Second Punic War Hannibal Research Paper

While the Carthaginian government make some valid points in their explanation of the blame for the Second Punic War Hannibal. Both they and Hannibal can be seen to share the responsibility for Carthage’s defeat in the Second Punic War. Hannibal’s quixotic plot to attack Rome without a veritable intention to destroy her left Carthage stranded in a war that would ultimately turn against her. However, the circumstances and misfortunes faced in a war on foreign soil against the might of Rome can at times be seen as beyond Hannibal’s control.

Hannibal’s overall war strategy in Italy, or lack thereof, can be seen as a strong contributing factor to Carthage’s ultimate defeat in the Second Punic War. Livy describes, “Hannibal…without orders from the senate, crossed both the Alps and the Ebro.” Demonstrating his defiance of Carthaginian Government’s ambitions against Rome. Ultimately, Hannibal sought not to destroy Rome but to “create a balance of power with [her]” according to Fronda. This is to suggest that rather than conquer Rome, Hannibal wanted to be on the same playing field in order to deny them the opportunity to claim hegemony over the Mediterranean. The content of the Macedonian–Carthaginian Treaty further evidences Hannibal’s lack of intention to destroy Rome as, in multiple sections, it discusses how Rome will be treated and acknowledges their
Historians tend to depict Fabius’s victory over Hannibal as a combination of his own strategic thinking as well as some degree of luck. Hannibal cannot be held directly responsible for Carthage’s loss to Rome in the Second Punic War. Even Roman sources acknowledge that Hannibal was ill equipped and underfunded to seriously threaten the city of Rome, it would be irresponsible for historians not to consider the Carthaginian situation as a