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Second Punic War Background, Second Punic War - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Distinguished generals in the first Punic War
      - Hanno expanded territoriy in North Africa
      - Hamilcar was able to hold a mountain in Sicily and harass the Romans
      - The two generals were given joint command but did not get along. Army voted for Hamilcar to lead them
- - - - Hamilcar goes to Spain and conquers
      - Very rich with gold, silver and fertile land with lots of manpower
      - Family controlled empire
        
        After Hamilcar dies, control was given to Hasdrubal, and later Hannibal
      - Hamilcar's reputation and need for money led to the great Spanish Empire
- - - - Hannibal attacks Saguntum and sacks the city
        
        Rome Declares war
        
        One consul attacks Spain
        
        Another consul attacks Africa
        
        Hannibal knows he cannot defeat Rome this way
        
        Can beat every army Rome throws at you, but another army will always appear
        
        Goal is to convince Rome's allied manpower to defect
        
        But Hannibal is in Spain, so he will need to be a lot closer
        
        Decides to walk across the coast and various mountains to Northern Italy
        
        Hannibal had gotten the strategic initiative
        
        1 more item...
        
        Sends messages to the Gauls to ask them for safe passage
        
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        This was never done before and was not feasible
        
        Crossing of the Alps in winter
        
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- - - - Both Rome and Carthage were on another scale compared to the other Meditarranean states
      - Roman manpower: 580,000 infantry and 54,000 cavalry (Polybius, Rosenstein)
- - - - Once you control one city, you cannot control another next to it