Hannibal Barka combines in his fate the role of a winner and a kind of vanquished. The name of this great personality is surrounded by multiple conjectures and legends. Who is Hannibal? This is an outstanding commander of his era. He went down in world history as a serious rival to powerful Rome, against which he managed to wage a successful war for fifteen years, while away from Carthage.
Roman authors and historians have written a lot about him, representing the side of the enemy. And they paid tribute to him as a commander whose martial art was often based on personal heroism. Who is Hannibal in history: winner or loser?
He was the son of Hamilcar Barki and came from the ancient Carthaginian trade and aristocratic family of Barkida, which gave history to many famous political figures and commanders. Rod originated from one of the companions of the founder of Carthage - the legendary Queen of Dido. The Barkids in Spain had a special influence.
Hannibal Barka (247-183gg. BC) is the most famous representative of the Barkid clan. Being the first-born in the family, he was destined, according to the ancient custom of the Punians, to sacrifice to the god Baal. But Hamilkar Barka replaced his son with the child of a slave, and Hannibal was transported to Iberia and only years later returned back to Carthage. He was raised as the implacable enemy of a longtime enemy - Rome - and even made an oath before the altar all his life to fight a powerful rival.
It is worth noting that the father and son played a prominent role in the struggle between Carthage and Rome. It became a kind of natural conclusion to all the previous development of the Western Mediterranean countries.
Hannibal participated in military campaigns in Spain, led by his father, in the conquest of the Iberian tribes. In 221 BC he was proclaimed commander in chief of the army of Carthage. Attacking the city of Sagunt in 219, he actually provoked a
second Punic War. In 218 BC e. his invasion of the lands of Italy inflicted several defeats on the enemy, including the most significant of them - at Cannes. But the Romans, seizing the initiative, went on the offensive in Spain and Africa. Carthage was forced to turn to Hannibal for help. Called to Africa, he was defeated at Zam, which entailed the conclusion of peace with Rome.
There is practically no exact information about what Hannibal did in the years after the signing of the contract. It is known that he was brought to trial, accusing him of appropriation of military booty, and also that Rome was not occupied with him. However, in the eyes of the people, Hannibal, despite the defeat, continued to be considered a national hero. Also, there were no punishments for “crimes” because of the strong influence of the Barkids. In addition, Carthage needed a commander who could keep a mercenary army. He was also appointed to the post of senior official of Carthage - the suffet. Due to his reform against the oligarchs, it was possible to pay indemnities to Rome.
With this action, he made himself many enemies. He was accused of anti-Roman sentiments, in secret conspiracies with Antiochus III - the king of Syria - with the aim of starting a war with Rome. The Senate called Hannibal to account, but he did not appear before the Council of Elders. Having foreseen the situation, the commander sailed allegedly with an important mission to the Seleucid Empire in Tire.
In 186 BC e. he manages to move to Prussia, to the king of Bithynia, who was subsequently demanded to surrender to Barki. Probably, having served himself before the Romans, he betrayed Hannibal. Not wanting to surrender to the enemy’s hands, the commander accepted the poison, which was stored in the ring just in case and was always with him.
There is a lot of discussion: was Barca a national hero, so great was his merit in the fight against Rome, what is his place in history, who is Hannibal? First of all, he was a brilliant commander. Among the outstanding strategists of antiquity: Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Scipio and others - Hannibal also took his place. The commander, who was named by the military historian Theodore Iro Dodge "the father of strategy." Even his sworn enemies borrowed many elements of military art from him. Modern historians, along with the Romans, pay tribute to his maneuvers, cunning, the reliability of intelligence and personal courage.
Few people will not answer the question of who Hannibal is. A man whose name inspired incredible fear in the Romans. The glorified expression "Hannibal ante portas", meaning "Hannibal at the gates", became a winged expression in Rome. That it will sound during the uprising of Spartacus as the personification of fear and danger of taking the city.
Hannibal is a
great commander who shared the hardships and dangers of war with his warriors. He never ordered others to do what he could not do personally. This alone won him considerable authority both among the Carthaginian army and among the enemy soldiers.
This is the largest strategist of his time, who made a significant contribution to the development of world military art. His ability to correctly characterize the military-political situation, to carefully organize reconnaissance, care for the rear of the army, supply bases, an in-depth study of the theater of operations, and ensuring the long-term transitions of his troops was also highly appreciated by modern historians.
The basis of his army was the ground forces, and maneuverable African cavalry - the main striking force. Skillful use of the terrain, surprise, excellent knowledge of the tactics of your opponent, bold maneuvers and a decisive blow on the battlefield are the main features of Hannibal’s tactics, most pronounced in the Battle of Cannes. An example of the encirclement of the largest enemy forces on two flanks and its complete destruction became the crown of the military art of the brilliant commander, who was highly praised by his irreconcilable enemies at one time.
Ring poison interrupted the life of the greatest personality in history. Later, Cicero will utter words that the fellow citizens of Hannibal expelled him, and that our enemy is glorified in memory and scriptures. Indeed, it is surprising that it was in the writings of the Romans that the memory of Hannibal Bark was preserved for posterity.