His well-planned strategies allowed him to conquer several Italian cities that were allied to Rome. Hannibal occupied most of southern Italy for 15 years. He could not win a decisive victory. The Romans, led by Fabius Maximus, avoided confrontation with him, instead waging a war of attrition. A counter-invasion of North Africa, led by Roman General Scipio Africanus, forced him to return to Carthage. Hannibal was eventually defeated at the Battle of Zama, his brother, Hasdrubal, driven out of the Iberian Peninsula by the forces of general Scipio.