Francais | English | Espanõl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Siege of Saguntum
Part of the Second Punic War
Date 218 BC Location Saguntum, Spain Result stalemate
Combatants
Carthage	Saguntines (the Saguntines were Iberians not as is commonly assered Greek)
Commanders
Hannibal
Strength
Far more than that of Saguntium	Far less than that of Carthage
Casualties
Few	Population dispersed, killed fighting or enslaved

Second Punic War
Saguntum – Lilybaeum – Ticinus – Trebia – Cissa – Lake Trasimene – Ebro River – Cannae – 1st Nola – Dertosa – 2nd Nola – Cornus – 3rd Nola – 1st Capua – Silarus – 1st Herdonia – Syracuse – Upper Baetis – 2nd Capua – 2nd Herdonia – Numistro – Asculum – Tarentum – Baecula – Grumentum – Metaurus – Ilipa – Crotona – Utica – Bagbrades – Cirta – Po Valley – Great Plains – Zama

After Hannibal was made Supreme comander of Spain (221 BC) at the age of just 26. He spent two years gatering his ideas that would consume much of his adult life and alter the course of power in the Meditaranian forever.

Hannibals plans: Two years were employed by Hannibal in maturing his plans and completing his preparations. The Romans, though reciving ample warning of Hannibals movements, did nothing. They were yet to learn the characteristics of the man to whom they had to deal with. The Romans thought that they could strike down this Carthaginian youth whenever they pleasedt, and no special effort was required. The Romans even went as far as ignoring Hannibal by turning their attentions to the Illyrians who had begun to revolt. The Romans didnt even react when news reached them that Hannibal was besieging Saguntum in South-east Spain. They were disgruntled that Hannibal had broken the treaty set after the first Punic war. Here we can see a side to Hannibal that is not all to different from that of a Roman, in his disregard for treaties as Rome he taken little notice of treaties hey annexed Sardinia. The Capture of Saguntum was essential to Hannibal in his overall plan the city was one of the most fortified in the area and it would be a poor move to leave such a city in the hands of his enermy, Hannibal also looked for plunder to keep his army happy (mostly mercinaries form North Africa, Spain and Gaul). The money from the city could also be spent on keeping any political opponents down back in Carthage.

The Siege: Therefore the siege was undertaken, Hannibal suffered some losses due to the extensive fortifications however despite the Saguntines defending with heroic valour were pushed back as Hannibals troops stormed and destroyed line after line of the cities defences. The Saguntines looked to Rome for aid however foolishly none came. In 218 BC after eight months of besiegement the Saguntines last defences were finally over run. This marks the beginning of the Second Punic war. Hannibal now has a base from which supplies of food and extra troops can be sent from. It is also the first of many great blunders by the Romans if they had used there energys aginst Hannibal and made Saguntum there own insted of wasting time in Illyria then Rome could have stopped Hannibal from ever crossing the Pyrenees.

After the Siege: After the siege Hannibal had to gain support from the Carthaginian Senate who often didnt agree with his aggresive means of warfare, the Senate of Carthage never truly gave support to Hannibal even when he was desperate for reenforcements only five miles from Rome. After gaining support Hannibal moved to New Carthage (Carthaginio Nova) where he gathered is men and informed them all of his ambitious intentions, Hannibal would now briefly leave for a religious pilgrimage (confirming his devout belief in the God Melcarth) so newly fired up with religion Hannibal marches toward the Pyrenees and onto Rome. The Romans continued to make terrible decisions resulting in huge massacres at Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae