PUNIC WARSUnit 7

Four Phases of Roman Republic Warfare:

1. Hand to Hand Combat – Founded by Romulus

2. 500s B.C. – Greek Phalanx

3. Samnite Wars (300s B.C. ) – Maniple Legions

4. 100s B.C. – Removed Property Qualifications (FULL time professional army)

ROMAN MILITARY ADVANCEMENTS

The conflict was called the "Punic War" because Rome's name for Carthaginians was Punici (older Phoenici, due to their Phoenician ancestry).

Why “Punic” Wars?

ROMAN ARMY’S TRANSITION Greek Phalanx

What were its advantages? Disadvantages?

HINT….think guerilla warfare

MANIPLE SYSTEM: “A phalanx with joints”

Much more mobile Layered by experience Poor in the front, wealthier

in the back (usually)

Based on “time-release” freshness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJPq9sIOsuE

ROMAN GLORIFICATION OF VICTORYAlmost unlimited

manpower

Ferocity in battle, generous in defeat

Plunder and Triumphs

Controlled individual ambition

Displayed wealth of the conquered city

Sometimes used as a political stepping-stone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGYI1UHK5jM

Julius Caesar’s “Gallic Triumph” over Vercingetorix and the Gauls in 45 B.C.

CAESAR’S TRIUMPH

Mediterranean power

Controlled N. Africa, Spain and other Mediterranean islands

At her height, had power over 3-4 million subjects

Dominated the sea with their advanced Navy

CARTHAGE

FIRST PUNIC WAR

Punic Wars Overview

Begin at :50

CREATIVE ASSEMBLY VIDEO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbBHk_zLTmY

THE FIRST PUNIC WAR

THE FIRST PUNIC WAR264-241 B.C.

Rome is dominating Italy But, what don’t they have…?

Accepts a treaty with Carthage But, it didn’t last….

Issue over the straits of Messana, Mamertines appealed to Carthage, then appealed to Rome What were some of the

reasons Rome would choose to go to war?

“A gang of ex-mercenaries turned brigands seized Messana to exploit it people and its natural resources for its own enrichment. Faced under the threat of falling under the domination of Hiero of Syracuse and losing their privileged status, the Mamertines turned to the Carthaginians for help. Soon finding their arrangement unsatisfactory, they invited the Romans to help them instead. The Romans had recently recovered one of their own cities, Regium from a similar band of adventurers whom they considered so reprehensible that they had taken them to Rome for public execution. But in spite of this, they accepted the Mamertines invitation and occupied Messana. The temptation to acquire a foothold in Sicily and secure the straits in the face of Carthaginian unpreparedness clearly overcame all moral considerations It was an example of blatant opportunism. Though they greatly underestimated the consequences, the Romans had the muscle and they used it.”

Sir Nigel Bagnall, The Punic Wars

THE FIRST PUNIC WAR IN A NUTSHELL

THE FIRST PUNIC WAR Rome is winning on land, but losing on the sea…

So, they take a land battle to the sea!

Rome captures a Carthaginian quinquereme and copy it They make 100 in only 60 days! They included the Roman “corvus”

Rome gained momentum, but disaster struck as they entered the African coast

Battle of the Aegadian islands (241 B.C.) finally destroyed a large Carthaginian fleet

Carthage ceded Sicily to Rome, Syracuse remained an independent ally of Rome

ROMAN CORVUS

1. What was the name of the man who led the Carthaginians against Rome in the Second Punic War?

2. In his offensive, he crossed what geographical landmark?

3. Who was the most successful Roman military commander in the Second Punic War? He was awarded the name “Africanus” following the war.

SECOND PUNIC WAR READING QUIZ

HAMILCAR BARCA275 – 228 B.C.

Very successful general of First Punic War

Resented Carthaginian Senate

HATED Rome

Father of Hannibal

PRELUDE TO SECOND PUNIC WAR

Rome has transformed to a Mediterranean juggernaut following the conflict

End of the “golden age” of Roman morality

Plundering and debauchery

New military class rules Rome

Hamilcar and the Barca family are building an independent empire in Spain

When confronted, Hamilcar told Rome that he was paying off war debts from First Punic War

Romans are too busy fighting the Gauls and the Illyrians to both with Hamilcar

BIG MISTAKE!!

PRELUDE TO SECOND PUNIC WAR228 B.C. Hamilcar drowns

crossing a river in Spain

Hasdrubal the Fair (son-in-law) takes over, establishes New Carthage

226 B.C. Rome and Carthage sign Ebro treatyEbro river is border

between the two

Saguntum (Roman ally) lays 100 miles South of river…..

PHASE 1

SECOND PUNIC WAR

SECOND PUNIC WAR221 B.C. - Hasdrubal the

Fair dies

Hannibal (Hamilcar’s eldest) take overVERY POPULARGrew up in the military

219 B.C. - Hannibal sieges Saguntum, they turn to Rome for help

Carthage declares war

Beginnings of the Second Punic War

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lf0-Yki5p40

SECOND PUNIC WAR

HANNIBAL’S TREK ACROSS THE ALPS• 218 B.C.

• Rome’s consuls:• Cornelius Scipio• Sempronius Longus

• Hannibal wants a DIRECT invasion of Italy!

• 90,000 infantry• About 50,000 by the time he

reached the Alps• 12,000 cavalry• 67 war elephants

• Exits with about 25,000 men

• Scipio heads back to the Po valley to defend themselves against the invasion

“Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Enemy”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1BKxeKtieM

18:15 – 29:00

BATTLE OF TICINUS November 218 B.C.

Mainly a cavalry engagement

Victory for Hannibal

Scipio is wounded in battle and is saved by his son Scipio Africanus (then only 18 years old)

IMPORTANCE:

Gauls begin to support Hannibal

Sempronius Longus travels back to Italy to support Scipio

BATTLE OF THE TREBIA December 218 B.C.

Sempronius Longus wants to fight Hannibal Why??

Hannibal sends cavalry out in the morning to attack the Roman camp Why?

Romans swim across the Trebia River

Romans are routed by Hannibal, fear an invasion of Rome

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQUKxSb5MxQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT_rev5VAQc

SECOND PUNIC WAR – PART THREE

BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE

June 217 B.C.

Marches through the Ambro marshesThis takes 4 days!

Gaius Flaminius is consul

Baited into a narrow pass

One of the most successful ambushes in military history

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGlo6QowOIM

QUINTUS FABIUS MAXIMUS

217 B.C.

Last official dictator of Rome

“Fabian tactics”What are these? Why did they

frustrate the Romans?

Romans call on Marcus Minucius Rufus

Hannibal spares Fabius’ landsWhy?

HANNIBAL’S ESCAPE

217 B.C.

Valley of Campana

Hannibal is heading to Capua, hoping to gain them as allies

8 passes, 5 occupied by Rome Rome blocked the other three passes

Oxen with torches

Hannibal escapes, Fabius is humiliated

Minucius becomes “co-dictator”…..

BATTLE OF CANNAE August 216 B.C.

Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gaius Terentius Varro are consuls Varro is VERY aggressive and wants

battle, Paulus is cautious of the Numidian cavalry

Varro ditches the maniple system condenses his forces

Hannibal puts his weakest men in the center and baits the Romans into his trap….

Rome is outflanked and the Numidian cavalry closes the only escape…..

IMPORTANCE:

High point of the war for Hannibal He didn’t march on Rome!! Rise of Scipio Africanus

Some Roman soldiers could lift their arms to fight

Some even suffocated themselves in the sand!!

Eisenhower referred to Cannae as a “work of art”

Norman Schwarztkopf U.S. commander in the Persian Gulf War used Hannibal’s tactics against the insugents

ROMAN CASULATIES:

Aemilius Paulus 29 military tribunes 80 men of senatorial rank Former Master of Horse Marcus

Minucius Rufus

39:45 – 59:33

Trebia - Cannae

“Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Enemy”

PHASE 2

SECOND PUNIC WAR

Old Roman elite is replaced by new elite How is the new elite different?

Lower youngest eligible age, raised oldest eligible age for military service

Hannibal doesn’t attack Rome!! What does he decide to do instead?

Hannibal told Hasdrubal to continue to fight in Spain How would this help the Carthaginian cause?

211 B.C. Gnaeus and Publius Scipio both lose to Hasdrubal in Spain and die

Fortunately, the Romans are gaining ground in Sicily at this time…

ROME ADJUSTS

SIEGE OF SYRACUSE214-212 B.C.

Archimedes!!

Rome laid a 2 year siege of Syracuse

Syracuse eventually surrenders, Archimedes is killed. Rome is set loose on

the city and their savagery was shameful to Rome

CLAW OF ARCHIMEDES

BURNING MIRROR

“The experience of Capua and Tarentum was repeated ad-nauseum for the next few years. The Carthaginians would take a city and move on. The Romans would follow behind and turn it to the Roman fold. Hannibal would then be forced to backtrack and fight for land he had already taken or give up what he had gotten and hope for better luck the next time around. The two armies occasionally came into direct contact, sometimes Hannibal would win, sometimes the Romans. But victories no longer came in the form of annihilation of armies, but rather strategic withdrawals and prudent retreats. And in this way….5 years passed.”- Mike Duncan, The History of Rome

SECOND PHASE Summarization

SCIPIO AFRICANUS236-183 B.C.

Son of Publius Scipio

Volunteered to take over the legions in Spain

VERY charismatic

“out-think” instead of “out-fight”

206 B.C. – Battle of Ilipia Scipio switches his flanks,

destroys the 50,000 strong Carthaginian army

Creates a “Cult of Personality” in Rome!!

BATTLE OF METAURUS Spring 207 B.C.

Hasdrubal takes 30,000 men to Italy He was hoping to link up with Hannibal Hannibal did not have the men, money or

resources to continue to fight in Italy

20,000 Carthaginians died or captured

Hannibal is left alone in Italy…

Scipio then wins successive battles in N. Africa

• Scipio is ecstatic by this victory

• He convinces the Senate to allow him to invade Africa• Why would he

want to do this?

BATTLE OF ZAMAOctober 202 B.C.

Rome has gained the Numidian cavalry

Carthaginians: 50,000Romans: 35,000

Carthage’s army was full of raw, untrained recruits

Scipio uses Hannibal’s own methods from Cannae to defeat Hannibal

HUGE victory for Rome, ends the Second Punic War

1:13:39 – END

Scipio’s victory – end of the Second Punic War

“Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Enemy”