Battle of Zama
Part of the Second Punic War
The Battle of Zama by Cornelis Cort, 1567
Date: October 19, 202 BC Location: Zama, near Carthage Result: Decisive Roman victory; end of Second Punic War
Combatants
Carthage	Roman Republic East Numidia Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Titus Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco, Maharbal, Syphax, Hanno the... Image File history File links Zama. ... Cornelis Cort (1536-1578), Dutch engraver, was born at Hoorn in Holland, and studied engraving under Hieronymus Cockx of Antwerp. ... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 3rd century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC Years: 207 BC 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC - 202 BC - 201 BC 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC Events October... Zama Minor (or simply Zama) is an archaeological site in northern Tunisia. ... Ruins of Carthage Carthaginian settlements in the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. The term Carthage refers both to an ancient city in North Africa — located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis in Tunisia — and to the civilization which developed... Ruins of Carthage Carthaginian settlements in the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. The term Carthage refers both to an ancient city in North Africa — located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis in Tunisia — and to the civilization which developed... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ...
Commanders
Hannibal	Scipio Africanus Masinissa
Strength
almost 58,000 infantry 6,000 cavalry 80 war elephants	34,000 Roman infantry 3,000 Roman cavalry 6,000 Numidian cavalry
Casualties
20,000 killed 11,000 wounded 15,000 captured	1,500 killed 4,000 wounded

The Battle of Zama, generally accepted to have been fought on or around October 19 of 202 BC, was the final and decisive battle of the Second Punic War. A Roman army led by Scipio Africanus defeated a Carthaginian force led by Hannibal Barca. Soon after this defeat on their home ground, the Carthaginian senate sued for peace, ending the 17-year war. Hannibal is one of the most common prenames in Punic and we know several military commanders (strategos) with this prename during the Punic Wars, while their family names or nicknames are often not recorded. ... This article deals with the Roman general who defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War. ... Masinissa, King of Numidia Masinissa or Massinissa (c. ... Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... Kircholm, a 1925 painting by Wojciech Kossak. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Titus Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco, Maharbal, Syphax, Hanno the... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder Strength 6,000 cavalry unknown Casualties small small The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. It... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Titus Sempronius Longus Strength 26,000 45,000 Casualties Unknown, but low 20,000 The Battle of the Trebia (or Trebbia) was the first major battle of the Second Punic War, fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Roman Republic in 218... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hanno Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus Strength 10,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 2,200 cavalry Casualties 6,000 killed and 2,000 captured unknown, light // Introduction The Battle of Cissa is part of the Second Punic... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Gaius Flaminius † Strength 30,000 soldiers 30,000-40,000 soldiers Casualties 1,500 soliders about 15,000 The Battle of Lake Trasimene (June 24, 217 BC, April on the Julian calendar) was a Roman defeat in the Second Punic War between the Carthaginians... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Himilco Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus Strength Approximately 40 Quinqueremes Approximately 55 Quinqueremes and Triremes Casualties 4 sunk and 25 captured none sunk or captured Battle of Ebro river was a naval battle fought between a Carthaginian fleet of approximately 40 quinqueremes under Himilco and a... For the eleventh century battle in the Byzantine conquest of the Mezzogiorno, see Battle of Cannae (1018). ... The First Battle of Nola was fought in 216 BC between the forces of Hannibal and a Roman force led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal Barca Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Strength 25,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, 20 Elephants 30,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 3,000 cavalry Casualties Severe Heavy The Battle of Dertosa, also known as the ‘’’Battle of Ibera’’’, was... The Second Battle of Nola was fought in 215 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman Army under Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal The Bald Titus Manlius Torquatus Strength 15,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry +Sardinians (?) + Elephants (?) 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 1,200 cavalry Casualties Most killed or captured unknown, // Introduction The battle of Cornus, or Caralis took place when a Carthaginian... The Third Battle of Nola was fought in 214 BC between Hannibal and Roman army led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... The First Battle of Capua was fought in 212 BC between Hannibal and a Roman army. ... The Battle of the Silarus was fought in 212 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman force led by Praetor M. Centenius Penula. ... The first Battle of Herdonia was fought in 212 BC between Hannibals Carthaginian army and Roman forces led by Praetor Gnaeus Fulvius. ... The Siege of Syracuse was fought from 214 BC to 212 BC between the rebellious city of Syracuse, and a Roman army under Marcellus sent to put down the citys rebellion. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal Barca Publius Cornelius Scipio† Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus† Strength 35,000 foot, 3,000 Numidians, 7,500 Spanish tribals 30,000 foot, 3,000 Horse + 20,000 Celt-Iberian mercenaries Casualties unknown- approximately 22,000 // Introduction The Battle of the Upper Baetis was fought... The Second Battle of Capua was fought in 211 BC when the Romans besieged Capua. ... The Second Battle of Herdonia of the Second Punic War, was fought in 210 BC between Hannibals army and the Roman forces of Fulvius Centumalus. ... The Battle of Numistro was fought in 210 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman army led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... The Battle of Asculum was fought in 209 BC between Hannibals Carthaginian army, and a Roman force. ... The Battle of Baecula was Scipio Africanus’s first major field battle after he had taken command of Roman interests in Spain during the Second Punic War, in which he routed the Carthaginian army under the command of Hasdrubal Barca. ... The Battle of Grumentum was fought in 207 BC between Romans led by Gaius Claudius Nero, and Hannibals Carthaginian army. ... The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle in the ancient conflict between Rome and Carthage, fought in 207 BC near the Metaurus River in Italy. ... The Battle of Ilipa was a battle of the Second Punic War. ... The Battle of Crotona was fought in 204 BC between Hannibals Carthaginian army, and a Roman force led by Sempronius. ... The Battle of Utica was fought between Carthaginian forces led by Hamilcar Barca, and a group of rebellious mercenaries. ... The Battle of Bagbrades (also known as Campi Magni, Great Plains) was fought in 203 BC between a combined Carthaginian and Numidian force, and the Roman army of Scipio Africanus. ... October 19 is the 292nd day of the year (293rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 3rd century BC - 4th century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC Years: 207 BC 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC - 202 BC - 201 BC 200 BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC Events October... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Titus Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco, Maharbal, Syphax, Hanno the... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... This article deals with the Roman general who defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War. ... Ruins of Carthage Carthaginian settlements in the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. The term Carthage refers both to an ancient city in North Africa — located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis in Tunisia — and to the civilization which developed... Hannibal Barca Hannibal Barca (247 BC – 182 BC) was a military commander of ancient Carthage, best known for his achievements in the Second Punic War in marching an army from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy and defeating the Romans at the Battles of the river... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

Prelude

Most important battles of the Second Punic War.

Despite nearly two decades of constant victories, much of it on Italian soil, the Carthaginian commander Hannibal Barca was still in Italia although confined to the south of the peninsula. A decisive victory by Gaius Claudius Nero in the brief Metaurus campaign killed Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal Barca and permanently severed Hannibal from all hope of reinforcements. Hannibal was now stranded, and forced to sustain a scorched earth policy throughout Southern Italy. Hannibal had entered Italy as a victorious conqueror. He humiliated the Romans at Ticinus, Trebia, Lake Trasimeno, and finally Cannae where the cream of the Roman army was slaughtered. Hannibal had anticipated using these victories to convince the Italian city-states to mutiny. Instead, they only produced a growing resolve in the Italian states to rally to Roman leadership. Battles of the Second Punic War Created by Panairjdde with GMT (Generic Mapping Tools, gmt. ... Battles of the Second Punic War Created by Panairjdde with GMT (Generic Mapping Tools, gmt. ... Gaius Claudius Nero was a Roman consul who fought in the Battle of the Metaurus. ... The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle in the ancient conflict between Rome and Carthage, fought in 207 BC near the Metaurus River in Italy. ... A scorched earth policy is a military tactic which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder Strength 6,000 cavalry unknown Casualties small small The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. It... Battle of the Trebia Conflict Second Punic War Date 18 December 218 BC Place Trebbia river, Italy Result Carthaginian victory The Battle of the Trebia (or Trebbia) was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans in 218 BC. Hannibals... Battle of Lake Trasimene Conflict Second Punic War Date June 24, 217 BC Place Lake Trasimene, Italy Result Carthagininan victory The Battle of Lake Trasimene (June 24, 217 BC, April on the Julian calendar) was a Roman defeat in the Second Punic War between the Carthaginians under Hannibal and the... For the eleventh century battle in the Byzantine conquest of the Mezzogiorno, see Battle of Cannae (1018). ...

After destroying the Carthaginian presence in Spain, Scipio Africanus proposed ending the war by invading Carthage's home territories, an area now roughly comprising modern-day Tunisia. Despite the cautious Senate's opposition to this plan, the Roman people gave Scipio the requisite authority to attempt the invasion. At first Scipio operated cautiously, acting mostly to reinforce his army with local defectors. After Massinissa replaced the pro-Carthage Syphax as chieftain of the Numidians, Scipio felt able to risk a decisive battle and began menacing the city of Carthage itself. The Carthaginian senate recalled Hannibal from Italy and he met Scipio on the plains of Zama leading a ragtag army composed of local citizens and veterans from his Italian campaigns. The Roman Senate (Latin, Senatus) was a deliberative body which was important in the government of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. ... Masinissa, King of Numidia Masinissa or Massinissa (c. ... Syphax was a king of the Masaesyles of western Numidia. ... Numidia was an ancient African Berber kingdom and later a Roman province on the northern coast of Africa between the province of Africa (where Tunisia is now) and the province of Mauretania (which is now the western part of Algerias coastal area). ...

The two men are said to have met face-to-face before the battle. Hannibal reminded Scipio of fate's role in the war, and how lenient Hannibal was to Rome when it was on the brink of destruction. Scipio replied that chance played a role in every decision every day, and would not give peace without battle.

Battle

Zama marked a reversal from typical battles of the Second Punic War in that the Romans had less infantry, while the Carthaginians — by the defection of the Numidians — were outnumbered 6,000 to 3,000 in cavalry. Hannibal amassed some 50,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry, while Scipio had a total of 34,000 infantry and 8,700 cavalry at his disposal. Placing his inexperienced cavalry on the flanks, Hannibal aligned his troops in three phalangial lines behind eighty war elephants. The first line consisted of mixed infantry of Gauls, Ligurians, and Balerians. In his second line he placed the Carthaginian and Libyan levies while his veterans from Italy were placed in the third line. Hannibal intentionally held back his third infantry line, in order to thwart Scipio's tendency to pin the Carthaginian center and envelop his opponent's lines, as he had previously done at the Battle of Ilipa. Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... Kircholm, a 1925 painting by Wojciech Kossak. ... The Battle of Ilipa was a battle of the Second Punic War. ...

Scipio Africanus

Hannibal hoped that the combination of the war elephants and the depth of the first two lines would weaken and disorganize the Roman advance, whereupon he would complete a victory with his reserves in the third line and overlap Scipio's lines. Though this formation was indeed well-conceived, it failed to produce a victory for Hannibal, who was, by some claims, suffering from mental exhaustion after his campaigns in Italy ^{[citation needed]}. Image File history File links Scipio_Africanus_the_Elder. ... Image File history File links Scipio_Africanus_the_Elder. ...

At the outset of the battle, the superior Roman cavalry swept aside their Carthaginian counterparts and pursued them off the field— depriving Hannibal of his entire body of cavalry (though it is believed that Hannibal had intended his cavalry to lure their opponents away from the battlefield, in effect eliminating the advantage the Romans enjoyed in this arm). Likewise, Hannibal’s first two lines, unable to cope with the well-trained and confident Roman soldiers, were dispersed soon thereafter. For years, Hannibal had won victories with his experienced army, but now he faced the best of the Roman army, while he commanded a hastily assembled army, which fared poorly against the Romans. As Livy states “...the Romans immediately drove back the line[s] of their opponents; then pushing their elbows and the bosses of their shields, and pressing forward into the places which they had pushed them, they advanced at a considerable pace, as if there had been no one there to resist them...” [10].

Moreover, Scipio came up with an inventive method of neutralizing Hannibal's elephants. Hannibal lost all of his original elephant troops (who crossed the Alps with him) by the battle of Cannae, but they were replenished in Africa. First of all, Scipio knew that elephants could be ordered to charge forward, but they could only continue their charge in a straight line. So rather than arranging the maniples in the traditional checker pattern manipular formation, Scipio instead put the velites, principes, and triarii in succeeding lines of 500 men groups. Scipio realized that intentionally opening gaps in his troops meant that the elephants would continue between them, without harming any of his soldiers. He did this, and the elephants passed through his troops harmlessly and were picked off on the other side (many of them were so distraught, in fact, they charged back into their own Carthaginian lines). Scipio's troops then fell back into formation and continued marching. A maniple can be either: A division of a Roman legion - see maniple (military unit) A garment formerly worn by certain officials in the Roman Catholic Church - see maniple (vestment). ... Velites were a class of light infantry in the army of the Roman Republic. ... The plural of the Latin word princeps. ... The Triarii (Latin singular triarius) was the third standard line of infantry of the Roman Republics army. ...

Plan of the battle

Despite these setbacks, the battle remained a closely contested engagement. When the Roman infantry confronted the Carthaginian third line, the resulting clash was fierce and bloody, with neither side achieving local superiority. In fact, at one point during the battle, it seemed that Hannibal was on the verge of victory. However, Scipio was able to rally his men, and his cavalry, after pursuing the Carthaginian cavalry, returned in time to deliver a devastating blow in Hannibal's rear. This two-pronged attack caused the Carthaginian formation to disintegrate and collapse. Unable to cope against the well-trained and confident Roman soldiers with his own indifferent troops after losing his advantage, Hannibal experienced a major defeat that put an end to all resistance on the part of Carthage. In total, as many as 20,000 men of Hannibal’s army were killed at Zama, while 11,000 were wounded and 15,000 were taken as prisoners. The Romans on the other hand, lost as few as 1,500 dead and 4,000 wounded. Image File history File links Battle_of_Zama-battleplan. ... Image File history File links Battle_of_Zama-battleplan. ...

Aftermath

Soon after Scipio's victory at Zama, the war ended with the Carthaginian senate suing for peace. Unlike the treaty that ended the First Punic War, and which amounted merely to an extended armistice, the terms Carthage acceded to were so punishing that it was never able to challenge Rome for supremacy of the Mediterranean again. When Rome waged a third war on Carthage 50 years later, the Carthaginians were far from having the power to invade Italy, because the Romans had tricked them into completely disarming beforehand. Unarmed, they could only organize a defense of their home city, which, after an extended siege, was captured and utterly destroyed. Zama Minor (or simply Zama) is an archaeological site in northern Tunisia. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Marcus Atilius Regulus Gaius Lutatius Catulus Hamilcar Barca Hanno the Great Hasdrubal Xanthippus The First Punic War (264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Scipio Aemilianus Hasdrubal the Boetarch Strength 40,000 90,000 Casualties 17,000 62,000 The Third Punic War (149 to 146 BC) was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Roman Republic. ...

References

• Hans Delbrück; Warfare in Antiquity; 1920; ISBN 0-8032-9199-X
• Robert F. Pennel; Ancient Rome from the earliest times down to 476 A.D; 1890
• Theodore Ayrault Dodge; Hannibal: A History of the Art of War among the Carthaginians and Romans down to the Battle of Pydna, 168 B.C., with a Detailed Account of the Second Punic War; 1891; ISBN 0-306-81362-9
• In fiction, Dante's Divine Comedy, poem, Inferno XXXI.97-132, 115-124

Hans Delbrück, 1848-1929 Hans Delbrück (November 11, 1848 - July 14, 1929), German historian, was born at Bergen on the island of Rügen, and studied at the universities of Heidelberg and Bonn. ... Theodore Ayrault Dodge (28 May 1842–1909) was a Union officer in the American Civil War and a military historian of both that war and of the great generals of ancient and European history. ... Dante shown holding a copy of The Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, in Michelinos fresco. ...

External links

both down

• Battle of Zama (202 BC) detailed map of the battle site.
• The Battle of Zama (202 BC) order-of-battle diagram.