| − | '''Hannibal''' was a Carthaginian commander and military genius. He was born in the year of 247 of the "royal" family of Barca. His father, [[Hamilcar Barca]] was one of the greatest Carthaginian generals during the [[first Punic war]]. The name of "Hannibal" literally means the "mercy of Baal". In 241 B.C. when Hannibal was only 6 years old, the War against Rome came to a close. After 23 years of fighting, the war ended in a peace treaty that both sides knew was more or less "made to be broken." During the [[Second Punic War]] against Rome, he crossed the [[Alps]] with 38 [[War Elephants]] in a mere 15 days to surprise the Roman armies. Winning battle after battle, including killing 60,000 Romans in a single day at the [[Battle of Cannae]], he still lost the war when the Romans could replenish their losses with deep manpower reserves that [[Carthage]] didn't have. Feared and successful even in peace, the Romans eventually forced him to commit suicide in 183 BC. | + | '''Hannibal''' was a Carthaginian commander and military genius. He was born in the year of 247 of the "royal" family of Barca. His father, [[Hamilcar Barca]] was one of the greatest Carthaginian generals during the [[First Punic War]]. The name of "Hannibal" literally means the "mercy of Baal". In 241 B.C. when Hannibal was only 6 years old, the War against Rome came to a close. After 23 years of fighting, the war ended in a peace treaty that both sides knew was more or less "made to be broken." During the [[Second Punic War]] against Rome, he crossed the [[Alps]] with 38 [[War Elephants]] in a mere 15 days to surprise the Roman armies. Winning battle after battle, including killing 60,000 Romans in a single day at the [[Battle of Cannae]], he still lost the war when the Romans could replenish their losses with deep manpower reserves that [[Carthage]] didn't have. Feared and successful even in peace, the Romans eventually forced him to commit suicide in 183 BC. |
| | He decided to attempt to take over the Iberian Peninsula (where [[Spain]] is today) by crossing it with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants. [http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/hannibal/hannibal.html] | | He decided to attempt to take over the Iberian Peninsula (where [[Spain]] is today) by crossing it with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants. [http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/hannibal/hannibal.html] |