Hannibal's War: Battles of the Second Punic War

The war in brief

The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BCE) was fought between Rome and Carthage, and is remembered for Hannibal's march over the Alps and three crushing victories in Italy. At the Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae he destroyed Roman armies in successive years, and Cannae became the model of the double envelopment. Rome survived by refusing further pitched battles, taking Syracuse, and stopping Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal at the Metaurus before he could bring reinforcements. Scipio then carried the war to Africa and beat Hannibal at Zama, using the lessons of Cannae against their author. Read in order, the battles show how a war can be won by the side that loses its greatest battles.