THE 2nd PUNIC WAR

  1. Significant Events between the two Wars
    1. The Roman seize Sardinia and Corsica, a flagrant violation of the peace agreement.
    2. The injustice of these actions aroused considerable anger at Carthage (hardly surprising) and certainly contributed to the renewal of the war.
    3. The development of Spain
      1. To compensate for the losses of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica, the Carthaginians resolved to develop their limited holdings in southern Spain. Hamilcar Barca led an expeditionary force to New Carthage and was remarkably successful, both economically and politically.
      2. In Italy
        1. The Romans secured their northern frontiers by a series of major campaigns against the Gauls and extended the hegemony to the Alps. Battle of Telamon, 225.
        2. At the request of the trading (largely Greek) allies of Italy, they also took action against Adriatic pirates. …and come into contact with Macedonia.
  2. The Outbreak and Course of the 2nd Punic War
    1. The facts:
      1. In 226, the Roman secure a commitment from the Carthaginians "not to cross the Ebro River in arms".
      2. In 223, the people of Saguntum, beset by factional strife, appealed variously to Rome and Carthage for assistance. Rome eventually admitted Saguntum (which lies south of the Ebro) into her "fides".
      3. In 221, Rome resolves an internal dispute by siding with the weaker faction, the other one appeals to Carthage and Hannibal (who has succeeded his father) besieges the city. Roman envoys demand he withdraw; Hannibal denies their standing.
      4. In 219, Saguntum falls; Rome had sent no aid. Romans demand Hannibal be sent for punishment; Carthage refuses, offers war or peace; Rome chooses war.
    2. The causes: The theory of Polybius on historical causation
      1. Proximate or Immediate Causes
      2. Real or Underlying Causes
      3. The Initiating Event
    3. The course of the war: see textbook for details. Note that Hannibal marches on Italy with about 26,000 men.
      1. 218-216: an unbroken series of major victories for Hannibal over the Romans. Many Gauls do go over to H., but the Italian allies all remain faithful to alliance.  Battle of Trasimeno, Cannae
      2. 216-207: The Romans employ "Fabian" tactics in Italy; taxes doubled. Alliance of Philip of Macedon and Carthage against Rome (215). Roman gradually successful in Spain (secured in 207). Siege of Syracuse (213-11). Hannibal approaches Rome but allies remain loyal (211).
      3. 207-202: Hasdrubal, bringing reinforcements to Hannibal defeated at Metaurus (207). The war carried successfully to Africa and Carthage is defeated by Scipio in 202 at Zama.
    4. Terms of surrender
      1. Carthage loses Spain, her fleet and is forced to pay a heavy indemnity
      2. Rome denies her the right to make war without permission; otherwise, she remains free and autonomous.
      3. Massinissa, a Numidian chieftain and Roman ally in war, is given all the land ever claimed by his ancestors..
    5. The nature of the Roman success
      1. The figures of Hannibal and Scipio dominate the history of this period and with good reason (see Polybius on their characters).
      2. Related, and equally important, was the perseverance shown by the Romans in face of the continuing defeats and stalemates. No state in central Italy went over to the enemy; indeed, heavy taxation was willingly paid and manpower losses repeatedly made good.
    6. The consequences of the Roman victory
      1. The Roman senate had, during the course of the long war, assumed a leadership role quite out of proportion to its constitutional responsibilities. The leadership had been effective, but it altered the balance of power in the state producing, eventually, a constitutional crisis.
      2. Rome becomes the unchallenged political force in the Mediterranean and remains so for the next 600 years. Implications?
  3. Events in the West until 146 B.C.
    1. Problem Areas
      1. Northern Italy/Po Valley: The Gauls, who had abandoned their alliance with Rome had to be pacified and re-incorporated.
      2. Liguria (roughly from Genoa to Turin and west to Aix-en-Provence and Nice), namely Hannibal's route to Italy, was brought under Roman control.
      3. Spain, the source of Hannibal's resources in material and manpower could not be ignored or left in a power vacuum. Rome assumes then direct rule of the area.
    2. Methods of Control --already perfected in Italy
      1. Colonies founded in Placentia, Parma, Genua Spezia, Italica and Gracchuris.
      2. Roads built including the viae Aurelia (west coast of Italy), Flaminia (through central Italy), the Domitia (to Spain through southern France), Aemilia (across the Po Valley)
      3. Spain: Roman fought continuously in this area from 215 down to 15 B.C.
        1. Originally divided into two provinces, Nearer and Further Spain, and governed by two newly created praetors.
        2. Reasons for continuous warfare
          1. Roman maladministration.
          2. Unrest in the interior, beyond the frontiers of the provinces, forced Rome to further conquests in order to pacify what she already had.
          3. Lack of decisive battles; guerrilla warfare dominated.