The legacy of Hannibal Barca was that of a great military strategist and general; he was named one of Rome’s greatest enemies. He found much of his strategy and hatred for Rome from his father, Hamilcar Barca. Hamilcar was also a hero and military leader and conquered much of Spain; he inspired Hannibal to hate Rome and trained him from boyhood for leadership and battle. While Hamilcar lead the first Punic war, the second and third Punic wars were lead by Hannibal and his multicultural armies.
Hannibal not only relied on his devoted armies but he had both elephants and cavalry to add both surprise and strategy. Hannibal’s army was composed mainly of troops from modern-day Spain and France. Spanish, Gallic, and Celtic warriors formed the core of his infantry fighting force, while African mercenaries formed his cavalry and elephant components of his army. The elephants were his terror weapon, and this elite force nearly brought Rome to its knees in the early stages of the Punic Wars.
Not much of the actual taming of Hannibal’s elephants is known; however, plenty of graphic details are known about their readying for battlefield deployment. To ready them for battle, the elephants were made to drink alcoholic beverages to reduce their better judgment and to make them angry. Then, they were stabbed in the legs with spears to get them enraged, and were unleashed into the ranks of the enemy. Their blind rage and their immense size and destructive power terrified the adversaries of Carthage, allowing their main army to march in and cut down whoever was left without mercy.
The Essay on Hannibal Army Green Romans
... This began the Second Punic War (George, 88). After hearing the declaration of war Hannibal immediately starts off towards Rome. The problem was he ... 29). Although Hannibal's army had been reduced to twenty-six thousand infantry, nine thousand horses, and five or six elephants, it was ... with battle elephants marching at the front of his army (Green, 21). In the spring of 218 BC, Hannibal handed over ...
Should the elephants fail to destroy and demoralize their enemies, the infantry and cavalry forces of Carthage could easily win any battle. In addition to the African elephants, Hannibal’s army had a Numidian cavalry. They were the army’s greatest asset and effective killing weapons. They were well-trained and easy to maneuver. By the time of Hannibal’s invasion of Italy, the Carthaginians had a well-disciplined, wide-ranging, and talented army which had plenty of experience fighting the Romans.
The first cavalries came into battle around 600 BC and were much better and more agile than chariots. The horses, both armored and unarmored, served tactical and psychological roles. Soldiers could use a variety of different weapons on horseback giving them yet another advantage. The cavalry could go on reconnaissance missions creating a great benefit for Hannibal. Hannibal’s main army was composed of Spanish and Gallic warriors who, by the time of the Alps campaign, had plenty of experience, as well as a deep-seated personal hatred for Rome and all it stood for.
The Spanish were armed with Greek-style chopping swords and round shields; the Gauls had long Celtic longswords and tower shields, often decorated with precious gems and intricately formed patterns in the metal. These troops were tough, battle-hardened, and had the will to take the fight to the Romans; the question was whether or not they had the will to cross the Alps. In order to mount a direct assault on Rome, Hannibal would have to take one of two routes into Italy: attack from the Mediterranean Sea and mount an amphibious invasion, or cross the Alps mountain range from Northern Italy and move inland.
The first option would be equivalent to suicide; Rome had an established hold over most of the Mediterranean from the First Punic War, and Hannibal along with his entire army would be sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean before they arrived anywhere near Rome. Plus, the Romans would be expecting the attack; an amphibious assault was the logical way to invade Italy, and the Romans would be prepared for it. The only option left was to cross the Alps, the huge mountain range that forms the border between France and Italy.
A crossing would be an extremely dangerous undertaking, and many men would die from accidents, disease, and attacks from savages who scratched out a living in the mountain. The reason for Hannibal’s decision for going through the Alps is that it was the most direct route to get to Rome and it would get them into Italy faster. But things went for the worst when Hannibal got to the Alps; his troops, who were not used to the cold weather, were getting sick and dying of frost bite. They elephants did not fare much better. He arrived with only 36 of the herd of elephants.
The Term Paper on Why was the Roman Army so Successful?
The legions of Rome were one of the biggest factors in Rome’s success as an empire. They conquered vast quantities of land, and were often used by the government to improve the morale of people living in cities, which often had parts that were cramped and unsanitary. The legions were set apart from contemporary armies due to their level of organisation and especially as they fought as a unit ...
He and his men made it over the mountains to Rome in which he would spend 13 years fighting. He was able to do this because he never lost the confidence of his men or faced mutiny. Hannibal boosted the troop’s morale by winning major battles, participating himself in battles, and enduring the same hardships which made his troops incredibly loyal. He even lost and eye and kept fighting. Most of the battles were modest skirmishes but one of the biggest was the battle of Cannae on the banks of the Aufidus River, on August 2, 216 B. C.
This was to be Hannibal’s greatest victory. Some claim that of 70,000 Roman troops at Cannae, less than 2000 survived. After Cannae, Capua and other smaller Italian cities defected to Hannibal’s side. His war strategies were very effective against the Romans. He not only had exotic animals and a trained army, he had a very strategic and quick mind. In one case Hannibal and his army forced the Romans into a lake and drowned them by ambushing them and forcing them into the lake. Their heavy armor made this attack logical, merciless and quick.
Hannibal, in my mind, was the greatest ancient military leader. He lead his men into dangerous battles with overwhelming odds and numbers stacked against him and won many battles with creative strategies, strong, mighty men and animals. His cavalry was made up by different races. Although Hannibal fought for many years in many battles, he survived. He was very popular and well-respected and when his military career was over, Hannibal served Carthage as a politician. He rid the government of corruption and nepotism and began leading them to prosperity. This is Hannibal’s legacy. ?
