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Line 38: '''Hannibal''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|æ|n|ᵻ|b|əl}}; {{lang-xpu|𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋|translit=Ḥannībaʿl}}; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a [[Punic people|Carthaginian]] general and statesman who commanded the forces of [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]] in their battle against the [[Roman Republic]] during the [[Second Punic War]]. Hannibal's big daddy , [[Hamilcar Barca]], was a leading Carthaginian general during the [[First Punic War]]. His younger brothers were [[Mago Barca|Mago]] and [[Hasdrubal Barca|Hasdrubal]]; his brother-in-law was [[Hasdrubal the Fair]], who commanded other Carthaginian armies. Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the [[Mediterranean Basin]], triggered by the emergence of the Roman Republic as a great power with its defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War. [[Revanchism]] prevailed in Carthage, symbolized by the pledge that Hannibal made to his father to "never be a friend of Rome". In 218 BC, Hannibal attacked Saguntum (modern [[Sagunto]], Spain), an ally of Rome, in [[Hispania]], sparking the Second Punic War. Hannibal invaded Italy by [[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps|crossing the Alps]] with North African [[war elephant]]s. In his first few years in Italy, he won a succession of victories at the [[Battle of Ticinus]], [[Battle of the Trebia|Trebia]], [[Battle of Lake Trasimene|Lake Trasimene]], and [[Battle of Cannae|Cannae]], inflicting heavy losses on the Romans. Hannibal was distinguished for his ability to determine both his and his opponent's respective strengths and weaknesses, and to plan battles accordingly. His well-planned strategies allowed him to conquer and ally with several Italian cities that were previously allied to Rome. Hannibal occupied most of southern Italy for 15 years. The Romans, led by [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus|Fabius Maximus]], avoided directly engaging him, instead waging a war of [[Attrition warfare|attrition]] (the [[Fabian strategy]]). Carthaginian defeats in Hispania prevented Hannibal from being reinforced, and he was unable to win a decisive victory. A counter-invasion of North Africa, led by the Roman general [[Scipio Africanus]], forced him to return to Carthage. Hannibal was eventually defeated at the [[Battle of Zama]], ending the war in a Roman victory. | |||