‘His Career Was a Failure but of the Most Glittering Kind.’ Is This a Fair Assessment of Hannibal? Analyse Hannibal’s Greatness and the Reasons for His Ultimate Failure.
At the end of Hannibal’s career as a military commander of Carthage, a main enemy of Rome, it can be said that his career was a failure as he did not achieve his primary objective, the taking of Rome. However, his military achievements glittered and shone because he struck fear into Rome and he also earned himself a place in the modern world as the father of strategy. Hannibal will always be remembered and regarded as one of the greatest military tacticians and strategists in all of European history and is considered one of the greatest generals of the Ancient World. It was his superior strategy and tactical skills that allowed him to compete with and almost defeat Rome, but this greatness prevented him achieving his ultimate goal, because he could not take the major military risk that was actually required to defeat Rome when it was in a weakened state. For this reason, it a fair assessment to say that Hannibal’s career was a failure but of the most glittering kind, because while he failed to take Rome, he left a substantial legacy that was even more important in terms of the shaping of the ancient world.
Hannibal’s greatness is revealed as a military tactician, strategist and logistics expert. He excelled in these areas, and this is best demonstrated at the battle of Cannae. Coming up against a superiorly sized Roman army who were hoping to gain success through pure strength in numbers. “While the Romans enjoyed a superiority over Hannibal in terms of numbers, they nonetheless lacked a great deal in terms of competent leadership and experience.” (Hannibal Crosses the Alps, 2001, pg. 187) However, Hannibal used brilliant tactics, and with a vast inferiority in numbers Hannibal’s forces were able to surround and destroy all but a small remnant of his enemy “Roman military power was utterly destroyed at Cannae” (Ancient Rome: Using Evidence, 1990, p.150). The superiority in tactics that Hannibal showed at Cannae, caused the Roman’s to become very hesitant to
Hannibal’s greatness is revealed as a military tactician, strategist and logistics expert. He excelled in these areas, and this is best demonstrated at the battle of Cannae. Coming up against a superiorly sized Roman army who were hoping to gain success through pure strength in numbers. “While the Romans enjoyed a superiority over Hannibal in terms of numbers, they nonetheless lacked a great deal in terms of competent leadership and experience.” (Hannibal Crosses the Alps, 2001, pg. 187) However, Hannibal used brilliant tactics, and with a vast inferiority in numbers Hannibal’s forces were able to surround and destroy all but a small remnant of his enemy “Roman military power was utterly destroyed at Cannae” (Ancient Rome: Using Evidence, 1990, p.150). The superiority in tactics that Hannibal showed at Cannae, caused the Roman’s to become very hesitant to