How did hannibal lose the Battle of Zama?
Hannibal’s loss on the fields of Zama owes its existence to the strategic brilliance of Scipio Africanus. The second Punic war was a very desperate struggle for survival by Rome. They were facing a rear-guard struggle against superior Carthaginian forces in Hispania, while Hannibal rampaged freely in Italy, smashing any resistance that levied itself against him. The whole of the Roman world was on the defensive, furiously frustrated with itself for its utter incapability of dealing with the Carthaginians. Only one man stood out from the crowd: that was Scipio Africanus. At a time when the entire Roman world was under siege, he realized that defense does not win wars, offense does. He focused his attention on Hispania, knowing that it was Carthage’s staging point to Rome. This was an extremely courageous strategy, one that perhaps saved Rome. By putting pressure on Hispania, Scipio was eventually able to seize control, despite those who thought he should be home, defending the mother-la
