Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-07-29
THE WORLDS
GREAT EVENTS
ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE
Hannibal
g By Dodd. Mad a Company


one day Tn 23S b. G. and. at his ia
theirs dictatiOn, swOre solemn oatf
an oath that was destined to change
the fortunes of the world and to cOsi
half million lives.
The boy was Hannibal, one Of the
greatest military geniuses Of history
His father, Hamilcar, was a famous
Carthaginian general. His three fierce
sons were known as "the Lions
Brood" Carthage, a sovereign city,
whose domains extended for hundreds
OF miles. was situated on the north
coast OF Africa, near modern Tunis. 1t
was settled by PhOenIclans and rose to
pre-eminent commercial and educa-
/ tional greatness. In 246 b. c. Car
thage cIashed with Rome over the
possession of Sicily. This is known
as the First Punic or (Phoenician)
war. Rome won.
HamlIcar made his nine-year-Old
son, Hannibal, swear eternal enmity
to Rome; then took him on a cam
paign against Spain. The boy grew
up In camps and, at the age of TWEEN
ty-six, was made commander-in-chief
Of the Cartbaginian armies. His first
act OF power was to set about fulfill
Ing his childish oath. With this In
view he completed the conquest Of
Spain, meaning to use that country as
base Of supplies in his proposed war
with Rome.
He then picked a quarrel with
Rome's allies at Saguntum and stOrmed
their city This brought forth prompt
protest from the Romans, and in 219
b. G. the Second Punic war was on.
The next spring Hannibal crossed the
Pyrenees with 10000 men and 81 war
elephants, sweeping all hostile tribes
before him like chaff. Before reaching
what is now France, on his march to
italy, Hannibal weeded out his ranks,
sending back all except the bravest,
hardest men. This cut down his for
mer vast army to less than 10000.
But he knew that ia sHeh-a- cam.
palgn as he planned 1t was quality,
not quantity, that counted. He crossed
the RhOne, Guiding the Roman army
sent to stop him, and reached the
Alps. The passage of this range of
mountains involved tremendous work.
The track was impossible for his ele-
plants, and the SHOWS and bitter cold
chilled his Africans and Spaniards to
the bone. He cleared a road. blasting
rocks, it is said. with a preparation Of
vinegar, and transported his whole
army over into northern italy In 10
days
PublIus ScipiO, the Roman consul, !
again barred his way but was badly
beaten In a battle near Vercelli. At
this conflict the consul's seventeen
year-old son, later known to history
as "ScIpio Africanus," fought his first
battle. The Romans, reinforced to
10000 again attacked Hannibal and
lgaIn were beaten. The Carthaginian,
n the spring Of PIT B. c., lured a
yreat Roman armysinto a trap In a
mountain defile near Lake Trasimene
md mastered them. Rome, aghast at
he invaders progress. chose Fabius
daximus, nieknamed "the Delayer."
or genera1-in-chief Fabius would risk
10 general engagement with his terri
lie foe, but pursued course of mas
erly inactivity that has since become
n0wn ia warfare as arabian tactics"
After wasting northern Italy Han
ibal the following spring encountered
Roman army $4,000 strong (far
lrger than his own) near Cannae and
teraiiy cut It to pieces Onward to-
ards the city of Rome Itself Hanni-
al advanced. None dared to oppose
I'm. He held Rome and all Italy in
he hollow of his hand The road to
ONE was clear. But, instead of con-
nuing to the city itself, he foolIshly
ent into winter quarters at Capua.
hen spring came. Hannibal's great
nance was gone. Rome was ready
,r him. His once invincible army
as now a dfss0fute, overfed horde.
True, for years later he ravaged
ally. once encamping within three
lies OF Rome and sending his sklr-
fishing parties up to the very gates
the city. But never again did he
lcceed In placing the enemy wholly at
IS mercy. His star was on the decline.
ct even then no Roman general
ared attack him, for in all his
years of invasion he was never
srsonally defeated In battle. The
,unger Sclpio hit on a plan 70 i
d Italy OF the terrible foe He
ossed with an army into Carthagin- 4
n territory. thus carrying the war
to Africa. Carthage. being menaced,
mt in haste for Hannibal to protect II
8 home city. and he left Italy never HI
return. Hannibal. with an inferior HI
rec. met Scipio at Zama. Africa. and H
r the first time. In his life was
aten. This defeat ended the Second
mic war. Carthage was, for the
me, crushed H
Hannibal turned his attention to H
with such success that II
thin a very few years he had built II
Carriages shattered finances and "
Iwer. Rome. stIll dreadIng him, de IA