In a quest to join up with anti-Roman allies, Hannibal led 100,000 troops and 40 elephants on a treacherous journey through the Alps . How did Scipio defeat Hannibal? Their commander Hannibal marched his troops, including cavalry and African war elephants, across a high pass in the Alps to strike at Rome itself from the north of the Italian peninsula. The Romans had presumed that the Alps created a secure natural barrier against invasion of their homeland. Early life. When Hannibal reached the other side of … Hannibal did have guides over the alpine passes, polybius explicitly states so in 3.48.11 of his Histories. Earlier in the book, it’s stated that 37 elephants were part of Hannibal’s famous trek across the Alps, and only 30 elephants made it through; not bad considering difficulty and … Andreas Hannibal set out to cross the Alps and lost many of his men caused by slippery slopes and Gallic attacks. War elephants were the tanks of antiquity. Hannibal, (born 247 bce, North Africa—died c. 183–181 bce, Libyssa, Bithynia [near Gebze, Turkey]), Carthaginian general, one of the great military leaders of antiquity, who commanded the Carthaginian forces against Rome in the Second Punic War (218–201 bce) and who continued to oppose Rome and its satellites until his death.. Yes. Found insideHannibal and Scipio fought an epic battle at Zama, which Hannibal lost. Many Carthaginians blamed Hannibal, who was exiled until his death. Hannibal is still regarded as a military genius. So I extricate myself from the conversation with James and go back to our trusted old friends, Polybius and Livy. Thanks, Jim. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. “It’s a wonder Hannibal didn’t get a spear in his back," allows Mahaney. Du Chat. Hannibal apparently took 37 elephants with him to Italy from his headquarters in Spain, where he was governor of Carthage's empire there. When Hannibal set out from Seguntum, he had around 80,000 … At the Summit of the Alps [The next day the advance continued amid great loss, especially of the sumpter beasts.] But Hannibal did nothing like this. Up until he got to the Alps proper, he did not have to fend off any tribes. Carthage had no access to the Indian tuskers, but made use of the local North African forest elephants, somewhat smaller than the Indian variety, but still formidable from the standpoint of a Roman legionary. David Anthony Durham draws a brilliant and complex Hannibal out of the scant historical record–sharp, sure-footed, as nimble among rivals as on the battlefield, yet one who misses his family and longs to see his son grow to manhood. The loss of the war did not lead to Carthage’s total urban decline, but obliged her to make much bigger payments to the victor. Hannibal traveled with an army of tens of thousands of soldiers and as many as 37 war elephants. By most accounts Hannibal's invasion force in 218 B.C., assembled in Spain, included 100,000 men and 37 or 38 elephants. Hannibal was determined to get his whole army – men and animals – across the treacherous path through the Alps. When Hannibal (in his own, Punic language: Hanba'al, "mercy of Ba'al") was born in 247 BCE, his birthplace Carthage was about to lose a long and important war. I discuss that in this post. In 'Polybius: Experience and the Lessons of History,' Daniel Walker Moore shows how Polybius integrates these two apparently competing concepts in a way that affects not just his educational philosophy but the construction of his historical ... Ancient Rome was nearly extinguished in the 3rd century BC. The Carthaginians reveals the complex culture, society and achievements of a famous, yet misunderstood, ancient people. Hannibal had 37 or 38 elephants with him on his campaign trail from North Africa through Spain, Mediterranean Gaul and the Alps. I hope that you can provide an answer. Last place anyone expected Hannibal to invade from was this route from the north. Next, Hannibal led his army across the treacherous Alps which took a toll on his army. And soooo much fun to imagine. There are quite a few works of art depicting Hannibal on an elephant, but did he … The trouble started when the Romans started to realize that the only way to defeat Hannibal was by a strategy called attrition– basically, they hid in holes, practiced guerilla war tactics, and slowly let Hannibal’s army waste away. Hannibal had no way to fight an army that simply wasn’t there, especially with elephants. Also, the feed that would be needed for the elephants would be enormous. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Hannibal and Me: life lessons from history, the one he was riding through the swamp when he caught the infection that blinded one of his eyes, http://www.arkive.org/forest-elephant/loxodonta-cyclotis/video-00.html. The largest working group in Africa, to my knowledge at least, was in the then Belgian Congo earlier this century. Youth (247-219) Melqart (Heracles) on a coin of Hannibal, perhaps with his own features. Below, the two main texts about Hannibal 's crossing of the Alps are placed next to each other. Switzerland has remained neutral in all wars because of the Alps. This is what Polybius says: 3.42.11 (the number of elephants at the Rhone crossing): 'The question that caused him the greatest embarrassment was how to get the elephants, thirty-seven in number, across.' “It’s a wonder Hannibal didn’t get a spear in his back," allows Mahaney. The ancient Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca famously led his troops, including 37 elephants, across the Alps mountain range to fight the Romans. Unfortunately, all but one of Hannibal's elephants died while crossing the mountains in 218 BC. Appian's account says that Hannibal took 37 but also does not number those lost, if any, crossing the alps. I’ve already written about the trouble we get into when we confuse Carthage’s geography with modern notions of human race, what we might call the “Denzel trope”. How Hannibal managed to get thousands of men, horses and mules, and 37 elephants over the Alps is one magnificent feat. Except……. Do you also have a link that points to research about these North African Forest elephants? Hannibal now marched across the plains of southern Gaul, defeating or … Hannibal had received supplies that were required for the expedition across the Alps from a Gallic Chieftain called Brancus. (Actually, Polybius says that all the elephants survived. Check out this fearsome rendition of the battle of Zama: I’d rather be one of the guys on top in that one. After Carthage's defeat by the Romans in the First Punic War in 241 B.C, Hamilcar devoted himself to improving both his and Carthage's fortunes. In order to understand why Hannibal crossed the Alps with 37 elephants, we have to look further back to his father, Hamilcar Barca (275-228 BCE). With his elephants, it took him two. 2. Hannibal's Carthaginian army, which included many African war elephants, was crushed by Scipio Africanus' Roman force backed by Numidian allies. on Thailand that’s we can look until now, so popular with their elephant tradition. The Carthaginian senate repeatedly refused Hannibal's requests for aid and supplies even as they were relying on him to win the war for them. It is said that Hannibal’s army consisted of 50,000 infantry men, 9,000 cavalry and 37 war elephants. Long story short. Yet Hannibal didn’t lose a single elephant." Instead of following the coastline or going by sea, he crossed the Alps, to the surprise of the Roman Empire army. Hannibal Barca was born in Carthage (present-day Tunisia) in approximately 247 B.C. Found insideThis biography by Cornelius Nepos (c. 100-27 BC) sketches Hannibal's life from the time he began traveling with his father's army as a young boy, through his sixteen-year invasion of Italy and his tumultuous political career in Carthage, to ... (See map: Hannibal's route) This was the most difficult part of the journey, many men, and almost half of Hannibal's elephants, were lost in the Alps. Unlike horses or oxen (or men, for that matter), pachyderms are very sure footed, feeling the ground to test its resistance before committing their considerable weight as they proceed step by step. If they panicked, they were as likely to turn around and plow into their own ranks (the elephants didn’t care, after all). Crossing the Alps should have taken Hannibal one week. How Hannibal managed to get thousands of men, horses and mules, and 37 elephants over the Alps is one magnificent feat.” This article was amended on 15 April 2016. During the fifteen day passage across the Alps, Hannibal lost about half of his troops. The Rhone River is located in France and must be crossed to reach the Alps. In any case, those beasts scared the bejeezus out of the Romans. In a bold attempt to take the war directly to Rome, the Carthaginian general Hannibal marched an army across the Alps and into northern Italy. Deskarati Earthquake Intensity Scale (DEIS), List of the Tallest Buildings in the World, This whirlpool turbine can be installed in a week and could power up to 60 homes, First electron microscope images of DNA show double helix. By the time Hannibal arrived at the Alps, however, 750 miles (~1200km) of that journey were behind him and judging by what happened next, provisions were in short supply. Nowadays, they are almost extinct. Did Hannibal really use elephants? Probably a sub-species of Indian. Rome was expecting him. Only one survived the first battle at … I think that Carthage, a naval empire oriented toward its mother city in the East more than toward the lands south across the Sahara, would have got its elephants from there. In that time, he lost over half his army, and all but one of his elephants. Then they died. In a bold attempt to take the war directly to Rome, the Carthaginian general Hannibal marched an army across the Alps and into northern Italy. It’s the obvious first question to ask about his elephants, which must be why the adult experts never ask it. thehttp://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=56927.0. Also, how many troops did Hannibal lose crossing the Alps? This might be an interesting link to look at with roman coin celebrating the opening of Colosseum. Crossing the Alps should have taken Hannibal one week. Hannibal while separated from his cavalry and his baggage. So the other day I get a text message from our dear friends, the Rammings, with an urgent plea to intervene in one of their heated controversies around the dinner table of their rustic farm house in hip and rural North Carolina. At his time, and for some centuries after, the African Forest Elephant was common from Ethiopia to Morocco. And as I talk I discover …. This monumental work charts the entirety of Carthage's history, from its origins among the Phoenician settlements of Lebanon to its apotheosis as a Mediterranean empire whose epic land-and-sea clash with Rome made a legend of Hannibal and ... They were a deadly weapon designed to charge, trample and generally create a sense of panic in the enemy, but from a Roman perspective, their use was a bizarre novelty. Like Hannibal did at Cannae Scipio took advantage of his more numerous cavalry by overloading one side. The story of Hannibal bringing elephants through the Alps to bear upon Rome, which everyone knows, begins in India, which is not as well known. AFTER HIS first-hand experience of war elephants in India, Alexander the Great became something of an enthusiast, and they soon caught on in the west, big time. Hannibal Barca and his forces surged up through Northern Spain and into Southern Gaul, battling tribes and establishing garrisons. However, in the most notable example, the battle of Raphia in 217 BC between the Ptolemaic Kingdom with its African Elephants and the Seleucid Kingdom using Indian Elephants, the Ptolemaics won. Battling harsh weather and rough terrain, Carthaginian forces succeeded in crossing the Alps, but lost a significant part of there numbers in the process. What were Hannibal's loses like after crossing the Alps? Rome’s final terms for Carthage did not enforce Hannibal’s personal surrender; the Carthaginian political system continued and Hannibal held office as a reforming magistrate. 8. To have passed through the alps would have meant he exited in northern italy, what type of elephants lived there? I had a great time riding elephants up in Chiang Mai. Thailand has a great elephant tradition. But when he did come the Alps weren't a big problem for him. Another issue that confuses me, why did he not just transport his troops by boat? During the Second Punic War, Hannibal famously led an army of war elephants across the Alps, although many of them perished in the harsh conditions. An epic of war and battle, this is also the story of famous generals and leaders: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Scipio Africanus, and his grandson Scipio Aemilianus, who would finally bring down the walls of Carthage. Hannibal’s plan of persuading the Roman allies to join him required him to take the Second Punic War to Italy. This article was amended on 15 April An earlier version implied. Hannibal’s powerbase was Southern Spain, where he and his father before him had ruled as Viceroys or Governors for Carthage. ( Log Out / Wednesday, July 6, 2016. But, well, there’s no conveivable way that Hannibal might have got elephants from Thailand to Iberia (Spain). that I have no idea what the answer is. Hannibal rode the lone survivor. Analyzes the leadership and strategies of three forefront military leaders from the ancient world, offers insight into the purposes behind their conflicts, and shows what today's leaders can glean from their successes and failures. Experts claim Hannibal led 40,000 men 9,000 horses and 37 elephants. Hannibal’s incredible idea was to travel straight through the Alps so that his army would be able to invade Italy. In the Summer of 220 B.C.E. (How many elephants would a Greek and a Roman historian in those days have seen? Originally published in 1888, this book contains the Latin text of the 21st book of the monumental history of Rome by Titus Livius, dealing with the beginning of the Second Punic War and Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. “By the time he delivered his speech at the top of the pass, many of his mercenaries were either dead, starving to death or suffering from hypothermia. I think the same applies to elephant race. My question is about the route Hannibal took to attack Rome. Change ). elephants tumbling into the gorges as the mountain Gauls attack from the heights. Found insideWinner of the George Washington Prize Winner of the Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History Winner of the Excellence in American History Book Award Winner of the Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award From the bestselling ... One army led by his brother from Spain which was destroyed before it got to Italy, the other from North Africa, which did reach him. Moving forward in the spring of 218 BC, Hannibal was able to sweep aside those native tribes that attempted to block his path and entered the mountains. Here’s a clip: http://www.arkive.org/forest-elephant/loxodonta-cyclotis/video-00.html. Indian or African. The story of the fateful Zama battle between Hannibal and Scipio. Above, a snivelly-nosed Hannibal on a (vaguely Indian-looking?) 40,000 men and 37 elephants. But in all seriousness, after their defeat in First Punic War, the Roman Navy completely controlled the Mediterranean. Thanks for all of this info, its really helpful; one thing im wondering was the elephants that Hannibal supposedly recruited, would THESE have been African or Indian or whatever? In that time, he lost over half his army, and all but one of his elephants. The plan was Hasdrubal would follow Hannibal into Italy. The Rhone River is located in France and must be crossed to reach the Alps. However, Hannibal brought his army and war elephants across the Alps in 16 days, allowing him to attack the Romans. These were undoubtedly working, trained African elephants that were used to move wood and other articles. [7] The land route from Spain to Italy was too long and rough for Hannibal’s army and took many lives. Via How many elephants did Hannibal take over the Alps? Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The Carthaginian senate after debate decided to support Hannibal. All while leading a force of around 60,000 men, 12,000 cavalry, and some 37 war elephants. / Middle East. It seems strange that with estimated deaths of 15000 troops and 17 elephants, as far as I can gather, no remains have been found in the Alps. He aparently used a now-extinct species of forest elephant which at that time roamed around in northern Africa. Thanks, Carolyne. First published in 1930, this is a collection of lectures on military and naval development in the Hellenistic period. The surviving elephants were successfully used in the battle of Trebia, where they panicked the Roman cavalry and Gallic allies. I see no reason why African elephants should not have been used by Hannibal when he marched towards Rome; indeed, their larger size and greater aggressiveness would have made these beasts more fearsome than Asian elephants. In order to do so, he had huge obstacles to overcome. I do not see this as a plausable explantion. Where Did Hannibal Get The Elephant Idea From. They range between 20 and 3. We don’t know exactly how many of the elephants survived, but it is clear that some did survived because the Romans under the Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus faced them at the battle of Trebia in December of 218 B.C. On the trail of Hannibal's army - and elephants - in the Alps. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. In the event, although Hannibal did successfully negotiate the Alpine passes, his losses were considerable. Only one survived the first battle at … by Mary Caperton Morton . Col de Montgenèvre. That might explain why Hannibal’s favorite elephant–the one he was riding through the swamp when he caught the infection that blinded one of his eyes–was named Surus, “the Syrian”. That happened here at Zama. There is no real certainty of the size of force that Hannibal took with him, though estimates range from 20-40,000 infantry, 6-12,000 cavalry and 40 elephants. He Rode on an Elephant. The earlier years or this war had already seen Carthaginian general Hannibal cross the Alps with a herd of war elephants, before securing two of history’s most stunning victories at Lake Trasimene and Cannae in 217 and 216 BC. After all, Carthage was in Africa. But how did he handle 37 elephants? (But not “African elephants”). There is no real certainty of the size of force that Hannibal took with him, though estimates range from 20-40,000 infantry, 6-12,000 cavalry and 40 elephants. Hannibal did the unthinkable, however, and marched his army across the Alps. in 218 BC, Hannibal Barca left New Carthage (present day Spain) with an army of 30,000 troops, 15,000 horses and 37 war elephants. The elephants at Zama seem to have been ‘recruited’ and rushed into service without being properly trained and may not have carried ‘howdah’ or fighting towers as shown. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. general Hannibal. A sort of related fact is that a … One line in the middle of this Wikipedia entry claims that. He took 37 war elephants (and 46,000 men) with him when he left Iberia (Spain) through Europe to the start of the Alps.He lost most of them to skirmishes and bad weather etc. Click on the picture to enlarge. Graeme Cumming, New College, Oxford (graeme.cumming@zoology.oxford.ac.uk), Nigel Phillips, Werrington, Peterborough (Nigel.Phillips@ps.co.uk), Peter Card, Didcot, Oxon (Peter.Card@jet.uk), John Boll, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire. Hannibal's crossing of the Alps in 218 BC was one of the major events of the Second Punic War, and one of the most celebrated achievements of any military force in ancient warfare. The Death of Carthage tells the story of the Second and third Punic wars that took place between ancient Rome and Carthage in three parts. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Found insideForsøg på at besvare det 2000 år gamle problem: Hvor krydsede Hannibals elefanter Alperne? Over half his army died in the severe, cold conditions, Hannibal himself was blinded in one eye, and it is recorded that only one of his elephants survived the trek. Robert L. O'Connell, one of the most admired names in military history, tells the whole story of Cannae for the first time, giving a stirring account of this apocalyptic battle of the Second Punic War, and its causes and consequences. Hannibal And His Elephants Crosses The Alps ? To get to the other side! Very cool link. The Carthaginian general Hannibal (247-182 BCE) was one of the greatest military leaders in history. During the Second Punic War, Hannibal famously led an army of war elephants across the Alps, although many of them perished in the harsh conditions. They were an extinct species the North African Forest Elephant. While observations in the first part of the book have been derived mostly from fieldwork in the Grand-St-Bernard region, those discussed in the second part are derived from the Stanford Alpine Archaeology Project s most important ongoing ... Why did Hannibal lose at Zama? As Carthage was in North Africa, elephants were commonly used in war. and apparently only had 3 elephants (and 26,000 men) left when he entered Italy. Crossing the Rhone River. Hi Harry, This book offers a full picture of the elephant in the Graeco-Roman world, featuring contemporary accounts of elephants performing on the battlefield. Only about 40,000 made it to Italy. There are disagreements among the sources about the number of elephants which survived the snow and ice of the crossing. 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