Hannibal Is At The Gates Sparknotes

Hannibal was born to Hamilcar Barca, the Carthaginian general active in the Punic War. His previous life was spent among the mercenaries employed by Carthage, with his father. Later, he followed his father to Hispania, modern day Spain. Before leaving, it is said that Hannibal swore an oath to destroy Rome, an oath he planned to keep. While in Spain, his father gained the trust of the Iberian tribes. However, one day, his father, Hamilcar was ambushed. That day, Hannibal stepped up to his family name as a warrior. "Hannibal is at the gates" was often a cry heard through the streets of Rome, between 218 and 215 BC. This cry, fiction or not, is based on the legend of one man, Hannibal Barca. This warrior, fighting for a nation that didn't love

him, brought Rome the closest it has come to destruction until the fall of the Empire, nearly four hundred years later. Hannibal Barca was taking a stand, fighting for the idea of Carthage, his home.

He assembled an army in Spain. Made up of many troops of many types, the most famous were his mounted forces. The Numidian cavalry of Africa, master horsemen and riders. Following were the Spanish horsemen, fierce warriors of Iberia. Last were his elephants. These African beasts had towers mounted on the back, with an archer and pikeman inside. Driving the elephant was a mahount, a elephant driver. Then he began to plot against Rome. First was the city of Sagnuntum, south of the modern day Ebro River. The Romans, after winning the 1st Punic War, made peace with Carthage, that lands south of the Ebro are Carthaginian. Sagnuntum was a protectorate of Rome, and in violation. Leading an attack, he took the city. Rome was outraged. Despite the clear violation, Rome declared war, and sent an army to beat this upstart

Carthaginian.

After that, Hannibal crossed the Pyrnees, the mountains that seperate Spain and the Iberian Penisula from Gaul, or modern day France. Marching across Gaul, some tribes joined him, others were belligerent, leading raids and ambushes. However, his army crossed rivers, and came to the Alps. The Alps where the barrier between the Roman Republic and the uncivilized, barbaric Gauls. Now in the winter season, the passes were filled with snow.
Despite the trouble of the passes of the Alps, Hannibal marched on. Many of his elephants died in the crossing, and the other soldiers as well. However, this march gained him the fierce warriors of Gaul. Gaulish warriors were renowned for their brash assaults, and relying on sheer force and ferocity to break the enemy. Hannibal's Iberian infantry were more steady in vigour, and his African pikemen were the most disciplined foot force Hannibal could claim to have, trained in the way of the Greek phalanx. Having crossed the Alps, Hannibal entered into the Po valley. This land is piedmont, a land of rolling hills and valleys. Marching onward, he encountered a few Romans, but swept them aside with ease, one Roman commander, a Scipio. His son would be Hannibals greatest enemy. Marching to the area of Turin, he encountered his first great enemy, and his first great battle. The battle of Trebia.

The Roman army, at this time was not the square shield soldiers of later times. The army was divided into four parts. The velites were skirmishers with wolf pelts across their bodies. Next were the hastati, the young soldiers, the first line of attack. Then the principes, a more veteran group of soldiers. Last were the triarii. Spearmen, these were the veterans. Romans said, "It has come to the Triarii" it means, the last reserve.The Romans would attack by sending the velites forward, to skirmish with the enemy. Following the hastati engaged in battle. When they became tired, the principes took their position, the hastati retiring. If the enemy was not yet broken, then the triarii were sent forward, with the hastati, to give a final push to destroy the enemy.

Hannibal began the battle the day before with a cavalry force positioned in the wild country to the Roman flanks.

Luring the Romans in, he sprang his trap, and crushed the Romans. Retreating, the Romans experienced Hannibal, and he had won. Marching farther southward, he found his next challenge. The Romans had sent an army against him, and they were marching up the road to fight him. Moving his men, he found the position. Across from Lake Trasimene. The road moved up the shore line, and opposite the lake was numerous hills. Positioning his Africans at top of the line, and his Gauls in the center with cavalry in the rear, the morning revealed the marching Romans. Fog hid the Carthage army, until the attack. Attacking, his men drove the Romans into the lake, or away from the battle. The second great victory of Hannibal Barca.Following this victory, Hannibal marched farther south, to a small town of Cannae. Built on the Audrius river, this area is to be the site of Hannibal's greatest victory, and a battle to be studies by historians years into the future. Hannibal was approached by the largest army assembled by Rome. Rome had invested much into this army, and Hannibal prepared. His army was assembled the next day in a unusual pattern. His center was comprised of Gauls and Iberians, bent outward in a arc. On the flanks were his Africans. Then on the farthest flanks, his Numidians and Iberians. The Romans decided to go with a dense mass of men, no retiring as usual, just press

on. Leading the attack, the Romans hit the Gauls and Iberians, Hannibal standing firm in the center. Engaging the Roman cavalry, the Numidians and Iberians. Progressing, the Romans bent back the arc, slowly bending it backward.

Then, as the Roman cavalry was driven away, and the arc had bowed back enough, Hannibal sprung. His flank Africans swung inward, facing the Romans on the flanks, their spears cutting into the Romans. Stopping the backward movement, Hannibals cavalry charged into the rear of the enemy. Pressed so close together, the Romans couldn't wield their weapons effectively. Cutting into them, the Carthaginians cut down the Roman army. Retreating to Rome, the survivors would tell of this terrible battle. However, the war took a turn for the worse. Despite his victories, the army of Carthage was growing smaller. His army lacked the strength to bring the battle to the Romans at Rome. Slowly his men were lost, and the young Scipio took his revenge. Taking a legion with him, he marched into Iberia. Destroying the Carthage presence there, his brothers in Italy killed Hannibal's brother. Now, Hannibal was stranded in enemy country, losing men quickly.Scipio took his Iberian legions and moved them to Carthage, Hannibal's home. Transporting his men to Carthage, he assembled an army to fight the Romans.