Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/98

 86 THE GLORY OF GREECE AND RISE OF ROME inflicted a tremendous defeat on the incompetent Roman commander Flaminius at Lake Trasimene. His policy of and Trasi- annihilating the Romans and winning the Italians mene, 217 B.C. 0V er to his own side became at once apparent. He knew that his own army could not accomplish the conquest by itself. Counting on his own military skill he was always eager to force an engagement on the enemy, reckoning that every great victory increased the chances of an Italian revolt. Whenever Cannae, he did bring on an engagement he was successful, 216 B.C. anc i the battle of Cannae a year after Trasimene was a massacre of the Roman army. Yet he never felt himself strong enough to attempt the siege of Rome, while the Italian allies remained obstinately loyal. The Romans, on the other hand, in the face of the most terrific disasters, grew only the more stubborn in their resistance. Moreover, in Spain their arms prospered; Hannibal's brother, Hasdrubal, left in charge of that country, was unable to send him assistance; and from Carthage itself none was forthcoming. 'Hannibal found himself cooped up in the south of Italy, while the Romans found them- selves able to enter on an active campaign in Sicily. A turn of the tide in Spain at last enabled Hasdrubal to lead a fresh army The Metaurus, * n his brother's footsteps; but though he penetrated 207. into the north of Italy, he was intercepted on the Metaurus by a brilliant march of the Roman General Nero, before he could affect a junction with Hannibal. Hasdrubal was killed and his army annihilated. For Hannibal the struggle had already become desperate. In Spain victory once more attended the arms of the youthful Roman general Scipio, and the country was reduced to sub- jection. He returned to Rome and was despatched with an army against Carthage itself. Hannibal was recalled to face Zama, the invader, but in the decisive battle which was 202 B.C. fought at Zama the victory lay with Scipio. Hannibal himself urged peace accepting Scipio's terms. Practi- cally, Carthage was to surrender her war-fleet and to be placed in the same position as the Italian Socii, managing her own affairs, but subject to the Roman suzerainty on questions of