Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/96

 84 THE GLORY OF GREECE AND RISE OF ROME in Spain, where flourishing colonies were already in existence. The dominant faction at home was glad to be rid of a popular and brilliant soldier, who might become exceedingly dangerous if he remained at home; and Hamilcar's departure to Spain was readily agreed to. There he steadily expanded the rule of the Carthaginian over the native tribes, and trained up his young son Hannibal in the art of war. Hamilcar died, but his work was taken up by his son-in-law Hasdrubal. A few years later he also died. The army in Spain acclaimed as its chief Hannibal, the son of Hannibal. . . Hamilcar, who was now twenty-six. The govern- ment at Carthage did not venture to dispute their choice. Young Hannibal was completely possessed with his father's determination to wage war to the death with Rome. In defiance of treaties, Hannibal found pretext for attacking the town of Saguntum on the Spanish coast, which was allied with Rome, in the year 218 B.C.; the Carthaginian government having refused to repudiate the action of their young general in Spain, war was declared. Hannibal presents one of those extraordinary personalities, which from time to time stand out in the world's history as dominating forces. In the second Punic War we see not Rome pitted against Carthage, not a struggle between two great and powerful nations, but the genius of one man striving against all The Second the res o urces of a powerfully organised state, and Punic War, almost succeeding in bringing that state to ruin. 218-201. Roman armies displayed stubborn valour and discipline. Occasionally Roman commanders displayed ability. The Roman government faced disasters and recovered from them with a splendid resolution, and found themselves supported by the dogged loyalty of the great bulk of the Italians. But Hannibal had to depend entirely on his own military genius, his own personal influence, the prestige of his arms, and the devotion which he inspired among heterogeneous masses of followers of varying races, who were without the inspiration of a common patriotism, and received practically no support from the state in whose name they were fighting. Between the end of the first Punic War and the outbreak