Why The Battles Of Hannibal, Baal, And Rome

Hannibal, Baal, and Rome

Hannibal Barca was one of the greatest Generals of his time. Although his abilities at developing battle strategies were unequaled in his day, the driving forces behind his successes as a general, were not only his superior military ability, but also his feelings of hostility toward the Romans. Because of his ability to plan and organize military campaigns he was able to succeed in crossing thousands of troops across the Alps to invade Italy. Hannibal, son of General Hamilcar Barca, showed hostility toward the Romans due to the fact that he had been indoctrinated in the theology of the Carthaginian god Baal. This indoctrination along with the fact that Rome and Carthage were enemies only served to fuel his hostility and aggression.
Baal was the Carthaginian version of a "divine lord and protector", much like Zeus was to the Greeks, and Jupiter to the Romans. Baal, however, had other names, such as Beelzebub, meaning “Lord of the Flies”. Baal was given this dubious title due to the large numbers of flies that were seen to gather in and around his statues, attracted by the foul stench of decay, blood and death. Baal was reputed to be a hard hearted god who ruled
He is most remembered for marching an army of thousands which included war elephants, from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into the northern part of Italy. During the first years of his fifteen year occupation of Italy, Hannibal and his armies were able to take Trebia, Trasimene and Cannae. In addition he was able to build alliances with some Romans. However, Scipio of North Africa had spent time analyzing and studying Hannibal’s tactics, he added some of his own and launched a counter invasion from the Northern part of Africa. Scipio sent Hannibal and his troops back to Carthage where he and his troops were defeated at the Battle of