The Nature and Dynamics of Hannibal's Leadership

Question 1

Hasdrubal’s death

Answer 1

221
Causes unrest across Iberia

Question 2

What did Hannibal do after Hasdubal died?

Answer 2

Called an assembly of his men

Question 3

How old was Hannibal when he was chosen to lead Carthage’s Iberian Army?

Answer 3

26

Question 4

Why did Hannibal attack Saguntum?

Answer 4

To break the Treaty of Ebro

Question 5

What was Hannibal’s first priority?

Answer 5

Securing control of Iberia

Question 6

What does Polybius make clear about Hannibal before he marched onto Saguntum?

Answer 6

Hannibal wanted to deal with the threat of Iberia

Question 7

Tagus battle

Answer 7

Due to unrest after Hasdrubal’s death
Hannibal uses war elephants to cross the Iberian enemies as they crossed the river,

Destroyed the 100,000 strong force with his cavalry (Polybius)

Question 8

Ambassadors about Saguntum

Answer 8

Polybius
Saguntines sent messengers to Rome
Rome sent ambassadors to Hannibal and told him to stay away from Saguntum
Hannibal accused the Romans of unjustly executing some leading citizens, and said Carthage did not ignore those who were treated unjustly and Saguntum was using its Roman alliance to cause unrest.
Polybius then gives a long opinion about how Hannibal did not give the true opinions and should have just asked for Rome to return Sardinia.

Question 9

What significance did New Carthage have?

Answer 9

It was the Carthagian capital in Iberia

Question 10

What did Hannibal reply to the Roman delegation?

Answer 10

• He was looking after the interests of the Saguntines
• Accused the Romansof having unjustly executed some leading citizens
• The Carthagian would not ignore this breaking of the treaty, for it was an ancient custom of Carthage not to ignore anyone who has been treated unjustly

Question 11

What did the envoys of Rome realise about the meeting with Hannibal?

Answer 11

That there must be war.

Question 12

What did the envoys of Rome do after their meeting with Hannibal?

Answer 12

They sailed to Carthage to make the same protests to them. The protest being:
* To stay away from Saguntum
* Not to cross the River Ebro

Question 13

Who was Livy?

Answer 13

A Roman historian writing at the end of the first century
His Histories cove the foundation of Rome through to the Civil War and the creation of the Empire
Aimed to celebrate the glory of Rome
Portrays Hannibal as the villain, but has a gruding respect for him

Flaws:

• His poor geography
• His aristocratic prejudices
• He simplifies and exaggerates the wars

Uses other sources from Polybius, and claims his are more accurate
Used sources that no longer exist

Question 14

Where were the Romans planning on having their base in the case of war?
Did it ever come to fruition?

Answer 14

• Saguntum, Spain
• It never came to be because Hannibal took the war to Italy

Question 15

What does Livy have wrong with the geography?

Answer 15

Hannibal travels in the wrong direction after crossing the Rhone

Question 16

Which Roman leaders does Livy have a prejudice against?
Which does he praise?

Answer 16

• He attacks Flaminius and Varro
• He likes Paullus and Sempronius

Question 17

What are the benefits of the problems that Livy has when writing?

Answer 17

It improves the story and creates a gripping tale

Question 18

Livy’s Siege of Saguntum

Answer 18

Fullest account
Authentically questionable as it uses first century siege tactics and lacks potential sources

Question 19

What is the differance between Livy’s and Polybius’ accounts of the Siege of Saguntum?

Answer 19

Polybius gives a simpler account

Question 20

How does Polybius say Hannibal defeated Saguntum?

Answer 20

Hannibal starved the people untill they surrendered

Question 21

Despite their differances, what does both Livy’s and Polybius’ account give an insight to?

Answer 21

How the ancient sources represented Hannibal’s leadership

Question 22

Describe Hannibal’s leadership in the siege of Saguntum

Answer 22

• Distributes money from selling slaves among men
• Works on the siege works
• Resilient, keeps up the siege despite wounds and failing to destroy the walls
• When Hannibal broke the walls, falarcia flaming javalin, inflict great casualties. Hannibal uses African miners to destroy the walls
• Built a fort inside the city
• Harsh terms: surrender wealth, arms, and settle in a new place, or women and children enslaved and men killed
• Saguntimes refuse, Hannibal sets fire to the city, and sells the valuables and survivors to fund his invasion of Rome
• Livy probably deliberately put Hannibal in a bad light. He takes pleasure in the suffering of others, and his men are mercenaries motivated by gold, not brave legionaries.

Question 23

What is a falarcia?
What damage could it do?

Answer 23

• A large javelin that had tar at the end which would be set alight
• It could pierce armour and set fire to enemys with it’s tip

Ah, ha!

Question 24

Why did the war not take place in Spain, but Italy?

Answer 24

Rome was already fighting Illyria
Hannibal’s swift defeat of Saguntum took eight months, and Rome’s preparations for war were not complete
Livy says the siege was shorter or began earlier.

Question 25

What did the Romans do after hearing the fate of Saguntum?

Answer 25

Immediately chose envoys and sent them to Carthage, telling them to hand Hannibal and his advisors over or war would be declared
The Carthagians declared Rome was the aggressor as it had seized Sicily and the Treaty of Ebro was between Rome and Hasdrubal, not Carthage

Question 26

Rome’s preparations after the fall of Saguntum and the declaration of war

Answer 26

Created six legions to travel to Iberia, Afria, and Sicily
Publius Cornelius Scipio was sent to attack Iberia.
Tiberius Sempronius LLongus was sent to attack Carthage and Sicily

Question 27

What reasons does Polybius give Hannibal for attacking Saguntum?

Answer 27

He says that Hannibal attacked Saguntum to seek revenge for the Romans capturing Sicily

Question 28

What do modern historians say why Polybius gave reasons for Hannibal attacking?

Answer 28

To make the reader accept Hannibal’s guilt in starting the war

Question 29

What does Polybius say about the Carthaginians before the war started?

Answer 29

• The bitterly resented their defeat in Sicily
• They were further provoked by the affair in Sardinia
• They didn’t like the size of the increased indemnity which they had finally been compelled to agree to pay
• They had subdued the greater part of Spain
• They were ready to sieze any opportunity that presented themselves for revenge againt Rome

Question 30

How was war decided?

Polybius

Answer 30

The chief Roman envoy pointed to his pocket and told the Carthaginian Council that in it he had both war and peace, and said he would leave them with whichver of the two they ordered him to leave with.
The lead Carthaginian ordered the Roman to decide.
The Roman chose war.
They then parted on the terms.

Question 31

How did the Carthaginian Council react to the Roman chosing war?

Polybius

Answer 31

They immediately shouted that they accepted it

Question 32

What did Hannibal do after securing victoy in Saguntum?

Answer 32

Readied himself for his march on Rome

Question 33

According to Polybius, where did Hannibal spend the early months of 218 BC?

Answer 33

New Carthage

Question 34

Hannibal’s preparations for war

Answer 34

Spent early months of 218 in New Carthage
Sent his Iberian soldiers home and passed control to his brother, Hasdrubal Barca
In the spring, Iberian soldiers were sent to Iberia to garrision the newly conquered cities there, so as to protect himself from revolution

Question 35

What did Hannibal tell Hasdrubal about how to rule Spain?

Answer 35

He was told how to organise the administration and the control of Spain.
Also what measures to take against the Romans while he was away.

Question 36

How did Hannibal ensure the safety of Africa?

Answer 36

He transported soldiers from Spain to Africa and from Africa to Spain, in order to secure the loyalty of both groups towards each other by such an arrangement.

Question 37

How does Polybius claim that he has proof that Hannibal made the move to secure both Africa and Spain?

Answer 37

He argues that he found a bronze tablet in Cape Lacinium set up by Hannibal, which included a detailed list of where soldiers were sent during the Second Punic War

Question 38

How did Hannibal form alliances with the Celtic tribes he would encounter while travelling through Gaul?

Answer 38

He sent spies and messengers

Question 39

What did Hannibal wait for after organising all the measures for the security of Africa and Spain?

Answer 39

Messengers from the Celts

Question 40

What information did Hannibal gain about the foot of the Alps and around the River Po?

Answer 40

• The number of people
• The people’s bravery in war
• The people’s hatred for the Romans

Question 41

What else were the spies from Hannibal most likely doing?

Answer 41

Scouting the route for suitable battlefields, should the Romans attack

Question 42

Name a Gaulish tribe Hannibal had a strong alliance with?

Answer 42

The Boii, led by Magilius, who had sucured the support of his warriors to march on Rome

Question 43

How did Rome’s attempts to secure the allies in Iberia go?

Answer 43

They were less successful

Question 44

What did the Volciani say to the Roman ambassadors?

Answer 44

They had no intention of betraying Carthage

Question 45

Quote what the leader of the Volciani stated:

Answer 45

To the Spanish people the ruins of Saguntum area fierce warning … no-one should trust the honour of the Romans

Question 46

Effects of Boii support for Carthage

Answer 46

Attacked Fourth Legion
Cornelius Scipio sends a large section of the army with his deputy, then asks the Senate for a new legion

The setbacks gave Carthage an advantage.
Hannibal (according to Livy after a dream) set off over the Ebro, making his way north despite some fierce resistance from Iberian cities north of the Ebro.

Question 47

Hannibal’s army upon setting off

Answer 47

90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry

Question 48

Crossing the Pyrenees

Answer 48

Trouble free
Left 10,000 men to control northern Iberia and, if necessary, to provide reinforcments, reducing his army to 80,000
The tribes had been paid off, and most remained neutral

Question 49

Crossing the Rhone

Answer 49

Cornelius Scipio arrived in Massilia, surprised to hear that hannibal had reached the Rhone, searched for a battlefield

Polybius
Hannibal bought all the boats around and tied them together to create rafts
for his elephants
Livy
The elephants swam

As the Carthagians were finishing up, the Volcae set up camp across the river
Hanno took a small band and crossed the Rhone elsewhere.
Hannibal filled his cannoes with light infantry and cavalry.
The Volsae made their way to the river’s edge
Hanno sent a smoke signal, and the boats raced across the water. The Volscae raced them to the water’s edge.
Hanno took the camp and attacked the Volscae from behind, trapping them. The Volscae fled

Question 50

Crossing the Alps reasons

Answer 50

Rome had control of the Mediterranean
More dangerous transporting an army by sea in the autumn than using the Alps
Bots had to sail close the coast, and weather conditions would risk the entire army
Hannibal would invade Rome and cut off her allies
Hoped to create a supply line from Iberia over the Alps
Hoped to convince the Celts in Italy to fight with him
Revolt would make it easier for him to force Rome to accept a peace treaty giving control of the Mediterranean to Carthage

Question 51

Hannibal’s conference at the foot of the Alps

Answer 51

Before crossing the Alps, Hannibal introduced his troops to Megilus who encouraged him to concentrate upon invading Italy. He would guide them through the Alps

Polybius says that after the Celts had said what they would Hannibal begged his troops to obey him and reminded them they always won under his command, and that they had crossed the Rhone and had willing allies

Question 52

Authenticity of Polybius

Answer 52

Perhaps had information from Carthagian forces
Some historians believe he read about the crossing from Sosylus of Lacedaemon, who was said to have travlled with Hannibal and wrote the lost book The Deeds of Hannibal
He could have interviewed Numidians who fought for Hannibal
Some doubt the authenticity of those interviewed, as tey could exaggerate their stories

Question 53

The Allobrogian tribes

Answer 53

The Island, a fertile area, was Hannibal’s first stop in the Alps. Helped Brancus against his brother for tribal leadership, then received guides and supplies from Brancus

Hannibal began his ascent
Allobrogian tribesmen positioned their troops along the pass Hannibal’s army would have to climb
Hannibal was informed that the Allobrogian soldiers only guarded it in the day.
Hannibal camped atthe base of the pass, and at night led a small force to take the Barbarian positions at the end of the pass. Began to cautiosly move his pack animals toward the exit. The Allobrogians returned and attacked upon seeing the struggling pack animals, causing panic
Hannibal moved to the front of the pass, took control of his troops, and attacked from the high ground.
He drove them back to their town and sacked it, taking their provisions and scaring the other tribes into avoiding conflict.

Question 54

Second tribe attack while crossing the Alps

Answer 54

Livy and Polybius agree on the general course of events
The tribe claimed loyalty, offering gifts and hostages, Hannibal cautiously accepted, letting them guide his army for the next stage.
He placed his pack animals at the front again and his heavy infantry to the rear, saving him from a massacre
The barbarians were a few miles ahead above a pass. They threw boulders onto animals, as well as close quarters from front and rear. losses were not as bad as they could have been as the army had been weary of their guides Hannibal retreated to higher ground with most of his army
The following day the barbarians retreated, taking most of Hannibal’s supplies and Hannibal rejoined his cavalry and continued on

Question 55

Final ascent and descent of the Alps

Answer 55

Polybius and Livy mostly agree
Tribes attacked occasionally but not often
Ninth day Hannibal camped at the top of the Alps to allow the survivors to catch up, some of the pack animals reached them on their own
On the eleventh day, with morale almost gone, he brought his army together and showed them Italy in the distance, telling them they had allies there and it would be a gentle stroll down.

The descent was treacherous, many fell to their deaths, and a landslide blocked the path. Hannibal tried a detour, but it was impossible due to the ice. He made camp and ordered his men to rebuild the path and create a track
According to Livy, the landslide merey blocked the path and Hannibal cleared it with wine and fire
Polybius claims that the column at Lacinium told him that after crossing he had 6,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry and thirty seven elephants. The last fifteen days of his five month journey had been the worst

Question 56

Hannibal’s leadership in the Alps

Answer 56

The alps cost Hannibal between 18,000 and 36,000 soldiers and many horses
This caused dejection
Hannibal had to interfere several times

Polybius
Before mobilising for war with Cornelius Scipio, he rested a for a few days
The Taurini tribe had not allied with him, so he attacked and killed anyone who refused to surrender
Caused fear among the other tribes and encouraged them to support Hannibal, it also raised the spirits of Hannibal’s army

Question 57

Before the battle of Ticinus

Answer 57

Cornelius Scipio and Hannibal were psotioned near Ticinus, a tributary of the river Po
Both armies were exhausted, the Romans had sailed from Gaul and marched from Rome
The Carthagians had come from Iberia and crossed the Alps, but were supported by fresh Celtic troops

Question 58

The Battle of Ticinus

Answer 58

• November 218 BC
• Inconclusive
• Large raiding parties sent to spy on each other
• Both generals judged their meeting to be an excellent opportunity to gain and advantage and engaged
• Hannibal’s cavalry were evenly matched wtih Rome’s horse and velites
• Hannibal promised tax-free land, citizenship to his allies, and freedom to the slaves that fought for him
• Polybius tells us Hannibal’s flexibility and leadership gave him the advantage
• Cornelius Scipio sends his troops in at a slow advance, Hannibal closes the gap, and the velites are left unable to throw their javelins, they flee, causing confusion among the Roman army
• The Romans regroup when their cavalry draw the Numidians away, but the Numidians outflank the Roman cavalry and the Romans dismount to escape the trap.
• Cornelius Scipio is injured and the future Scipio Africanus saves his father
• Cornelius orders his men to retreat beyond the Po

Question 59

Effects of the Battle of Ticinus

Answer 59

Gauls were encouraged by Hannibal, and those who had fought for Scipio killed 2,200 Roman soldiers as they slept, cutting off their heads. They then marched to Hannibal’s campe and asked to join him. Hannibal, not trusting traitors, decided to send them around northern Italy looking for other allies for him

Question 60

The lead up to the battle of Trebia

Answer 60

Scipio waits for Sempronius to bring reinforcements.
On their way, Sempronius’ troops surprise a small detechment of Hannibal’s cavalry
Scipio wanted to wait, Polybius says he believed the Carthagians would lose the Celts over the winter
The Roman troops were not battle hardened and Rome did not need a fight, Hannibal did
Sempronius, wanted a victory for personal gain, as his consul ship was nearly out
Confident after defeating the small force, Sempronius prepared to fight. Hannibal saw the opportunity
Livy describes his preparation
Hannibal found a suitable spot to hide a portion of his army
He told Mago to get him 100 infantry and 100 cavalry, then told each intantry and cavalryman to find nine more as tough as themselves
Under nightfall they were to hide from the Roman army so they could attack from behind

Question 62

The Battle of Trebia

Answer 62

Hannibal’s Numidian cavalry use missiles on the guardposts of Sempronius, and then retreat once they were sure the Romans would follow. Hannibal ordered this to happen before the Romans breakfasted
Sempronius followed. The Roman army froze in the river, and tired due to lack of food
Hannibal had ordered his ment to eat well and cover themselves in oil.
Hannibal’s army had also grown. He now had tem tjpisamd jprse amd tjortu sevem elephants flanking his 28,000 footsoldiers
Livy gives a dramatic battle, Polybius goes through the strategic maneouvers
As soon as the Roman army reached Hannibal’s front line, the Numidians turn round and attack.
Sempronius suffers significant losses and retreats
Hannibal’s cavalry and elephants attack the Roman cavalry, and the horses flee
Hannibal brings in Mago, allowing the Roman infantry to push his infantry back, allowing the Romans to pass Mago’s position, and Mago attacks
Hannibal’s Carthagians stop retreating
The exhausted Roman army is surrounded and break formation and flee into the river.
Hannibal orders a massacre. Sempronius’ 10,000 principes escape by punching through the centre and escaping to Piacenza. Rome’s allies and velites are massacred

Question 63

Aftermath of Trebia

Answer 63

Hannibal had won using psycological warfare and he won the support of the Gauls
Hannibal increased pressure on Rome’s allies
All captured Gauls were freed. He reminded them that he was only interested in conquering Rome and if they joined him they would be fighting for their freedom.

Question 64

Lead up to the Battle of Trasimene

Answer 64

Winter stopped Hannibal taking advnatage of Trebia
The Roman commanders set up in two nearby cities.
The winter in the country killed all but one elephant
Rome created four new legions, and two new consuls: Gaius Flaminius and Gnaeus Servilius.
They reogranised the defences and created a large fleet to keep control of the sea
Servillius replaced Scipio and Flaminius used what remained of Sempronius’ army to protect Rome
Hannibal’s spies kept him up to date, and he learned Flaminius was a weak general, but he was popular, with great speeches about how he would swiftly bring victory

Question 65

Preparations for Trasimene

Answer 65

As the main routes are defended, Hannibal marches through marshland to surprise Flaminius
Polybius describes the problems with dealing with his celtic allies and crossing the marshes
They marched for four days and three nights non stop, and many Celts died. Hannibal, riding his last elephant, lost an eye from infection.
He arrived a few miles from Flaminius’ camp at Arretium, having cut the consul off from Rome and given him the advantage of surprise.
Servillius was some way away
Hannibal could march on Rome

Question 66

Making Flaminus attack

Answer 66

Hannibal marched his army in front of Flaminius’s camp, and burned the countryside between the camps. Flaminius lost his temper, refusing to listen to his officers, and gave a rousing speech (which Polybius says made the camp followers outnumber the soldiers), before setting off.
Flaminius feared what people would say about him, and so would not paitently wait for Servilius to join him.

Question 67

Hannibal’s set up at Trasimene

Answer 67

Hills on one side, lake on the other, with a steep hill at the end
Set up a false camp
Some infantry positined there to make it look like he had taken a wrong turn
Cavalry hidden beyond the entrance to the pass. Behind them he placed the rest of his troops to trap the Romans against the lake.

Question 68

Battle of Trasimene

Answer 68

Fogg day
Roman army marched into the pass, and as it passed the Numidian cavalry, the Carthagians attacked from all sides
Flaminius was killed by a group of Celts
Many Roman soldiers ran into the lake, making it easier for the cavalry to kill them.
Over 15,000 Romans died
Six thousand fought their way to the Carthagian camp, but there was nothing there, so they reached higher ground and turned round, realising the battle was lost, and marched on.
Maharbal and his cavlary rounded them up, and they wer e sold as slaves.
hannibal lost 2,500 men, mostly Celts
The defeat caused panic in Rome, and a dictator was appointed

Question 69

Quintus Fabius Maximus

Answer 69

Dictator appointed after Trasimene, adopted the Fabian strategy to frustrate Hannibal by never engaging in battle

Question 70

Statistics for the Battle of Cannae

Answer 70

216BC
Rome had 40,000 infantry and 2,400 horsemen, plus many allies
Hannibal had arrouned 35,000 men and 10,000 horsemen
Fabius had restricted Hannibal’s reaids and left Hannibal with low supplies
While the legions were assembling Hannibal siezed the supply depot of Cannae, giving him the advantage to feed his men and control the surrounding area

Question 71

Battle of Cannae

Answer 71

Livy mentions that Varro won a victory against a small group of Carthagians
This gave him confidence, and like Sempronius, pushed for action.
Polybies tells us the consuls set up camp on the Aufidus river, six miles from Hannibal
Paullus was cautious for action and Varro wanted it, but despite Hannibal drawing up his lines, the Romans did not move as Paullus was in command that day – even when the Numidians rode up to the Roman camp
The next day Varro crossed the river and prepared for battle.

Hannibal lines up his infantry in small units with slingers behind. He placed himself at the front to manage his army
Behind him in the centre he placed his Iberian Celtic troops. On the two wings he placed his experienced African infantry. Finally, he positioned his cavalry on each side of his army.

Question 72

Battle of Cannae

Answer 72

Cavalry crucial
Afte a close quarter head on cavalry battle, the Romans retreated and the infantry began
Hannibal knew the Roman infantry were stronger than his
He let his infantry retreat in a concave formation, slowly drawing the Romans into a trap.
The African infantry on the sides did not retreat and attacked the now exposed Roman flanks, slaughtering many.
500 Numidian cavalry pretended to desert and were sent to the back of the Roman army. From their they drew hidden swords and attacked the Romans from behind
As the Numidians were not fighting well, Hannibal sent them to hunt down the retreating Romans.
According to Livy, 20,000 Romans and 20,000 allies died, including Paullus, Sempronius, and Servilius.
Polybius suggests 70,000 Romans died, but historians prefer Livy, who probably based it off Fabius Pictor’s figures, a veteran from the war with Hannibal

Question 73

Did Hannibal take advantage of Cannae?

Answer 73

Hannibal had defeated 16 legions, and 80,00 Roman allies
Rome had lost 1/5 of its male population
Capua and other southern cities joined Hannibal, and Syracuse declared war on Rome.
Livy says Cannae was his biggest mistake
Marharbal tried to convince him to march on Rome, but Hannibal found it too optamistic and decided to wait to think on it. That day’s delay, according to Rome, cost Hannibal the war

Hannibal stuck to his strategy:
Defeat the legions
Encourage Italian cities to side with him
Enforce a victory peace on Rome

Livy tells us after Cannae Rome showed no sign of wanting to negotiate.
Carthalo, a Carthagian ambassador, led a delegation to Rome demanding a truce. The Senate refused and ordered mobilisation of all men to prepare for war in defence of Rome

Question 74

Hannibal’s campaign after Capua

Answer 74

Strategy to isolate Rome and win over allies in Southern Italy, slowly removing Rome’s army and wealth
After Cannae, Hannibal had a successful policy. Sicily revolted, Philip V of Macedon and Hannibal signed an alliance in215, leading to the First Macedonian War
Alliance of Greek city states in southern Italy, including Arpi, Herdonia, Capua, and Tarentum in 212
Capua was the second largest city in Italy, the people wanted to replace Rome, and it gave access to rfresh troops and a harbour
Independant Gaul in northern Italy

Question 76

215-212

Answer 76

Great success, 215-212, but frustrated due to Rome’s defencive strategy
Marcus Claudius Marcellus prevented Hannibal taking Nola
Hanno the Elder brought a Carthagian army into southern army, but it was destroyed by 212

Question 77

212

Answer 77

Tarentum was his ally, Rome abandoned the siege of Capua, enabling new Numidian cavalry to joing Hannibal, and Hannibal massacred the Romans at Silarus and Herdonia

Question 78

After 212

Answer 78

After 212 he suffered set backs.
Livy’s account of his siege of Rome in 211 suggests his confidence was waning, extreme weather prevented him attacking the walls, and he thought the gods were against him.
Attacking Rome led to unrest in his army (Livy)

Hanno the Elder, leading Capua’s defence, tried to ask Hannibal to abandon Rome
And the proconsuls proclaimed no one who switched sides after a certain date would be harmed. The Numidian Heralds, who agreed to take the message were captured by Rome and tortured. Capua fell
Hannibal had failed to convicne the Romans to abandon Capua by attacking Rome, and he had lost a powerful ally.
209, Marcellus Fabius seized Tarentum. Hannibal lost an important ally.
He hoped his brother Hasdrubal would provide reinforcements by coming through the Alps, but he was killed in battle and his head thrown into Hannibal’s camp
Mago was defeated in Iberia and tried to reinforce, but was trapped in the north. Both were recalled to Carthage when Scipio Africanus took Iberia.

Question 79

Carthage loses Iberia

Answer 79

Spring 217 Rome had taken control of the Iberian seas: Hasdrubal Barca planned a secret naval attack up Rome’s base north of the Ebro, but the Roman navy was ready and destroyed his navy. His defeat encouraged Iberian cities to join Rome
Hasdrubal was dragged into an Iberian War. Dictator Fabius Maximus sent Publius Cornelius Scipio to support the Rebels and reinforce Rome
Hasdrubal’s new armies did not want to fight
Victory for over Rome would involve marching into Iberi. Rome gained more allies in Iberia than Hannibal in Italy, and Hannibal was dependant on allies
216BC, Hasdrubal defeated at the Battle of the RIver Ebro. Carthage’s Senate panicked as it relied on Iberia’s silver mines.
Mago was sent to defend the mines, rather than reinforce Hannibal.
Carthage never recaptured Iberia
Africanus was sent in 210 BC, and he captured New Carthage and drove Carthage’s forces out of Iberia by 205 BC.