Status Updates From The Punic Wars: Rome, Carth...

Bagnall concludes the book with some lessons that can be drawn from the Punic Wars, namely: strategic clarity for military engagements, the benefit of a professional military command structure (and one not polluted by political factionalism; I’m skeptical that this is possible, given the nature of government), and the recognition of a state’s historical international posture (regardless of current leadership).

The one and only chapter on the Third Punic War details the meagre resistance offered by the Carthaginians, and the uninspiring leadership of the Romans. The Romans make a series of blunders until Scipio Africanus’ grandson, Scipio Aemilius, takes command of the Roman legions in Africa, defeats the Carthaginians army, and besieges Carthage. Scipio reflects; Six centuries of Punic rule end in the fires of Carthage.

In the immediate aftermath of the Second Punic War, Scipio Africanus is able to exercise a moderating influence over the Roman Senate, but this is gradually degraded in favour of the anti-Punic faction. Carthage – in dispute with Rome’s ally, Numidia – is found to be in breach of their conditions of peace. Rome duplicitously demands the relocation of Carthage’s inhabitants; the city revolts against Rome.

Hannibal returns to Africa and is goaded into battle by Scipio. The two generals meet after Hannibal fails to stealthily spy on the Roman camp at Zama; neither are agreeable to the other’s terms. After a laborious battle, Hannibal’s army is encircled and annihilated when the Roman allied cavalry returns from an off-field engagement. Carthage surrenders its fleets, its ability to conduct war, and its colonies.

Chapter 19 sees Scipio Africanus reshape Roman strategy by going on the offensive against Carthage (rather than merely defend against Hannibal’s still present threat in Italy). Despite the Senate’s hesitance, Scipio raises an army, lands in North Africa, and besieges Utica. He adopts Hannibal’s tactics of surprise and encirclement, and is able to best Syphac and Hasdrubal Gisco, deposing the Numidian king.

Chapter 18 finds Hannibal and the Carthaginian army in dire straits. Although tactically superior to the Romans, Hannibal is unable to substantially hold any territory on the Italian peninsula, and continues to lose allied cities on account of the more numerous Roman armies. Hasdrubal Barca arrives in Italy with a resupply force, but his force is overwhelmed and he is killed. A distraught Hannibal retreats.

Chapter 17 recounts the events in Italy occurring simultaneous to Carthaginian campaigns in Spain, Sardinia, Sicily, and Illyria. Hannibal, despite maintaining tactical superiority over the Romans, finds himself unable to compete with Roman operational control of the Peninsula – primarily on account of Roman manpower. Unable to lift the Roman siege on allied Capua, Hannibal seeks to distract by marching on Rome.

Chapter 16 details the decline of the Carthaginian strategy of encirclement, wherein Punic designs for Sardinia, Sicily, and Illyria were thwarted. Sardinia fated Carthaginian ships to be damaged by storm, allowing Rome to fortify her positions; the Sicilian campaign demonstrated a lack of tactical prowess of the Carthaginian generals; and Illyria showed the weakness of Macedonian hegemony in aiding Carthage.

Chapter 15 demonstrates the indecisive Carthaginian strategies that would ultimately spell defeat for Carthage against the Romans. For one, Hannibal found himself unable to easily break up the Latin Confederation in Italy. Simultaneously, after some not insignificant Roman defeats in Spain, Scipio Africanus found success in evicting Carthage entirely from the Iberian Peninsula. Scipio sets his sights on North Africa.

The Carthaginians, weakened by their Alpine crossing, engage the Romans at Ticinus, which convinces a number of Rome’s Gallic allies to desert to Hannibal. Hannibal ambushes Roman Consular armies at the Trebia River and Lake Trasimine, resulting in devastating losses for Rome. Under new leadership, Rome engages Hannibal at Cannae, to the same effect. Rome begins conquering Hispania from Carthage.

The Second Punic War begins in 218 BCE, and Hannibal makes rapid progress in approaching the Italian Alps. After quarrelling with various Gallic tribes, Hannibal takes his already greatly-reduced army (including war elephants) over the alps during the Winter. The Allobroges occupy the high ground over a pass in the Alps, and harass the Carthaginians until they can shake them off.

Chapter 12 discusses the Carthaginian expansion into Iberia. Although struggling to project power beyond the coastal enclaves already held by Carthage, Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca (father of Hannibal) establishes himself as a descendent of the patron deity of Iberia, thus guaranteeing the loyalty of his Iberian soldiers. Rome is too busy with Illyria to intervene militarily. Hamilcar Barca dies.

Chapter 11 discusses the interwar campaign waged by the Romans against the Illyrians. Although justified as an invasion to protect Roman merchants from Illyrian pirates, the real purpose was to intimidate the Macedonians. To this end, the Romans deposed the Illyrian Queen Teuta, and placed the Greek general Demetrius (who had mutinied against Teuta). Demetrius mutinies against Rome, and Illyria is absorbed into Rome.

Chapter 10 covers the interwar Gallic Invasion of Rome between 241 and 220 BCE. Bagnall concludes that, although Rome weakened itself by not committing a skilled cavalry to reinforce its infantry, Gaul ultimately failed due to its inconsistent war goals and lack of coordination between its infantry and cavalry.

In between the First and Second Punic Wars, Chapter 5 delves into the self-inflicted Carthaginian struggle to put down a mercenary revolt (self-inflicted in that it was due to lack of payment that the mercenaries revolted, ironically costing the Carthaginians more). The Carthaginians lose Sardinia to Rome, after Rome leverages an ambiguously written treaty between her and Carthage. Carthage vows revenge…