Carthage was a city that had been formed by the Phoenicians from Tyre in the 8th century BCE. It was the strongest city in the Mediterranean by the 3rd century and its wealth was caused mainly by success at trade. Carthaginian merchants traded from end to end in the Mediterranean, the city's fleets were huge, and its army was one of the best in the ancient world.

Rome was a budding republic, soon to be empire that was gaining large amounts of territory through military conquests. With these military conquests came booty plundered from conquered lands and trading rights of certain sea-lanes.

Sicily was a land of plenty and was a valuable island to have under control. In 264 BCE, in the port city of Messana, there was a conflict between two factions controlling the city. One side called on Rome for help, while the other called on Carthage. Both thought it to be a

The senate voted for 70,000 men to carry out the task of destroying Hannibal. This put the Romans at a 2 to 1 advantage in manpower. The field at Cannae was wide and offered no surprises. The Romans marched in mass at the Carthaginian lines; the Carthaginians fought, then withdrew sucking the Romans into a pocket. While the Romans were marching forward, exploiting the Carthaginian retreat, Carthaginian cavalry surrounded the Roman foot soldiers. The retreating Carthaginian foot soldiers turned and advanced. With no place to retreat the Roman lines scattered and there was an absolute rout. 10,000 men survived and returned to Rome. This is a classic maneuver called a "double-envelopment" and worked superbly for Hannibal. Hannibal had defeated 8 consular armies, of 20,000 troops each, in a matter of two years in their home territory.

Both generals had 25,000 men. Scipio had better cavalry, they brought along Spanish stallions. Hannibal was on home grounds and had elephants. Hannibal was relying on his elephants to win the battle for him. He put the elephants in front of his infantry and charged en masse at the Romans. Scipio did much like what Alexander the Great did against King Polos in the Indus river valley. Scipio instructed his men to bang metal together and to create alleyways. Scipio hoped the elephants will run through the alleyways where Roman archers can shoot off the riders and the spearmen can

1) Punic Wars. http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/simonides/links/wars/punic/punic.html. 3/5/200

Some common words found in the essay are:
Phoenicians Tyre, Cato Carthage, Hannibal Romans, Carthaginians Romans, Occupying Alps, Spain Gaul, Carthage Carthage, Africa Rome, Polos Indus, Battle Zama, punic war, punic wars, destruction rome, empire army navy, defending army, weaken defending, carthaginians romans, foot soldiers, rhone river, sent fleet, gallic tribes, weaken defending army,
Approximate Word count = 1928
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)