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biography
pronunciation:
[hanibl]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (247–182 BC)
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| biography:
| Carthaginian general and statesman, the son of Hamilcar Barca. As a child, his father made him swear eternal enmity to Rome. He served in Spain under Hamilcar and Hasdrubal (his brother-in-law), and as general brought most of S Spain under his authority (221–219 BC). In the Second Punic War (218–202 BC), he completely wrong-footed the Romans by his bold and unexpected invasion of Italy from the N (with elephants), and thus inflicted a series of heavy defeats on them - at the Ticinus, the R Trebia (218 BC), L Trasimene (217 BC), and Cannae (216 BC). Failure to win over Rome's allies in Italy, plus lack of support from Carthage, severely hampered him, and Rome was still undefeated when he was recalled to Africa in 203 BC to face the invading army of Scipio. Decisively defeated at Zama (202 BC), he turned in the post-war years to political reform; but this raised such opposition that he voluntarily exiled himself, first to Syria, then Crete and finally Bithynia, where he committed suicide to avoid Roman capture. |
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