Second Punic War

The Second Punic War was fought between Rome and Carthage from 218 to 201 BCE, chiefly in Italy and Spain. Hannibal invaded Italy, but Rome ultimately prevailed.

Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps: Hannibal’s 218 BCE passage across the Alps brought his army from Iberia into Italy. This risky route carried the war into Italy and made Hannibal’s campaign possible.
First Punic War: A war between Rome and Carthage from 264 to 241 BCE, fought largely over Sicily. Its outcome left Carthage seeking power and resources beyond Sicily.
Hannibal: A Carthaginian general who led an invasion of Italy and defeated several Roman armies during the Second Punic War. His Italian campaign defined the war’s most celebrated and dangerous phase.
Roman hegemony: The dominance of Rome over other states and peoples through military, political, and diplomatic power. Victory over Carthage accelerated Rome’s rise beyond the western Mediterranean.
Battle of Cannae: A 216 BCE battle in which Hannibal encircled and destroyed a much larger Roman army. The defeat exposed Rome to catastrophic losses without forcing its surrender.
Treaty of Lutatius: The 241 BCE treaty that ended the First Punic War and required Carthage to evacuate Sicily and pay indemnities. Its settlement deepened tensions that the later war would bring to a head.
Hasdrubal Barca: A Carthaginian general and Hannibal’s brother who fought in Iberia and later tried to reinforce him in Italy. His failed march from Iberia prevented Hannibal from receiving major reinforcements.
Carthaginian indemnity: The large financial payments imposed on Carthage by the peace settlement ending the war. The indemnity burdened Carthage and constrained its ability to wage another war.
Fabian strategy: A strategy of avoiding decisive battles while wearing down an enemy through delay and attrition. Fabius used delay to limit Hannibal’s advantage after Rome’s early defeats.
Barcid Spain: The Carthaginian sphere of control in Iberia built by the Barcid family in the late third century BCE. Carthage’s Iberian expansion supplied the power base for Hannibal’s campaign.

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