The Second Punic War (The Hannibalic War) was fought between Carthage and Rome between 218 and 201 BCE. The war involved confrontations in Spain, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, and North Africa. Hannibal led the Carthaginians, one of the most gifted commanders in history, but the Romans had their own great general Scipio Africanus, and he successfully attacked Carthage on home soil.
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Definition
Timeline
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264 BCE - 241 BCEFirst Punic War. Carthage cedes Sicily to Rome.
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237 BCEHamilcar Barca arrives in southern Spain to expand Carthage's interests there. He makes his base at Gades and founds Acra Leuce.
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229 BCEHasdrubal takes command of Carthage's armies in Spain.
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226 BCEHasdrubal signs an agreement with Rome not to cross the Ebro river in Spain.
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221 BCEHannibal takes command of Carthage's armies in Spain.
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219 BCEHannibal crosses the Ebro river in Spain and sacks the city of Saguntum, Rome's ally, sparking off the Second Punic War.
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218 BCE - 201 BCESecond Punic War.
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218 BCEScipio Africanus lands an army at Empuries in northeastern Spain during the Second Punic War.
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Mar 218 BCERome declares war on Carthage after Hannibal sacks Saguntum in Spain. The Second Punic War begins.
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Apr 218 BCE - May 218 BCEHannibal leaves Spain to cross the Pyrenees and Alps into Italy.
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Nov 218 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Ticinus.
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Dec 218 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Trebia.
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Jun 217 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Lake Trasimene.
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216 BCEMarcus Claudius Marcellus successfully defends Nola against attack from Hannibal during the Second Punic War.
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216 BCE"Hannibal ante portas." Hannibal directly threatens the city of Rome, but cannot advance due to lack of supplies and reinforcements.
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Aug 216 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Cannae, the worst defeat in Roman history.
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215 BCEA Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal is defeated at the battle of Ibera in Spain.
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214 BCESyracuse joins the side of Carthage in the Second Punic War.
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213 BCE - 212 BCERoman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus lays seige to and ultimately sacks Syracuse.
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212 BCEA Carthaginian army is defeated in Sicily by a Roman army led by Marcellus. Syracuse falls to Rome who now control the island.
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211 BCEMarcus Claudius Marcellus is given a triumph for his capture of Syracuse and victories in Sicily.
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211 BCEScipio Africanus lands an army for the second time at Empuries in northeastern Spain during the Second Punic War.
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211 BCEA Carthaginian army defeats two Roman consuls and their armies in the Tader valley, Spain.
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210 BCE - 207 BCEScipio Africanus conquers Spain for Rome.
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209 BCETarentum comes under Roman control during the Second Punic War.
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209 BCEScipio Africanus captures the Carthaginian base and treasury Carthago Nova in southern Spain.
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208 BCERoman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus is killed in an ambush in Venusia, southern Italy.
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208 BCEScipio Africanus defeats a Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal at Baecula in Spain.
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207 BCEHannibal, harassed by Roman forces, is reduced to controlling only Bruttium in southern Italy.
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c. 22 Jun 207 BCERome defeats a Carthaginian army at the battle of Metaurus.
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206 BCEMassinissa of Numidia betrays Carthage and joins forces with the Roman Republic.
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206 BCE - 205 BCEThe Romans conquer Gades. End of the Carthaginian presence on the Iberian Peninsula.
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206 BCEScipio Africanus wins the battle of Ilipa in Spain.
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204 BCE - 203 BCEScipio Africanus wins two battles and besieges Utica in North Africa.
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204 BCEScipio Africanus sails to North Africa in the Second Punic War.
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203 BCECarthaginian commander Mago is unable to join forces with Hannibal and his army is defeated in Cisalpine Gaul.
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203 BCEScipio Africanus attacks the two camps of Syphax and Gisgo in North Africa and destroys their armies.
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203 BCEScipio Africanus defeats a Carthaginian army led by Hasdrubal in North Africa.
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203 BCEHannibal is recalled from Italy to defend Carthage against Scipio Africanus.
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19 Oct 202 BCEBattle of Zama: Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal, ending the Second Punic War.
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149 BCE - 146 BCEThird Punic War.
