by Mark Hopkins

Created on: November 22, 2007

Hannibal Barca was born in 247 BCE into an influential Carthaginian family. Carthage and its flourishing trading empire was an obstacle and rival to the ambitions of the nascent Roman empire. Even as he was growing up, Hannibal saw his own people forced out of Sicily with the defeat of the Carthaginian fleet in 241 BCE (battle of Aegates). In 238 BCE Rome went further, breaking its treaty with Carthage by occupying Sardinia and then demanding Corsica. In face of this, the Carthaginians turned their attention to Spain, which was rich in minerals.

Hannibal's father, Hamilcar, was the leading Carthaginian general and is said to have had his son swear an oath of undying enmity towards Rome. In this Hannibal proved steadfast. Grown to manhood, Hannibal became his nation's leading war leader. In 219 BCE he captured the Roman town of Seguntum in eastern Spain. Rome demanded its return. Rome also demanded Hannibal be handed over to them for punishment. This was refused and a second war with Rome loomed.

Although originally not a sea power at all, Rome had built a fleet and had effectively taken control of the Mediterranean sea. Hannibal could not attack Rome directly across the sea, therefore, and he could not afford to be caught by Roman forces moving towards Spain either. Determined to fight his people's hated enemy, he hit upon the audacious plan of marching an army across the Pyrennes into southern Gaul, bypassing the Roman forces along the coast and invading Roman Italy from the north. When the avenging Roman forces arrived in Spain, they found Hannibal had gone! In an age without maps as we know them and with poor 'intelligence' to help form precise plans, his was a breathtaking scheme.

Hannibal's army was made up of men of many races and languages and it is confirmation of his leadership qualities and charisma that he was able to organize and motivate them for such a daring undertaking. His army numbered 60,000 men and included 37 war elephants. Its march towards Italy faced the danger of fierce Gallic tribes, uncharted territory, deep rivers such as the Rhone and the constant fear of Roman interception.

The Carthaginian army had to fight its way through many miles of hostile country as well as dealing with these natural hazards. Most daunting was the need to try to find a way up and through the Alps. The coastal route was heavily guarded by the Roman Army and could not be forced. Narrow passes, some held by hostile tribes, were made more hazardous by the deep

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