In 218 BCE Rome declared war on Carthage. Hannibal surprised Rome by bringing the fight onto Italian soil, after a legendary crossing of the Alps, with his army and elephants. He intended to challenge Roman imperialism by destroying its military power and disbanding the Italic Confederation. The Carthaginian planned to ultimately halt Roman hegemony, by supporting democratic forces against the aristocraties which were subjected to Rome.
Hannibal achieved the major part of his military objective in less than two years. He vanquished Roman armies in heroic battles, and freed many Italic cities that had pledged to him from the yoke of Rome. Still, in spite of these terrible routs, Rome refused to concede defeat and handed power to Fabius Maximus, who adopted “delaying tactics” as a war strategy : the cunctator instructed all Roman generals to avoid direct confrontation in battle with the invulnerable Hannibal, to avert other crushing defeats. Meanwhile, the Carthaginian oligarchs who were long-time antagonists of the Barcids, deprived Hannibal from crucial reinforcements, as they were loath to see him further aureoled in glory.
Finally, unable to vanquish Hannibal, Rome embraced Scipio’s strategy. He had devised a crafty scheme which entailed taking the war to Africa. He landed in Carthage and effortlessly defeated Carthaginian generals and their Numidian allies, whom he had plotted with and whose loyalty to Carthage was dubious. Very soon after, the Carthaginian oligarchs surreptitiously signed an armistice with Rome.
Since this peace treaty of 203, Roman historiographers propagated deliberate misinterpretations and manipulations of ancient deeds, that disturbingly contradict recent archaeological findings. Indeed, new evidence casts light on past events that calls into question the veracity of the “Glory of Rome” epic:
-Did the Battle of Zama in which Scipio allegedly defeated the invincible Hannibal ever take place? Or was it a lie embellished and emblazoned throughout centuries to whitewash the disgrace of the terrible humiliations inflicted upon Rome by the illustrious Carthaginian ?
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