Hannibal Barca, The leader of the Greatest War in History

Hannibal Barca, The leader of the Greatest War in History

He was a leader in the Punic War was also a powerful politician and was called the leader of the greatest war in history.

Hannibal Barca lived in the years in which the Romans built up its forces and dealing with nations such as Carthage, Macedonia, Syracuse, and the Seleucid empire. He is one of the most famous Carthaginian leader. By a military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Hannibal called the "father of strategy". That's because the greatest enemy, the Romans also adopted some of the tactics used Hannibal.

He also referred to as an inspirational tactic for famous people in other European course of his life long after Hannibal. The man was one of them was Napoleon Bonaparte who later described Hannibal as well as the "giver strategy."

Victory Hannibal of Carthage in the Second Punic War

In 219 BC the Roman army to fight the nation's focus Carthage were constantly harassing the Roman colony in Spain. At that time, the general Kartagosudah war held by Hannibal, and he at that time was about 28 years old. Before the Romans attacked the forces of Carthage, Hannibal had memerintahakan troops to sneak around and attack the Romans from the region of the Alps. Roads in the Alps is notoriously dangerous, and the forces that originally numbered 40. 000 shrink to 20,000 troops by 6000 cavalry and 38 elephants.

The arrival of Hannibal's army was not unexpected by the Roman army since Roman leaders did not think Hannibal would take the dangerous path it so that the region was secure diwilyah it is the weakest in the Roman army. The result was a victory for Hannibal.

Roman knows that the Carthaginian forces very much reduced when carrying out the attacks. This is then used by the Romans to send troops magnitude nearly 500,000 troops. These forces are very strong forces and discipline. Most of them are Roman army who defeated Carthage in the Punic War I.

This situation was also known by Hannibal in crisis troops. So that Hannibal took the tactics to not fight directly with the Roman army led by consul Sempronius longus. After a few small battles, eventually a large Roman army ready to fight directly with the Carthaginian troops near the river Trebia.

Hannibal who did not want to fight directly with Sempronius unique tactics. Light cavalry deployed across the river as if to attack, but then fell back. This is done by Hannibal repeatedly so Sempronius burned his emotions and decided to chase. Sempronius bring the whole army to cross the river Trebia, and finally the two armies meet just west of the river.

Excellence is seen in the beginning of the battle for the Roman soldiers, but after that the Roman army suffered a humiliating defeat. That's because Hannibal had designed the right strategy. The victory is seen at the beginning of the battle was over after releasing Hannibal troops rampaging elephant in the middle of the Roman army. Roman army consisting of Gallic tribes dispersed see big animals raging on the battlefield. This situation coupled with the sudden emergence of the cavalry of Carthage from the forest numbering about 2000 troops. The siege of Hannibal's army made many Roman soldiers who were killed and drowned in the freezing river Trebia.

This defeat makes the Romans get ready to face the onslaught of Hannibal and then prepare Legion (heavy infantry) Roman. But the ingenuity of Hannibal could destroy an army near Lake Trasimene. Finally the Roman central government appoint a dictator named Fabius Maximus to lead the Roman army. Maximus chose not to do battle directly. He just put his troops in the mountainous region where the Carthaginian forces will not dare to attack. He also only guerilla tactics, given the still fragile mental defeat of the Roman army against the forces of Carthage.
Maximus tactics are effective, but most Roman citizens were not satisfied. They consider it shameful tactics of the Roman reputation as a strong nation. Dissatisfaction is used by Hannibal to attack the villages or towns Roman. Hannibal deliberately damaging property belonging to the family Maximus. This further suspicion Roman citizens against Maximus tactics.

After destroying Apulia, Hannibal entered Campania region. Fabius who knew the area decided to trap Hannibal. In his observations, Fabius saw that Hannibal never choose the same as the way out of the driveway. However, Fabius keep putting huge forces around Allifae, where Hannibal entered Campania. While other Roman troops deployed to the cracks that may be traversed by Hannibal. Fabius Hannibal troops closed the exit point. He thinks when Hannibal troops ran out of food, they will try to break through.

On one night, the Roman soldiers guarding the area Allifae sight deterring them. An enormous army, which seemed out of tens of thousands of torches and heading toward the Roman army. The troops moved quickly followed by shouts of weird like he was possessed by demons. Roman troops who had no idea that such a large troop strength Hannibal decided to flee their defense post without a fight in the slightest. Troop Hannibal has yet escaped from the siege of the troops Maximus.

Battle of Cannae: Most embarrassing defeat Romans.

The defeat occurred at Cannae and well-known as the battle of Cannae (not far from the region now called Bari). Maximus who fail eventually replaced by the consul Terentius Varro to avenge the defeat of Maximus in Allifae. Roman troops began to move into Cannae in the place where Hannibal troops were camping. Cannae historic battle began.

As usual, the Roman army at the beginning of the war over the course of the battle. Middle row Hannibal forces are very weak and so easily defeated. Varro also direct the whole power of the Roman army to storm the middle row of Hannibal. This led to the invasion of Hannibal army ranks curved like a bow so that the Roman army like a pile in the middle. This is what is desired by Hannibal, he immediately took off the outer edge of his army consisting of troops riding elephants and African choke the Roman army. The situation turned into a killing field of the Roman army. Battle of Cannae recorded as history's most devastating Roman defeat and embarrassing.

End of Hannibal

Battle of Zama is the end of the heyday of the nation's Hannibal and Carthage. In the fighting, the Carthaginian forces were defeated by Roman forces under the command of General Scipio Africanus. The loss forced the Senate to send the Carthaginian Hannibal into exile. During this exile, he lived at the Seleucid palace, where he acted as a military advisor to Antiochus III when the war against the Romans. Because of his defeat in the battle maritime, Hannibal fled again, this time to the Palace Bithynian. When the Romans asked him to surrender, Hannibal chose to end his life by drinking poison. His death is expected to occur around the year 183 BC in the village Bithynian, Libyssa (now enter the territory of Morocco).

Hannibal in Roman expedition itself lasts about 6 years old. During that time he never got help from the central government Carthage and just rely on supplies from the territories of Rome were successfully captured. Although ultimately Hannibal never managed to destroy the Romans, he and his men had achieved a horrible reputation. While having the troops and supplies are abundant, the Roman soldiers always tried to avoid doing battle directly with Hannibal.