A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

HANNIBAL. HANNIBAL. 339
factory, Hannibal spent much time in various unim- to the strong city of Hadrumetum. The circuimportant movements, before he advanced northwards stances of the campaign which followed are very
into Apulia, where he was met by the Roman differently related, nor will our space allow us to
consul, and not only held in check, but so effectu- enter into any discussion of the details. Some of
ally deceived, that he knew nothing of Nero's these, especially the well-known account of the inmarch to support his colleague until after his return, terview between Scipio and Hannibal, savour
and the first tidings of the battle of the Metaurus strongly of romance, notwithstanding the high auwere conveyed to him by the sight of the head of thority of Polybius. (Comp. Polyb. xv. 1-9;
Hasdrubal. (Liv. xxvii. 40 —51; Polyb. xi. 1-3; Liv. xxx. 25-32; Appian, Pun. 33-41; Zonar.
Appian, Annib. 52; Zonar. ix. 9.) ix. 13.) The decisive action was fought at a place
But, whatever exaggeration we may justly sus- called Naragara, not far from the city of Zama;
pect in this relation, it is not the less certain that and Hannibal, according to the express testimony
the defeat and death of Hasdrubal was decisive of of his antagonist, displayed on this occasion all the
the fate of the war in Italy, and the conduct of qualities of a consummate general. But he was
Hannibal shows that he felt it to be such. From now particularly deficient in that formidable cavalry
this time he abandoned all thoughts of offensive which had so often decided the victory in his faoperations, and, withdrawing his garrisons from vour: his elephants, of which he had a great numMetapontum, and other towns that he still held in ber, were rendered unavailing by the skilful maLucania, collected together his forces within the nagement of Scipio, and the battle ended in his
peninsula of Bruttium. In the fastnesses of that complete defeat, notwithstanding the heroic exwild and mountainous region he maintained his ertions of his veteran infantry. Twenty thousand
ground for nearly four years, while the towns that of his men fell on the field of battle; as many more
he still possessed on the coast gave him the com- were made prisoners, and Hannibal himself with
mand of the sea; Of the events of these four years difficulty escaped the pursuit of Masinissa, and
(B. c. 207-203) we know but little. It appears fled with a few horsemen to Hadrumetum. Here
that the Romans at first contented themselves with he succeeded in collecting about 6000 men, the
shutting him up within the peninsula, but gradually remnant of his scattered army, with which he rebegan to encroach upon these bounds; and though paired to Carthage. But all hopes of resistance
the statements of their repeated victories are doubt- were now at an end, and he was one of the first to
less gross exaggerations, if not altogether unfounded, urge the necessity of an immediate peace. Much
yet the successive loss of Locri, Consentia, and time, however, appears to have been occupied in
Pandosia, besides other smaller towns, must have the negotiations for this purpose; and the treaty
hemmed him in within limits continually narrow- was not finally concluded until the year after the
ing. Crotona seems to have been his chief strong- battle of Zama (B. c. 201). (Polyb. xv. 10-19;
hold, and centre of operations; and it was during Liv. xxx. 33-44; Appian, Pun. 42-66; Zonar.
this period that he erected, in the temple of the ix. 14.)
Lacinian Juno, near that city, a column bearing an By this treaty Hannibal saw the object of his
inscription which recorded the leading events of his whole life frustrated, and Carthage effectually humiuemorable expedition. To this important monu- bled before her imperious rival. But his enmity
ment, which was seen and consulted by Polybins, to Rome was unabated; and though now more
we are indebted for many of the statements of that than 45 years old, he set himself to work, like his
author. (Polyb. iii. 33, 56; Liv. xxvii. 51, xxviii. father, Hamilcar, after the end of the first Punic
12, 46; xxix. 7, 36.) war, to.prepare the means for renewing the contest
It is difficult to judge whether it was the ex- at no distant period. His first measures related to
pectation of effective assistance from Carthage; or the internal affairs of Carthage, and were directed
the hopes of a fresh diversion being operated by to the reform of abuses in the administration, and
Mago in the north, that induced Hannibal to cling the introduction of certain constitutional changes,
so pertinaciously to the corner of Italy that he still which our imperfect knowledge of the government
held. It is certain that he was at any time free to of Carthage does not enable us clearly to underquit it; and when he was at length induced to stand. We are told that after the termination of
comply with the urgent request of the Carthaginian the war with Rome, Hannibal was assailed by the
government that he should return to Africa to make opposite faction with charges of remissness, aind
head against Scipio, he was able to embark his even treachery, in his command-accusations so
troops without an attempt at opposition. (Liv. xxx. obviously false, that they appear to have recoiled
19, 20.) His departure from Italy seems, indeed, on the heads of his accusers; and he was not only
to have been the great object of desire with the acquitted, but shortly afterwards was raised to the
Romans. For more than fifteen years had he chief magistracy of the republic, the office styled by
carried on the war in that country, laying it waste Livy praetor-by which it is probable that he
from one extremity to the other, and during all this means one of the suffetes. (Liv. xxxiii. 46; Corn.
period his superiority in the field had been uncon- Nep. Hann. 7; Zonar. ix. 14.) But the virtual
tested. (Polyb. x. 33, xv. 11; Corn. Nep. Hiann. 5.) control of the whole government had.at this time
The Romans calculated that in these fifteen years been assumed by the assembly of judges (ordo
their losses in the field alone had amounted to not judicum. (Liv. 1. c.) apparently the same with the
less than 300,000 men (Appian, Pun. 134); a Council of One hundred; see Justin. xix. 2, and
statement which will hardly appear exaggerated, Aristot, Pol. ii. 11), evidently a high aristocratic
when we consider the continual combats in which body; and it: was only by the overthrow of this
they were engaged by their ever-watchful foe. power that Hannibal was enabled to introduce
Hannibal landed, with the small but veteran order into the finances of the state, and thus prearmy which he was able to bring with hini from pare the way for the gradual restoration of the reItaly, at Leptis, in Africa, apparently before the public. But though he succeeded in accomplishing
close of the year 203. From thence he proceeded this object, and in introducing the most bencficial
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