Before the beginning 3 in. Rome is constantly at war with its neighbors. There was a crop failure in Rome, the way out is to die or steal from the neighbors. Last var. preferred. But crop failures also happened to neighbors. Then it went so well, they stole in reserve. It is also interesting to subjugate, and they began to slowly unite the lands, but in a cunning way. In addition to Rome - beloved and unloved allies.

By the 3rd c. Rome claims the unification of Italy. They are hindered by the Greek. cities.

And then it turns out that there is Carthage (the western part of the Mediterranean basin) - the era of the Punic wars begins.

First Punic War (264–241). The expansion of the borders of Rome and its access to Sicily led to an aggravation of contradictions with the Carthaginian state.

By request Messana(city in Sicily) 264 Rome intervened in her internal war with Syracuse and took possession not only of Syracuse, but also of Messana itself. The west of the island was occupied by Carthage, who created fortified bases in cities Lilybey, Panorm And Drepana. The Romans advanced towards the Carthaginian cities and laid siege to them. IN 260 at Milah The Romans inflicted the first major defeat on Carthage at sea.

V 256 d. besieged Carthage, which was ready to surrender, but Rome was not satisfied with the peace conditions proposed by the besieged. The Punians began to defend themselves to the last, and the Romans, as close as ever to victory, were defeated. The fleet rushing to their aid was lost in a storm, and the defeat turned out to be worse than ever.

The world was enclosed in 241 Carthage liberated Sicily, paid a huge indemnity (almost 80 tons of silver) and handed over Roman prisoners.

Second Punic War (218–201). Revanchist sentiments turned out to be strong in Carthage, ideas arose for the violent return of the territories conquered by Rome, which led to second punic war(218–201 ). Carthage relied on an offensive war, moving troops to Rome through The Iberian Peninsula.

IN 219 the Carthaginians captured Sagunt. A brilliant military leader became the head of the Carthaginian troops Hannibal. The trip started from Spain. Hannibal with elephants and a huge army made a heroic transition through the Alps, losing almost all the elephants and three-quarters of the army in the mountains. Nevertheless, he invaded Italy and inflicted a series of defeats on the Romans in 218 city ​​(at the rivers Ticin And Trebia) and in 217 city ​​(ambush at trasimene lake). Hannibal bypassed Rome and moved further south. The Romans avoided big battles and wore down their enemies with small skirmishes.

The decisive battle took place near the city Cannes V 216 Hannibal, with much smaller forces, defeated the Roman army, led by two warring consuls: a plebeian and a patrician.

IN 211 in the war came a turning point. The Romans took the main stronghold of the Carthaginians in Italy, the city capuyu, and Hannibal was in complete isolation. WITH 210 at the head of the Roman troops became Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger. He fought quite successfully with the Carthaginians in Spain and advocated the transfer of hostilities to North Africa, wanting to expel Hannibal from Italy. After the landing of Scipio in Africa in 204 G. Hannibal was hastily recalled to his homeland. At Zame V 202 The Carthaginian army was defeated, and Hannibal fled. In the next 201 Carthage capitulated. Under the new peace conditions, he was deprived of overseas possessions, had no right to maintain a navy, and had to pay an indemnity for fifty years. Behind him remained only a small territory in Africa.

Third Punic War (149–146). Carthage managed to recover from the defeat, and he launched a wide trade. Rome was wary of his new strengthening in the Western Mediterranean. "Carthage must be destroyed." Rome put forward a tough ultimatum to Carthage, all points of which were satisfied, with the exception of the clearly unfeasible one: the transfer of the city deep into the mainland. The Romans sent an army to North Africa, which, after a long siege, took Carthage in 146 The city was wiped off the face of the earth, and the place where it was located was plowed up. From now on, a Roman province was created here Africa, whose lands became the state property of Rome.

The Second Punic War (218-201 BC) was one of the largest wars of antiquity in terms of its scale, scope and historical significance. The reason for it was the events associated with the seaside city Saguntom located in Iberia, south of the river Iber. Saguntus concluded an alliance treaty with Rome. In 219 BC. e. Hannibal, the new commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army, laid siege to Sagunt, captured and plundered it, and sold the inhabitants into slavery. The defeat of Saguntum was a direct challenge to Rome. The Roman Senate sent an embassy to Carthage demanding the extradition of Hannibal for violence against the allies of the Roman people. In case of refusal, Rome threatened Carthage with war.

The Roman Senate was preparing for a short war. One of the consuls was to sail from the coast of Sicily and land troops in Africa. Another consul Publius Cornelius Scipio- was heading to Iberia to fight Hannibal there. However, Hannibal forced the Romans to abandon their plans by undertaking an unexpected invasion of Italy from the north through the Alps, which until then were considered an insurmountable obstacle to the troops.

Hannibal in the early spring of 218 BC e. with an army and a large number of elephants, he left New Carthage and headed for Italy. He expected the sudden appearance of the Carthaginian army on the Apennine Peninsula to cause the collapse of the Roman Confederation. The Gauls of Northern Italy promised to help him.

With great difficulty, he crossed the Pyrenees and moved along the Mediterranean coast of Gaul, fighting with some tribes of the Gauls. When Hannibal approached the river Rodan (modern Rhone), the Roman commander Scipio arrived in Massilia (modern Marseille), allied with Rome. The Carthaginians decided to avoid the fight. They went up the river and transferred the main forces to the left bank of the Rodan, defeating the Gauls who tried to prevent them. The Roman consul refused to pursue the enemy. He sent part of the squadron to Iberia, where Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal commanded a rather large army, and he himself went to Italy.

Hannibal after crossing the Rodan, turning east, began his famous 33-day crossing of the Alps. Polybius writes that the Carthaginian army had to fight both enemies and unfavorable terrain at the same time. The army made its way along narrow steep paths, being subjected to unexpected attacks by the highlanders. Snow fell in the mountains. Warriors, horses and elephants died falling off the icy roads into the abyss. When the exhausted army passed the Alps and descended to the plains of Cisalpine Gaul, only 20 thousand infantry, 6 thousand cavalry and a few elephants remained in it. But the Celtic tribes joined Hannibal and joined the ranks of his army. In the first battles in Italy, the Carthaginians defeated the Roman consular armies. The most significant of these was the battle of the Trebia River (a tributary of the Padus) in northern Italy, in which Scipio and Sempronius were defeated.

The news of the defeat at Trebia caused an intensification of the struggle in Rome between aristocratic and democratic factions. In 217 BC. e. at the insistence of the plebs, a favorite of the people was elected consuls - Gaius Flaminius, supporter of decisive action. Roman troops took up positions near the city of Arretius in Etruria, blocking Hannibal's road from north to south. However, Hannibal moved with the army around the impregnable positions of the Romans. For four days his army marched through the impenetrable swamps formed by the flood of the Arnus River, waist-deep in water, resting on the corpses of fallen animals. Hannibal lost an eye. The only elephant he rode died. But the hardships were justified. Hannibal went to the rear and ambushed the army of Flaminius, who was in a hurry to catch up with him. On the shore trasimene lake the Carthaginians, having attacked from three sides the army of Flaminius, destroyed it. The consul died at the very beginning of the battle. Hannibal released the captured Italians, since, according to him, he came to fight only with Rome.

The Senate, using the fear of the inhabitants of Rome before the possible invasion of Hannibal into the city, decided to choose a dictator. They elected a senator Quint Fabius Maxim, an experienced military leader who belonged to conservative circles. He was given a nickname Cunctator(Slower) for very cautious and slow tactics of warfare. Fabius Maximus believed that the advantages of the Romans consisted in inexhaustible supplies and in in large numbers human material. Therefore, anticipating the possibility of losing major battles, Fabius Maximus avoided decisive battles, but constantly alarmed the Carthaginians with unexpected attacks by small detachments. He sought to wear down the forces of Hannibal, to leave his army without food supplies. Residents of rural areas, on the instructions of the dictator, were to destroy food supplies and move to cities. The tactics of Fabius Maximus were successful, but their consequences turned out to be very painful for the rural plebs, who could not come to terms with the ruin of farms and dwellings. Therefore, at the next election, 216 BC. e., consuls were again elected. One of them, an aristocrat, a protege of the senate, Lucius Aemilius Paul, considered the tactics of Fabius Maximus to be correct. another consul. Gaius Terentius Varro, the chosen one of the plebs, was a supporter of decisive action.

By 216 BC. e. Hannibal, bypassing Rome, went to Apulia. He hoped to establish ties with Carthage and win the support of the population of southern Italy. In the south of Italy, in Puglia, near the town Cannes, at the mouth of the Aufid River, in the summer of 216 BC. e. one of the most significant battles in the history of the ancient world took place. The Roman army consisted of 80 thousand infantry, 6-7 thousand cavalry. The Carthaginians, along with the detachments of the Gauls, had a little more than 40 thousand infantry, but more excellent cavalry - 14 thousand horsemen. Hannibal skillfully built his army in the form of a crescent, with the convex side towards the enemy. In its center were less reliable units, detachments of Iberians and Gauls. The flanks were made up of selected Carthaginian troops: infantry and cavalry. The battle began with auxiliary, lightly armed troops, then the horsemen entered the battle. The dense, compact ranks of the Roman infantry began to attack the center of the Carthaginian formation. The front line of Hannibal's troops turned out to be concave in the form of a crescent, in the center of which were the Romans. At the same time, the Libyan infantry and the Carthaginian cavalry were thrown onto the flanks of the Romans, which scattered the Roman horsemen and went behind the Romans. They were surrounded on all sides by the Carthaginians. The massacre of the Roman army began. 58 thousand Roman soldiers died, 18 thousand were captured. Consul Aemilius Paul was killed. When Terentius Varro returned to Rome with the remnants of his army, the Senate solemnly came out to meet him and thanked him for having gathered the surviving soldiers and did not despair of saving the fatherland.

The defeat of the Romans at Cannae caused the deposition of the Samnites, Lucans, and Bruttians from Rome. In the north, the uprising of the Gauls was expanding. The wealthy Capua and Syracuse went over to Hannibal's side. In addition, the king of Macedonia, Philip V, concluded an alliance with Hannibal. The Carthaginians also helped Hannibal: an army of 25 thousand people landed in Sicily.

Yet Hannibal's position was very difficult. The conduct of a long war over a large territory, the length of communications required the immediate replenishment of troops, the necessary human reserves and materiel. The Romans, after heavy losses at the Battle of Cannae, announced a general recruitment of all men into the troops, starting from the age of 17. The Senate of Rome decided on an extreme measure - slaves were drafted into the army, buying them from their owners. Those of them who killed at least one enemy were promised freedom. The Romans, following the tactics of Fabius Maximus, avoided major battles, exhausting the enemy forces with minor skirmishes.

During the war there was a turning point in favor of Rome. The Roman legions laid siege to Syracuse. The defense of the largest Sicilian city was led by the brilliant mathematician and engineer Archimedes. The machines he created threw huge shells and arrows at the besiegers, could grab the bows of ships, put ships upright and capsize. After a grueling siege in 211 BC. e. The Romans captured Syracuse and sacked the city. Archimedes was killed.

From 215 BC e. the Roman Senate, having concluded an agreement with the king of Pergamum Attalus I, with the Aetolian Union and a number of other Greek states, waged war with the king of Macedonia, Philip V, an ally of Hannibal. The First Macedonian War ended in 205 BC. e. complete defeat of Macedonia. At the same time, a young talented commander Publius Cornelius Scipio was sent to Iberia by the Senate. He captured New Carthage, the main stronghold of Carthage in Spain. After these successes, the Romans decided to take more active steps in Italy itself. They laid siege to Capua. To divert the forces of the Romans from Capua, Hannibal undertook the only campaign against Rome during the entire war, but, not daring to attack the well-defended city, he retreated. Hannibal did not provide effective assistance to Capua.

In 211 BC. e. the Capuans surrendered to the mercy of the conqueror. The reprisal was brutal. Officials cities were killed or executed, many inhabitants were sold into slavery, lands were confiscated. The city lost its autonomous rights.

Then the process of successive falling away from Hannibal of the Italian allies began. Campanian cities. Tarentum fell into the hands of the Romans. Hannibal was locked up in southern Italy. He placed his only and last hope in the help of his brother Hasdrubal, who was to bring troops from Iberia. Hasdrubal successful - passed through the Alps, but in Northern Italy in the battle on the Metaurus River in 207 BC. e. the Romans defeated his troops. Hasdrubal was killed.

In 204 BC. e. The Romans transferred hostilities to the African territory of Carthage. The Roman army under the command of Scipio landed near utiki and began to devastate the fertile valley of the Bagrad River. Masinissa, the king of Numidia, neighboring Carthage, placed at the disposal of Scipio an excellent Numidian cavalry. By decision of the Carthaginian Council, Hannibal, after a fifteen-year war on Italian soil (where he did not experience a single defeat), arrived in Carthage.

In Africa in 202 BC. e. near the town Zama(south of Carthage) the last decisive battle took place. Hannibal was defeated for the first time in all the years of the war. The Carthaginian council came to the Roman camp and begged Scipio to start peace negotiations. In 201 BC. e. a peace treaty was signed, difficult for the Carthaginians. The city lost its possessions outside Africa, without the permission of the Roman Senate could not wage war with its neighbors. Carthage had to pay an indemnity of 10 thousand talents for 50 years, give Rome its fleet, with the exception of 10 patrol ships, all elephants, prisoners, booty, disband the army, maintain the Roman army in Africa at its own expense, give 100 hostages from the most revered families of Carthage. Hannibal in 195 BC e. fled from Carthage to Syria.

(Note: Scipio received the nickname "African" for his outstanding successes in the fight against Carthage. Since in half a century Rome will have another Scipio (his full name will be - P.K. Scipio Aemilian), who will also defeat Carthage and also receive the nickname African, in order to distinguish between these two historical characters, the first of them is usually called “Publius Cornelius Scipio African Senior»; see his portrait here}.

The reasons for the victories of Rome were due to the numerical superiority of its troops, which were distinguished by high fighting qualities and the availability of material resources. Numerous Italian rural population, which constituted the main parts of the Roman army, fought for their own lands. The brilliant victories of the Carthaginian Hannibal were due to the talent of the commander, the suddenness of the invasion of Italy, and the temporary weakening of the Roman Confederation. But Hannibal did not have the means to consolidate his successes. Ethnically diverse mercenary units were not distinguished by high fighting qualities. The Council of Carthage, fearing the strengthening of the Barkid family, did not provide assistance to the commander, who was in dire need of replenishment of troops and material resources. Hannibal's hopes for a quick collapse of the Roman-Italian confederation did not come true.

After the second Punic War, Carthage finally lost any significance in the life of the Mediterranean world. Rome became the strongest slaveholding power in the Western Mediterranean. He owned vast possessions outside of Italy: Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica, the possessions of Carthage in Iberia.

In 241 BC. e. Sicily became the first Roman province. In 227 BC. e. were turned into the province of Sardinia and Corsica. In 197 BC. e. In the territory of Iberia, called Spain by the Romans, two provinces were formed. The provinces were viewed by the Romans as "the estates of the Roman people". They were transferred to the complete, almost uncontrolled disposal of the Roman governors.

The inclusion of new territories in the Roman Republic, the enslavement of their population contributed to the strengthening of slaveholding relations.

Long years of war affected the economic and political life of Roman society. The hostilities that took place directly on Italian soil, the rise in prices, the levying of taxes ruined the local population and led to the desolation of many regions of Italy. Some Italian cities that helped Hannibal lost part of their land, lost their autonomous rights and became subjects of Rome. During the war years in the Roman state there was a weakening of democratic principles. This was facilitated by the defeat of the Roman army, led by proteges of plebeian groups in the battles of Trasimene Lake and Cannae, the establishment of emergency magistracies necessary in wartime, and the strengthening of the power of officials.

THE EXPANSION OF THE ROMANS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE ROMAN REPUBLIC INTO THE STRONGEST MEDITERRANEAN POWER.

Punic Wars were a series of military conflicts between the forces of ancient Carthage and Rome, approximately between 264 BC. and 146 BC. e.

The name "Punic" comes from the word "Phoenician", "Punic" (in Latin). The word was applied to the inhabitants of Carthage, who were ethnically related to the Phoenicians.

Carthage grew from a small port to the richest and most powerful city in the Mediterranean.

He had a powerful Navy, a mercenary army and, thanks to trade, great accumulated wealth.

According to the agreement concluded with Rome, the inhabitants of Rome were forbidden to trade in the Western Mediterranean. Roman merchants who violated the terms of the agreement were put on trial and their ships were sunk.

First Punic War

The Punic Wars gave Rome the right to become greatest empire the ancient world: the wealth and fleet of Carthage passed to the city, and the commanders gained rich experience in military operations on land and sea.

The Second Punic War, also called the Hannibal War, broke out between two coalitions led by Rome and Carthage for absolute political and economic influence in the Mediterranean region. The hostilities lasted 17 years, during which time Numidia, Syracuse, Pergamum and the Aetolian Union acted on the side of Rome at different periods, Carthage was supported by the Achaean Union, Macedonia, Syracuse and Numidia.

Peace to the Punians 242 BC. e. cost a lot. Carthage lost all the income received from Sicily, and the almost sole trade dominance in the west of the Mediterranean was largely weakened, in addition, the Punic state was dissatisfied with the conquest of Sardinia by Rome in 238 BC. e.

Among other things, the position taken by Rome during the rebellion of mercenaries, openly testified to its hostile attitude towards Carthage. It became clear that peace would not last long.

Meanwhile, the Roman Republic is actively interested in the state of affairs on the western coast of the Mediterranean. Soon an alliance was made with Saguntum, the explicit purpose of which was to prevent the advance of Carthage to the north.

The entire southern part of the Iberian Peninsula belonged to Carthage and, as Hannibal expected, was to serve as a springboard for a future attack on Rome. The commander did not even try to hide his plans to capture the Spanish city of Sagunt, allied to the Romans, thereby drawing Rome into a direct conflict. But at the same time, he wanted to arrange everything as if the confrontation with Sagunt had occurred as a result of naturally occurring circumstances. Hannibal counted on the non-intervention of Rome in the conflict, in view of the latter's employment in the fight against the Gauls and Illyrian pirates. The Carthaginian commander artificially provoked a conflict between the Iberian tribes, friendly to the Punic state, and Sagunt, thereby creating a formal pretext for intervening in the situation, with his troops he crossed the Ebro River in 219 BC. e. and declares war. The Roman authorities did not dare to provide military support to Sagunt, and after 7 months of a difficult siege, the city surrendered. These events served as the official reason for the start of the second Punic War, which was announced by the embassy sent to Carthage after the capture of the city.

In the spring of 218 BC. e. Hannibal went on a campaign against the Roman Republic. Prudently conducted negotiations with the Gauls provided him with the opportunity to freely pass through their territory. Only during the crossing of Rodan did the commander have to resort to force. The Roman army of Publius Cornelius Scipio was unable to prevent his advance to the northern borders of Italy.

Second Punic War (218-201 BC): causes, consequences. Reasons for the defeat of Carthage in the Second Punic War. What is the difference between the First and Second Punic Wars?

The wars of Rome against Carthage occupy a significant place in history ancient world. They influenced further development Mediterranean and all of Europe. Second Punic War 218-201 BC e. - the brightest of the three occurring. It is also called the Hannibal War, or the war against Hannibal. In addition to Rome and Carthage, Numidia, Pergamum, the Aetolian League, Syracuse, the Achaean League and Macedonia took part in this confrontation.

In 242 BC. e. A peace treaty was signed that ended the First Punic War. As a result of this agreement, Carthage lost control of the income from the possession of Sicily, the almost monopoly trade of the Carthaginians in the Western Mediterranean was severely undermined by Rome. As a result, Carthage was in a difficult economic situation, and its ruling Barkid dynasty - at a political disadvantage - the opposition intensified. Even then it was clear that the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage would soon take place in order to destroy one of them, since there was no place for two major powers in the Mediterranean.

Hamilcar, the commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army, undertook campaigns to conquer the territories of Spain. Firstly, the Iberian Peninsula was very rich in natural resources, and secondly, it was possible to get to Italy quite quickly from Spain. Hamilcar, along with his son-in-law Hasdrubal, was active in expanding the borders of Carthage for almost 10 years, until he was killed during the siege of Helika. His colleague Hasdrubal fell victim to the Iberian barbarian in New Carthage, founded by him.

New Carthage instantly became the center of all Western Mediterranean trade, as well as administrative center Punic dominions. Thus, Carthage not only compensated for its losses following the First War with Rome, but also new markets appeared, and the silver mines of Spain enriched the Barcids and deprived their political opponents of any support. Second Punic War 218-201 BC e. was only a matter of time.

Roman politicians and military figures were greatly concerned about the growing strength of Carthage. Rome understood that now it was not too late to stop the Puns, but after a while it would be difficult. Therefore, the Romans began to look for a reason to start a war. During the lifetime of Hannibal's father, Hamilcar, a border was drawn between Carthage and Rome in Spain along the Iber River.

Rome concludes an alliance with Sogunt. It was clearly directed against Carthage, and specifically to stop its advance further north. The beginning of the Second Punic War was approaching, Rome did not need such a strong neighbor, but it also could not openly act as an aggressor, and therefore an alliance was concluded with Sogunt. It is clear that Rome did not intend to defend its ally, but the attack on him by Carthage provided a pretext for unleashing a war.

Hannibal was destined to become a symbol of the struggle against Roman rule in the Mediterranean basin, he succeeded in what no one before him dared to do. He was a talented commander and commander, the soldiers respected him not for his high origin, but for his personal merits and qualities of a leader.

From an early age, father Hamilcar took his son on campaigns. All his conscious life he was in military camps, where from childhood he looked death in the face. Dozens, hundreds, if not thousands of people were killed before his eyes. He's already used to it. Constant training turned Hannibal into a skilled fighter, and the study of military affairs into a brilliant commander. Meanwhile, Hamilcar did everything to get closer to Hellenistic world, so he taught the Greek alphabet to his son and accustomed him to the culture of the Greeks. The father understood that Rome could not be dealt with without allies, and taught his sons to their culture, and also set them up for an alliance. Hannibal was to play an important role in this process. The Second Punic War was thought over by him for many years. And after the death of his father, he swore that he would destroy Rome.

There are three main reasons that led to the outbreak of the second war between Rome and Carthage:

1. Humiliating consequences for Carthage under the terms of the peace treaty that ended the First Punic War.


2. The rapid growth of the territories of Carthage, as well as its enrichment due to the richest possessions in Spain, which resulted in the strengthening of its military power.


3. The siege and capture of Sogunt, allied to Rome, by Carthage, which became the official reason for the outbreak of the Second Punic War. The reasons for it were more formal than real, and yet they led to one of the largest confrontations in the entire history of the Ancient World.

After the death of Hamilcar and the assassination of Hasdrubal, Hannibal was elected commander-in-chief. Then he was only 25 years old, he was full of strength and determination to destroy Rome. In addition, he had a fairly good set of knowledge from the field of military affairs and, of course, leadership skills. Hannibal did not hide from anyone that he wanted to attack Sogunt, whose ally was Rome, and thereby involve the latter in the war. However, Hannibal did not attack first. He made it so that Sogunt attacked the Iberian tribes that were under the rule of Carthage, and only after that he moved his forces to the "aggressor". Hannibal rightly counted on the fact that Rome would not bring military assistance to Sogunt, since he himself fought against the Gauls and Illyrian pirates. The siege of Sogunt lasted 7 months, after which the fortress was taken. Rome never provided military assistance to its ally. Already after the capture of Sogunt, Rome sent an embassy to Carthage, which declared war. The Second Punic War has begun! The war went on for over 15 years. During this time, fighting almost did not stop either between Rome and Carthage, or between their allies. Tens of thousands of people died. Over the years, the advantage passed from hand to hand: if in the initial period of the war luck was on the side of Hannibal, then after a while the Romans became more active, inflicting a number of major defeats on the Puns in Iberia and North Africa. At the same time, Hannibal remained on the Apennine Peninsula. In Italy, Hannibal himself achieved high results, making the entire local population tremble before his name. The Second Punic War showed that Hannibal had no equal in open battle. This is evidenced by the battles at the Ticin and Trebbia rivers, at Lake Trasimene and, of course, the legendary battle of Cannae, which are sewn into military history red thread. fighting took place on several fronts: in Italy, Spain, Sicily, North Africa and Macedonia, but the "engine" of Carthage and its allies were the army of Hannibal and himself. Therefore, Rome set itself the goal of "bleeding" it, blocking the path of provisions, weapons and reinforcements for waging war in Italy. Rome succeeded when he realized that Hannibal must first be exhausted without pitched battles, and then finished off. This plan was successful, but before it Rome suffered one defeat after another, especially the battle of Cannae. In this battle, Carthage had 50,000 soldiers, Rome - 90,000. The advantage was almost doubled, but even with such a numerical superiority, Rome failed to win. During the battle, 70,000 Roman soldiers were killed, 16,000 were captured, while Hannibal lost only 6,000 people. There are a number of reasons that led to the victory of Rome. Firstly, this is the fact that the army of Carthage consisted mainly of mercenaries, who did not care at all for whom they were fighting - they received payment for this. The mercenaries did not have any patriotic feelings, unlike the Romans, who defended their homeland. Secondly, the Carthaginians themselves, located in Africa, often did not understand why they needed this war. Inside the country, the Barkids again formed a serious opposition that opposed the war with Rome. Even after the Battle of Cannae, the oligarchs of Carthage half-heartedly sent small reinforcements to Hannibal, although this help could have been much larger, and then the outcome of the war would have been very different. The thing is that they feared the strengthening of Hannibal's power and the establishment of a dictatorship, which would be followed by the destruction of the oligarchy as a social class. Thirdly, the rebellions and betrayals that lay in wait for Carthage at every turn, and the lack of real help from an ally - Macedonia. Fourthly, this, of course, is the genius of the Roman military school, which gained rich experience during the war. At the same time, for Rome, this war was an ordeal that brought the Roman Republic to the brink of survival. The reasons for the defeat of Carthage in the Second Punic War can still be listed, but all of them will follow from these 4 main ones, which led to the defeat of one of the most powerful armies of the Ancient World. The two wars were completely different, although they have a similar name. The first was predatory on both sides, it unfolded as a result of the rivalry between Rome and Carthage for the possession of the rich island of Sicily. The second was aggressive only from the side of Carthage, while the Roman army carried out a liberation mission. The result in both the First and Second Wars is the victory of Rome, a huge indemnity imposed on Carthage, and the establishment of borders. After the Second Punic War ended, the causes, consequences and historical meaning which is difficult to overestimate, Carthage was generally forbidden to have a fleet. He lost all overseas possessions, he was taxed exorbitantly for 50 years. In addition, he could not unleash wars without the consent of Rome. The Second Punic War could change the course of history if the commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian troops, Hannibal, had great support within the country. He could have taken over Rome. Moreover, everything was heading towards this, as a result of the Battle of Cannae, Rome did not have a large army capable of resisting Carthage, but Hannibal, with the available forces, could not have captured well-fortified Rome. He was waiting for support from Africa and the uprising of Italian cities against Rome, but he did not wait for either the first or the second ... Replenish the piggy bank of friends. If you need a mutual friend, then write about it in the comment below.