Hannibal: Zenith

***Hannibal: Zenith*** is a historical epic film based on the Second Punic War and is set in the ***Ancient World Cinematic Universe (AWCU).*** It is the final film of the ***Hannibal Trilogy*** and is the sequel to ***Hannibal: Ascendancy***. The film takes place between 215-181 BC.

The film stars.... Like the rest of the AWCU, the film is mostly historically accurate, with some minor adjustments in order to make it cinematic.

## Plot

In Hispania, Publius Scipio and Gnaeus Scipio are killed by Hasdrubal Barca ( and his Barcid forces, which include general Hasdrubal Gisco, in Ilora, near of Cartago Nova. The son of Publius Scipio, Publius Cornelius Scipio , is distraught and full of vengeance. He remarkably is elected proconsul at the age of 25 and goes to Hispania, despite objections from his mother Pomponia.

A new war front develops in Sicily. The leader of Syracuse, King Hiero II died, and Hannibal dispatched the general Himilco to succeed in winning Syracuse over to the Carthaginians. A Roman force led by the general Marcus Marcellus siege Syracuse. He received help of the exiled and cursed survivor legions of Cannae. The city is defended by the militar invents created by Archimedes.

Hanno joins Hannibal, Mago , Maharbal , and Imilce on the Italian front. Hannibal, who was at the gates of Rome, refused to attack, fearing failure and a lack of confidence in his legions. He instead captures the cities of Capua and Tarentum.

In Hispania, Publius Cornelius Scipio succeeds in liberating the area from the Barcids. Orissus, a tribe leader who has been fighting the Barcids over the past two movies, calls Scipio "king", a term that Scipio refuses to bear, with from the events of ***Lucretia***, the romans hate any possible roman king. How he is a general with "imperium" over the legions, he said Orissus that call him "imperator". Hasdrubal Gisco is killed in the siege of Cartago Nova. Scipio then fights Hasdrubal Barca's legions at the Battle of Baecula and wins. Hasdrubal Barca reunites the rest of his mens and try to join Hannibal in Italy crossing the Alps. Weeks later, Scipio receive news that Hasdrubal and his mens were killed in Metaurus River, in Italy by the general Gaius Claudius Nero.

In Syracuse, Marcellus defeats the Carthaginians and the island is under Roman control once again. Archimedes and Himilco dies in the siege os Syracuse. The tide of the war seems to be turning. Hanno sees this a tells Hannibal to end the war and retreat. Hannibal refuses. The Numidian King Masinissa (Djimon Hounsou) switches sides to the Romans, seeing the romans as a the winning side.

Scipio and the Romans head to Carthage to end the war, receiving help from Massinisa. Hanno tries to broker peace, but a battle is imminent. It is agreed that Hannibal, Mago, Imilce and the Carthaginian forces are to fight Scipio, Masinissa, Nero, and the Roman forces at Zama. Mago is killed in a storm at sea on the way to the Battle of Zama.

The climactic battle results in a Roman victory. Imilce is killed.

Scipio is victorious, and the Romans call him "Africanus".

In the epilogue, Hannibal and Maharbal are retired to Nicomedia in Asia for the rest of his life before Scipio finds him. In this time the two carthaginians were counselors of the Seleucid King, Anthiocus III; the first king of Armenia, Artaxias and the king of Bithynia, leading many battles against Rome in Asia. They talk, but Hannibal realizes that they are there to take him in.