roman consuls, L. Aemilius Paullus and C.
no less than 15,000 prisoners fell into the hands | Terentius Varro, arrived at the head of an army of
of Hannibal, who on his side is said to have lost little less than 90,000 men. To this mighty host
only 1500 men. A body of 4000 horse, who had Hannibal gave battle in the plains on the right
been sent to the support of Flaminius, under C. bank of the Aufidus, just below the town of Can-
Centenius, were also intercepted, and the whole of nae. We have no statement of the numbers
them cut to pieces or made prisoners. (Polyb. iii. of his army, but it is certain that it must bare
77—86 ; Liv. xxii, 1–8 ; Appian, Annib. 9, 10; been greatly inferior to that of the enemy; not-
Zonar. viii. 25. ) Hannibal's treatment of the cap- withstanding which, the excellence of his cavalry,
tives on this occasion, as well as after the battle of and the disciplined valour of his African and
the Trebia, was marked by the same policy on which Spanish infantry, gave him the most decisive vic-
he afterwards uniformly acted: the Roman citizens tory. The immense army of the Romans was
alone were retained ns prisoners, while their Italian noi only defeated, but annihilated ; and between
allies were dismissed without ransom to their re- forty and fifty thousand men are said to have fallen
spective homes. By this means he hoped to ex- in the field, among whom was the consul Aemilius
cite the nations of Italy against their Roman Paullus, both the consuls of the preceding year, the
masters, and to place himself in the position of the late master of the horse, Minucius, above eighty
leader of a national movement rather than that of senators, and a multitude of the wealthy knights
a foreign invader. It was probably in order to give who composed the Roman cavalry. The other consul,
time for this feeling to display itself, that he did Varro, escaped with a few horsemen to Venusia,
not, after so decisive a victory, push on towards and a small band of resolute men forced their way
Rome itself; but after an unsuccessful attempt from the Roman camp to Canusium ; all the rest
upon the Roman colony of Spoletium, he turned were killed, dispersed, or taken prisoners. (Polyb.
aside through the Apennines into Picenum, and ii. 107-117; Liv. xxii. 36, 38—50 ; Plut. Fab.
thence into the northern part of Apulia. Here he 14–16; Appian, Annib. 17-25; Zonar. ix. 1. )
spent a great part of the summer, and was able Hannibal has been generally blamed for not fol-
effectually to restore his troops, which had suffered lowing up his advantage at once, after so decisive
much from the hardships of their previous marches. a victory, by an immediate advance upon Rome
But no symptoms appeared of the insurrections he itself,- - a measure which was strongly urged upon
had looked for among the Italians. The Romans him by Maharbal (MAHARBAL); and we are told
had collected a fresh army; and Fabius, who had that he himself afterwards bitterly repented of his
been appointed to the command of in with the error. Whatever may be the motives that de-
title of dictator, while he prudently avoided a terred him from such a step, we cannot but be sur-
general action, was able frequently to harass and prised at his apparent inactivity after the battle.
annoy the Carthaginian army. Hannibal now, He probably expected that so brilliant a success
therefore, recrossed the Apennines, descended into would immediately produce a general rising among
the rich plains of Campania, and laid waste, with the nations of Italy, and remained for a time
out opposition, that fertile territory. But he was quietly in Apuliah until they should have had
unable either to make himself master of any of the time to declare themselves. Nor were his hopes
towns, or to draw the wary Fabius to a battle. disappointed: the Hirpinians, all the Samnites
The Roman general contented himself with occupy- (except the Pentrian tribe), and almost all the
ing the mountain passes leading from Samnium Apulians, Lucanians, and Bruttians declared in
into Campania, by which Hannibal must of neces- favour of Carthage. But though the whole of the
sity retreat, and believed that he had caught him south of Italy was thus apparently lost to the Ro
as it were in a trap; but Hannibal eluded his vigi- mans, yet the effect of this insurrection was not so
iance by an ingenious stratagem, passed the defiles decisive as it would at first appear ; for the Latin
of the Apennines without loss, and established him- colonies, which still without exception remained
self in the plains of Apulia, where he collected sup-faithful, gave the Romans a powerful hold upon the
plies from all sides, in order to prepare for the revolted provinces ; and the Greek cities on the
winter. During this operation the impatience of coast, though mostly disposed to join the Cartha-
the Romans and the rashness of Minucius (who ginians, were restrained by the presence of Roman
had been raised by the voice of popular clamour to garrisons. Hence it became necessary to support
an equality in the command with Fabius) were the insurrection in the different parts of Italy with
very near giving Hannibal the opportunity for a Carthaginian force ; and Hannibal, while he
which he was ever on the watch, to crush the himself moved forward into Samnium, detached his
Roman army by a decisive blow ; but Fabius was brother Mago into Bruttium, and Hanno, one of
able to save his colleague from destruction; and his ablest officers, into Lucania After securing the
Hannibal, after obtaining only a partial advantage,
took up his winter-quarters at the small town of • The battle of Cannae was fought, according
Geronium. (Polyb.
