Nate James

Part 1 Hannibal’s Early Life

On the northern shore of modern-day Tunisia, less than four hundred miles from Rome sat the city of Carthage which was a substantial rival for the Roman republic. Nothing better encapsulated the severity of the threat of Carthage to Rome than that of Hannibal and his conquests of Italy. His decision to ally with previously thought Italian allies changed the fabric of the Roman Republic. No longer could Roman allies be seen as insignificant but rather vital to the sustainability of Rome. Hannibal's rise to power can be attributed to many things but the best quality that encapsulates him as a figure is his ability to adapt his father's tactics and learn from the mistakes of Carthage in the first Punic War. Hannibal Barca was born to a distinguished Carthaginian family around 247 BCE. Hamilcar Barca, his father, fought in the first Punic war taking control of the Carthaginian fleet around the same time Hannibal was born. After the war was over with the Romans, Carthage was in a state of turmoil because of its unpaid debts to mercenaries resulting in a revolution referred to as the Mercenary War. Hannibal was a young child while this was happening and witnessed his city being ravaged by revolution. Rome seized the opportunity to further weaken Carthage by conquering the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. As the story goes, this so enraged Hamilcar he made his young son swear to one day destroy Rome. While this story is untruthful and an attempt to further villainize Hannibal, one thing is undeniable. Hannibal from an early age was exposed to war, and his father was well distinguished in Carthage for his tactics. These two things made him ready to take on the Roman military. Not an oath, his father made him swear as a child. With these two factors, one can see how Hannibal grew up to become one of Ancient History's greatest generals. From then until his father died in his late teens Hannibal was instructed by his father in warfare and leadership. By his twenties, he was given command by his father’s successor in Spain and later took over control of the entire Spanish province by his mid-twenties. Hannibal’s journey starting in Spain and ending with his death in Bithynia around 182 BCE, helped shape Rome into the militaristic empire it became following the Punic wars.