Awthe Tide Turns

The Tide Turns The Roman Conquest of Spain Scipio goes to Africa Battle of Zama

Panic after Cannae • Rome braces for a siege that never comes – Hannibal winters in Capua; northern and southern Italy are his – Rome returns to Fabian Tactics: refusing battle to Hannibal, in an attempt weaken his forces by desertion (fickle Gauls/unpaid mercenaries) – Her central Italian allies remain loyal

Return to Fabian Tactics • Publius Cornelius Scipio the Elder and his brother Gnaeus C. Scipio (both consuls) the war to Spain. – To deprive Hannibal of any reinforcements and silver

• 212, Romans take Syracuse (had gone over to Carthage after the death of Hiero II) – Stubborn defense by Archimedes • Archimedian crane/Death Ray?

– Killed by a Roman soldier as he finished a math problem

Archimedes of Syracuse Born 287 -- Died 212 BC

The Siege of Syracuse Marcellus, the Roman commander, lays siege to Syracuse in 213 BC.

Archimedes’ Burning Mirror

When the beams were reflected in the mirror, a fearful kindling of fire was raised in the ships, and at the distance of a bow-shot he turned them into ashes. In this way did the old man prevail over Marcellus with his weapons.

Archimedes’ Claw Version 2

Version 3

Death of Archimedes Archimedes was killed in 212 BC during the capture of Syracuse by the Romans in the Second Punic War after all his efforts to keep the Romans at bay with his machines of war had failed. Plutarch recounts the story of his killing-

Death, continued Archimedes ... was ..., as fate would have it, intent upon working out some problem by a diagram, and having fixed his mind alike and his eyes upon the subject of his speculation, he never noticed the incursion of the Romans, nor that the city was taken. In this transport of study and contemplation, a soldier, unexpectedly coming up to him, commanded him to follow to Marcellus; which he declining to do before he had worked out his problem to a demonstration, the soldier, enraged, drew his sword and ran him through.

Death of the Brothers Scipiones • 211 BC Hasdrubal (brother to Hannibal) bribes allied Celts to desert the Roman army. • Roman armies got separated, Gnaeus ambushed and killed. – Publius retreats to hilltop (wagon circle) and dies fighting.

Scipio’s (Africanus) Life • Age 17, saved his father at Ticinus • Survived Trebbia and Cannae • Against tradition, Scipio, 25, becomes proconsul and sets sail for Spain. – Nobody else wanted the command/vengeance for Scipio – Mago (having returned) and Hasdrubal defeated by late 209. – Hasdrubal esapes Spain with small army to the Alps to join his army (destroyed in Italy in 207). – 206, Battle of Ilipa: Scipio secures Spain from Carthage

Scipio in Sicily • 205 Scipio becomes consul, is given Sicily – Fabius denies him Africa – Gets Cannae survivors trained for invasion

• Hannibal restricted to the toe of Italy (Bruttium) • Scipio sets sail for Africa in 204

Invasion • Scipio has the Numidians on his side: Masinissa • Hannibal is recalled for the defense; Scipio took nearby city of Utica and nears Carthage. • The two armies meet at the Battle of Zama on October 19, 202 BC.

Battle of Zama • Hannibal and Scipio meet face to face before the battle – Discuss terms? Wish to meet each other?

Forces • Carthage (Hannibal)

• Roman (Scipio)

– 50,000 infantry – 4,000 cavalry – 80 elephants

– 34,000 infantry – 9,000 cavalry

– 3 lines; rear all Italian veterans – Elephants front row

– Special elephant tactic

• 6,000 Numidian

• Open rows in lines

The Battle Itself • The elephants charge, the 3 Roman lines open up and let them charge through. – Picked off by skirmishers in the rear

• Roman cavalry chases Hannibal’s off the field. • Both the first and second lines are thrown in, leaving the third lines of each to finish. – Triarii vs. Carthaginian veterans • Carthage starts to win, then Roman cavalry shows up at their rear; rout ensues.

Hannibal’s Escape • Hannibal escapes to Carthage and sues for peace. – He sets Carthage on a path to prosperity again • No large army; get back to merchant business

– Hannibal escapes an assassination attempt and flees east, never to return. – He flees east, as a general for hire, against any power against Rome.