Hannibal

(han'ne-bal,) a famous general of antiquity, B. in Carthage about 247 B. C., was the son of Hamilcar (q. v.). While still a child, his father made a vow of perpetual hostility to the Romans -an obligation his after life conscientiously fulfilled. He early gave evidence of superior military genius in Spain, and succeeded Hasdrubal as commander-in -chief, 221 B. c. In 219 he attacked and took Saguntum, after a siege of 8 months, and thus inaugurated the Second Punic War. In the following year, at the head of an army of 100,000 men, he advanced from Spain acro the Alps into Italy, by which time his force had been reduced to about 26,000 men. After gaining victories over the Romans on the banks of the Ticinus and the Trebia, he defeated the Consul Flam in i us in a great battle fought at Lake Thrasymene. He next advanced into and devastated Apulia and Camp an i a, in which latter prov. his tactics were for a time baffled by the defensive strategy of Fabius (q. v.). In 216, with an army inferior in numbers, H. totally defeated a Roman force of 90,000 men at Cannæ, in which battle more than 40,000 of the Romans were slain, while several you sands were taken prisoners. He next took and occupied the city of Capua, in 215 entered into an alliance with Philip of Macedon, and two years later occupied Tarentum. After a four years' campaign conducted on defensive principles, H. was recalled to Carthage to check the growing succe es of Scipio African us (q.v.). In 202, the two rivals met at Zama, in which battle, H. was worsted and suffered a lo of 20,000 men. In the next year he concluded a treaty of peace which put an end to the Second Punio War. He then was elected chief magistrate of the republic, in which capacity his designs for constitutional reform excited the hostility both of the Cart hag in i an nobles and the Roman senate, and he was consequently obliged to seek refuge first in Syria and then in Bithynia, where he put an end to his life by poison, 183, to avoid falling into the hands of the Romans, who had demanded his surrender. Han'nibal, a flourishing city of Mi ouri, Marion co., on the Mi i ippi, 153 m. N.N.W. of St. Louis. Pop. 10,125. [s. 438]