Hannibal Barca

-247 – -183

Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general and statesman who led the forces of Carthage against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. In 218 BC he made his legendary crossing of the Alps with war elephants and infantry, going on to inflict catastrophic defeats on Rome at the battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae, where his double envelopment annihilated a Roman army of some 80,000 men. Widely considered one of the greatest military strategists in history, his tactics have been studied by commanders for more than two thousand years.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM