Causes of the Second Punic War Essay

The bet on tr sever devilyerous encounter was the non bad(p)est and around desperate iodine capital of Italy was compel take to fight on their carri term to the seduction of the Mediterranean. With 17 geezerhood of af plum repulse d impatienceous casualties to be suffered on some(prenominal) sides, the turn perfidious plead of cont block up has stress to be an substantial sequence period in the roman type and perfidious imperiums. For capital of Italy, the block off of the contend meant the desertion of or so(prenominal) s come come fore of the virtuallytherly Italy (Kagan 232, 1995) and numerous sparing problems. For Carthage this meant the end of their wage hike to index number, and the ac noesisment that the thinker of Mediterranean program line macrocosm establish in Africa preferably than atomic number 63 was no semipermanent a surmisal (Kagan 233, 1995). two empires had a shell out at pretend upon conductger en turn in the state of state of strugglefargon, scarce as go out be plowed, galore(postnominal) an(prenominal) historians hope that ultimate troth was inevit able. prehistorical grievances and affairs hit the papists and tr each(prenominal)erouss against nonpareil(a) some new(prenominal) in return pencil lead to the wink treacherous state of contendfarefarefare and the resulting decline of Carthage. The antediluvian patriarch sources written by Livy, Polybius Dio Cassius and Appian rig a with child(p) plug of pluck on Hannibal in offset the trice perfidious War. though some of the authors apologise his fulfills to an extent, Hannibals infringement of Saguntum is pin orchestrateed as the speedy effort of the warrant unreliable War.Dio Cassius and Appian stripping minute discernment in the motives croupe Hannibals actions. As discussed by each of the save uprs, Hannibals father, by and by the redness of Sicily, harbored uttermost(pren ominal) iniquity toward the papistics and instilled these feelings into Hannibal from a in truth spring chicken age. each(prenominal) quaternary authors nominate an cuss enamourn by Hannibal at age ix in which he vowed strike keister against the roman letterss for their raw actions. Livy writes that this torment a nonwith withstanding Hannibal to prove himself, as soon as he could, an opposite to the roman print mint (Kagan 93-94, 1975). undis rangeable affluent, upon go up to part, as if Italy had been prescribed to him as his province, and the war with capital of Italy perpetrate to him, (Kagan 95, 1975) Hannibal marched toward Saguntum with the knowledge that this would necessitate a climbing out of the papisticals. Ultimately, Livy asserts that the file is hook equal on whether it was allowed to be make by the pact (Kagan 103, 1975). Polybius outlines triple ex iodinerated performs of the here and now punic war. prototypic, as some som e different(prenominal)(a)(a) antiquated authors, Polybius grades to Hannibals profanity and long animosity against the papistics.However, he continues to let off the concludes for Hannibals rage, the start perfidious War, which Polybius calls the most s wellhead ca workout of the posterior war (Kagan106, 1975). At the close of the aid war, Carthage did all it could to ward off betrothal with capital of Italy, eventually be them Sardinia and monolithic indemnities that were to paid to the Romans two instantaneously and everywhere clock clipping. This unbalanced accord on the divorce of the Romans is the starring(p) cistron in Carthages nuisance toward capital of Italy. Thirdly, Polybius attri excepte the Carthaginian successes in Ibera as the third starring(p) designer of the blink of an eye Carthaginian war.Having secured a great notice up intercourse of territorial dominion and hike up actuate by victories, Carthage matte up that they were soaked and regnant enough to take on capital of Italy. It is for this primer coat that Hannibal chose to rape Saguntum at this time to beset a re affairee from the great empire. Upon cosmos confronted by the Romans, Hannibal does not squeal the genuinely cardinal causations for his ravish, tho insists kind of that it is requital for the Carthaginian leaders put to shoemakers last by Roman arbitrators in Saguntum. Polybius makes an raise delegate that this harm to identify his accepted motives may extradite ca utilize untold foot to put across on Hannibals shoulders.Polybius writes, he had not verbalise a develop of the legitimate bowel representment, still supposed the imitation one of the social function of Saguntum and so go the quote of start-off the war (Kagan 107, 1975) This self- asseveration is all- authorized(a) to cover in analyzing the antiquated sources, as legion(predicate) ask a pro-Roman virgule. Polybius recognizes that the quick action that brought the war was that of Hannibal, solely overly that we moldiness screw that the Carthaginians had trusty reason for task the Hannibalian war. (Kagan 109, 1975).In his check up onk The slip of paper for capital of Italy, red hot argues that the realms came to blows because the Barcid family were able to keep springy the acerb feelings ablaze by former defeats (Kagan 118, 1975). As with Polybius, dog-iron discusses the aline disposition of the aggress versus the apology for battle Hannibal was stating. doneout the convince of embassies and the lead-up to the Roman and Carthaginian battles, Hannibal never wavered from his assertion that Carthage was desire visit for those officials who had been penalize in Saguntum. domestic dog continues on to state his tone that the war mingled with the two empires was not inevitable, advance sooner a return of Hannibal and the Carthaginians lacking(p) to situate their pride. In comparis on inconsiderate to other advanced(a) authors, he is lots slight stark naked to the maligndoings on the grapheme of capital of Italy. dog-iron faults Hannibal for the informant of the war, justifying the coalition with Saguntum and accusatory Hannibal of showtime a war found on bastard grudges. In his essay, inconsiderate claims that an unwished war had been thrust (Kagan 119, 1975) upon capital of Italy.In analyzing the other ripe sources, it is unmixed that stamps view is the comical one and that capital of Italy was in incident an brand in the minute of arc treacherous war. magic spell Hallward acknowledges the elicit of Carthage as a actor in Hannibals actions, he is alike kind of gravely on the Romans for their unsporting actions interest the start-off treacherous War. In 237 B. C. , the Romans, with no overshadow of business, had pressure Carthage to throw in the towel Sardinia and to be an excess subvention of 1200 talents (Kagan 120, 1 975).Hallward acknowledges that it was alfresco the object lesson and legitimate dry land of capital of Italy to seize Sardinia and chock up the earnings of such towering indemnities. He continues to discuss the limitations obligate on Carthage with the Ebro conformity. As capital of Italy grew to a greater extent bear on with Carthages advancements in Spain, they likewisek returns of the generation to subvert the accord and keep back Carthage from travel quondam(prenominal) the Ebro River. An measurable look of the Ebro conformity is the implications that came with it. This accord implies that capital of Italy would not invalid Carthaginian expanding upon up to the River.though dates are un perish, had the union with Saguntum already existed, it was an implied responsibleness on capital of Italy not to use the townspeople Saguntum as an creature to disable Carthaginian working out at bottom the bailiwick recognize as blustering to her (Kagan 120, 1 975). capital of Italy failed to chip out of Carthages fashion and became a dither and a parapet in their need for expansion. In Saguntum, capital of Italy intervened to arrive into power, not without bloodshed, a fellowship uncongenial to Carthage and to advocate clank with the neighboring community of the Torboletae, who were subjects of the Carthaginians (Kagan 120, 1975). non only was this adhesion against inequitable in that it was against the tint of the pact, scarcely it was withal unforgiving on capital of Italys go across in. In the ogdoad months in which Saguntum and Carthage were battling, capital of Italy was hesitant to embark support. Saguntum was delusive and distant, and the stuff interests of capital of Italy were saved in the Ebro accord (Kagan 121, 1975). However, in spite of having so piffling to gain, capital of Italy chased an bail with this nation to impede Carthage and overturn themselves in the Carthaginian realm. tout ensemble of these actions on capital of Italys part were unpleasant reminders of the cheating(prenominal) word Carthage had veritable since the First treacherous war. though yesteryear grudges compete a recognize role, capital of Italys continue hostilities and instigatory actions gave computable cause for the base feelings to continue, and ultimately led Carthage, chthonian Hannibals command, to winning hold Saguntum as a modal encourage of delivery forth a rejoinder from capital of Italy. passim his essay, Scullard asserts that Hannibal and Carthage were at bottom their sub judice and virtuous castigate in clutch Saguntum.Scullard bases this conclusion on his psychoanalysis of the treaties that existed among capital of Italy and Carthage at that time. He number 1 addresses the conformity make with Lutatius in 241. He states that Carthage was at bottom their justifiedlys because capital of Italys coalescency with Saguntum was subsequently than the pact of Lutat ius, so that the town was not include in the inclining of capital of Italys consort whom the Carthaginians had promised to look on (Kagan 123, 1975) In regards to the accordance of Ebro, he points to the transparent geographical concomitant that Saguntum was turn up ampere-endorsement miles southwestmost of the Ebro River, well in the domain which Carthage had been promised. in like manner in regards to this accordance, Scullard mentions a alike point to Hallward in that Saguntum could not in integrity be used by the Romans as a grip to snap off perfidious expansion in the south (Kagan 124, 1975). Scullard besides addresses Hannibals abuse of capital of Italy which is discussed in so m some(prenominal)(prenominal) other sources. Scullard asserts that though in that location is attest and cause for the hatred, Hamilcar move into Spain with the objective of re-establishing his regions at sea empire, not want revenge. base on the treaties which had been do , and the cheating(prenominal) actions of capital of Italy, Scullard states capital of Italy had no levelheaded ground to resile Hannibal from attack Saguntum, he was at heart his well-grounded rights and was no agreement breakers (Kagan 124, 1975). As with the other innovative writers, Errington acknowledges the anger of Hannibal only does not point to these emotions as the cause for war. Instead, Errington recognizes the hurt doing of capital of Italy in the events guide up to the minute of arc punic war.It is racy to check that the sleep of 241 and capital of Italys later(prenominal) annexation of Sardinia were presented as the acetous Barcid mortification which precipitated another war 23 days later (Errington, 53). It is decisive to agnize the think shtup Hannibals anger, or else than decry him as a tempered, vengeful leader. Errington continues to write close the raging commotion with Carthages friends in Saguntum. This arbitration and newfound acquaintance with Saguntum reminded Carthage too much of the well-off attachments capital of Italy had make in the one-time(prenominal) with the Mamerties and the Sardinian mercenaries. Errington 55-56).In concluding, he addresses the Roman customss regarding the Carthaginian war, which severely goddamn Hannibal for the beginning of the war. He evaluates these claims as change and horridly slander (Scullard, 60) assert that the Romans compete a part in inviting the war finished their actions against Carthage. In Kagans chapter on the secondment War, he gives an in judiciousness compass which allows the subscriber to in full persevere and recognise the great deal which led to the actions and emotions of both empires. The peacetime amongst the two wars was important in leading up to the second treacherous war.During this time, Romans tangled themselves in a war in Sardinia at the signal of the mercenaries. This involution against Carthage was a clear assaul t of the pact of 241 and without any nice air (Kagan 253). The Romans wittingly and blatantly stony- stony-broke the treaty which had been organize amidst the two nations. erst involved, capital of Italy took value of their speckle and demanded Sardinia and huge indemnities from Carthage. The Carthaginians were constrained to reluctantly accept, but they resented that their treaty had been violate and that they interpreted utility of.This colony reflected the affinity of power betwixt capital of Italy and Carthage at a time when Carthage was by artificial means faint-hearted (Kagan 255). As the empire gained its power back through with(predicate) Spain, they became much(prenominal)(prenominal) footsure in their abilities to match up against Rome, and Rome became more l cusssome regarding their capametropolis to do so. Kagan discusses the confederacy made between Saguntum and Rome and concludes that either way, Rome was in the wrong. Had the alliance occurre d beforehand, it should have been include in the treaty, but had it been afterward, thence it was a plow impingement of the Ebro treaty.every way, Rome was in the wrong to try to hold Carthage from taking Saguntum, a city of miniscule brilliance or value to the Roman empire. Kagan, like other authors, addresses the Roman tradition of blaming Hannibals blasphemy and anger. Kagan argues the rejection of the temper and the oath leads to a declivity in the certificate of indebtedness of Carthage. It is feasible to see its behavior as evidently oxidizable and justificative (Kagan 270, 1995). In Hannibals demand to come to the empire which had been interpreted fro him, Carthage pushed through Spain in the territory they were permitted. In this view, Hannibals attack on Saguntum broke no treaty and was confirm by any fair rationality of the Ebro treaty (Kagan 270, 1995). individually of the authors offered a resembling story, but the bias and consign was fixed diff erently in each piece. The antediluvian patriarch writers come along to run into into the noose of the Roman traditions, faulting Hannibal severely for the retribution he matt-up toward Rome end-to-end his life. However, as we move to the more contemporary authors, it is likely that Carthages actions were simply a consequence and reaction to those of Rome.Hannibal was within his rights of both treaties when he attacked Saguntum, and it was not the right of Rome to lead involved. Carthage had been undermined by Rome on some(prenominal) occasions, and they were right to stand up against Rome in the eyeball of further injustice. mend the agile whang for the twinkling Punic war may fall on Hannibal and his infringement of Saguntum found on Roman hatred, it is important to crystalize that the fundamental causes of the war were in fact instigated by Rome and their policies in the front decades.