Punic Wars - Battle of Battle of Zama
Definition:
In the last battle of the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian leader Hannibal's catastrophic loss occurred in Africa, on the banks of the Bagradas River, near Zama, perhaps on October 19, 202 B.C. This is known as the Battle of Zama.
The victor at the Battle of Zama was the Roman general Scipio who arranged his battle lines so as to overcome the size differential while neutralizing Hannibal's war elephants.
With light-armed, highly mobile soldiers (velites) in the wide space between the rows of hastati (spear-men) in front, principes in the second row, and triarii in the third, should the elephants charge, they'd have had room and wouldn't have had to break the Roman lines. On his left wing, Scipio stationed his cavalry, and on the right, the Numidians.
Hannibal arranged his forces so that his 80 fearsome elephants faced, and hopefully, terrified the Romans. Behind them, Hannibal stationed a mixture of troops, including Gallic and Ligurians. The second line of men included Carthaginians, Macedonians, and Africans. Behind them were some Italians, especially from Bruttium. On his wings, Hannibal posted his cavalry, Numidians to the left, Carthaginians to the right.
To announce the start of battle, the Romans blew horns that terrified the elephants. The elephants turned on Hannibal's left wing. Some elephants found their way to the interstitial Roman velites, but they stuck the elephants with darts and gave way.
The elephants then turned back on the other wing of their own cavalry and during the Carthaginian confusion, Scipio's men pressed upon Hannibal's men, destroying the first line. Scipio then recalled the hastati and sent out the principes and triarii who easily defeated Hannibal's lesser trained men.
Appian says both sides had the same size infantry, but Hannibal had 50,000 men and 80 war elephants, while Scipio had 34,000 men plus Numidians. It is claimed that Hannibal lost 20,000 men. Hannibal survived and told the Carthaginian council that the war was lost.
Source: Readings in Ancient History: Rome and the West, by William Stearns Davis
Examples: Reference: Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Hannibal: A History of the Art of War Among the Carthaginians and Romans.
Battles of the Second Punic War | Battle of Zama
In the last battle of the Second Punic War, the Carthaginian leader Hannibal's catastrophic loss occurred in Africa, on the banks of the Bagradas River, near Zama, perhaps on October 19, 202 B.C. This is known as the Battle of Zama.
The victor at the Battle of Zama was the Roman general Scipio who arranged his battle lines so as to overcome the size differential while neutralizing Hannibal's war elephants.
With light-armed, highly mobile soldiers (velites) in the wide space between the rows of hastati (spear-men) in front, principes in the second row, and triarii in the third, should the elephants charge, they'd have had room and wouldn't have had to break the Roman lines. On his left wing, Scipio stationed his cavalry, and on the right, the Numidians.
Hannibal arranged his forces so that his 80 fearsome elephants faced, and hopefully, terrified the Romans. Behind them, Hannibal stationed a mixture of troops, including Gallic and Ligurians. The second line of men included Carthaginians, Macedonians, and Africans. Behind them were some Italians, especially from Bruttium. On his wings, Hannibal posted his cavalry, Numidians to the left, Carthaginians to the right.
To announce the start of battle, the Romans blew horns that terrified the elephants. The elephants turned on Hannibal's left wing. Some elephants found their way to the interstitial Roman velites, but they stuck the elephants with darts and gave way.
The elephants then turned back on the other wing of their own cavalry and during the Carthaginian confusion, Scipio's men pressed upon Hannibal's men, destroying the first line. Scipio then recalled the hastati and sent out the principes and triarii who easily defeated Hannibal's lesser trained men.
Appian says both sides had the same size infantry, but Hannibal had 50,000 men and 80 war elephants, while Scipio had 34,000 men plus Numidians. It is claimed that Hannibal lost 20,000 men. Hannibal survived and told the Carthaginian council that the war was lost.
Source: Readings in Ancient History: Rome and the West, by William Stearns Davis
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