Battle of Zama
202 BCE · North Africa (Tunisia)
The Battle of Zama was fought in 202 BCE in North Africa (Tunisia) between Roman Republic and Numidian allies vs Carthage; decisive Roman victory that ended the Second Punic War.
Battle of Zama: quick facts
- Date
- 202 BCE
- Location
- North Africa (Tunisia)
- Belligerents
- Roman Republic and Numidian allies vs Carthage
- Commanders
- Scipio Africanus and Masinissa vs Hannibal
- Result
- decisive Roman victory that ended the Second Punic War.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Zama?
Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal Barca in a battle that ended the Second Punic War and established Rome as the dominant Mediterranean power. Scipio neutralized Hannibal's war elephants by opening lanes in the Roman formation, then used superior cavalry to envelop the Carthaginian army. It was the only major battle Hannibal ever lost, and it sealed Carthage's fate.
Did you know?
At Zama, Scipio ordered his men to open lanes in their formation so Hannibal's war elephants would charge harmlessly through the gaps. The trick worked, and the elephants panicked from trumpet blasts.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Zama on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.