At the age of nine he went to spain with his father, who previous to his departure, took his son to the altar, and placing his hand on the sacrifice, made him swear that he would never be friend to the Romans. It does not appear how long Hannibal remained in spain, but he was at a very early age associated with Hasdrubal, who succeeded his father in the command of the Carthaginian army in that country. On the death of Hasdrubal, BC 221, he obtained the undividual command of the army, and quikly conquered the Olcades, Vaccaeans, Caresians and the other spanish tribes that had not been subdued by Hasdrubal. The inhabitants of Saguntum, alarmed at the success, sent messengers to Rome to inform the Romans of their danger. A Roman embassy was accordingly sent to Hannibal, who was passing the winter at Carthago Nova, to announce to him that the independence of Saguntum was guaranteed by a treaty between the Carthaginians and Romans (concluded BC 226), and that they should consider any injury done to the Saguntines as a decleration of war against themselves. Hannibal, however, paid no regard to this remonstrance. More than twenty years elapsed since the termination of the first Punic war, during which period the Carthaginians had recovered their strength, and had obtained possession of the greater part of spain; and now a favourable opportunity had arrived for renewing the war with the Romans. In BC 219, Hannibal took Saguntum after a seige of eight months, and employed the winter in making preperations for the invasion of Italy. He first provided for the security for Africa and Spain by leaving an army of about 16,000 men in each country. The army in Africa consisted principally of spanish troops, and that in spain of Africans, under the command of his brother Hasdrubal. He already had recieved promises of support from the Gauls who inhabited north of Italy, and who were anoxiuos to deliver themselves form Romans domenation. Having thus made every necessary preperation, he set out form Carthago Nova, late in the spring BC 218, with an army of 80,000 foot and 12,000 horse. In this march from the Iberus to the Pyrenees, he left Hanno to secure his recent conquest with a detachment of his own army of 11,000 men, he sent back the same number fo spanish troops to their own cities, and with an army now reduced to 50,000 foot and 9,000 hrose he advance to the Rhone.Meanwhile to Roman armies had been leived: one, commanded by the counsil P. Cornelius Scipio, was intended to oppose Hannibal in Spain; and a second, under the consul T. Sempronius, was designed for the invasion of Africa. The departure of Scipio was delayed by a revolt of the Boian and Insubrian Gauls, against Scipio's army under the command of one of the preators. Scipio was therefore obtained to remain in Rome until a new army could be raised. When the forces were ready, he sailed with them to the Rhone, and anchored at the eastern mouth of the river, being persuaded that Hannibal must still be at a considerable distance from him, as the country through which he had to march was diffi Hannibal. Cult are inhabited by many warlike tribes. Hannibal, however, quickly surmounted all these obstacles, crossed the Rhone, though not without some oppositionfrom the Gauls, and continued his march up the left bank of the river. Scipio did not arrive at the place where th Carthaginians had crossed the river till three days afterwards;and, despairing of overtaking them, he sailed back to Italy with the intention of meeting Hannibal when he descend form the Alps. Scipio sent his brother Gnaeus into Spain, with the greater part of the troops, to oppose Hasdrubal. Hannibal continued his march up the Rhone till he came to the Isara. Marching along that river, he crossed the Alps, descended into the valley of the Dora Baltea, and followed the course of the river till he arrived in the territories in the Insubrian Gauls. Hannibal completed his march form Carthago Nova to Italy in five months, during which time he lost a great number of men, esp. in his passage over the Apls. His army was reduced to 20,000 foot and 6,000 horse. After remaining sometime in the neighborhood of the Isburians to recruit his army, he marched southward, and encountered P. Cornelius Scipio on the right bank of the river ticinus. In the battle which ensued the Romans were defeated, and Scipio, with the remainder of the army, retreating along along the left of the Po, crossed the river before Hannibal could overtake him and encamped near Placentia. He afterwards retreated more to the south, and itrenched himself strongly on the right bank of the Trebia, where he waited for the arrival of the army of the other consul, T. Sempronius. Sempronius had already crossed over into Sicily with the intentions of sailing to Africa, when he was recalled to join his colleague. After the union of the two armies, Sempronius determined, against the advice of Scipio, to risk another battle. The skill and fortune of Hannibal again prevailed; the Romans were entirely defeated, and the troops who survived took refuge in the fortified cities. In consequence of these victories, the whole of Cisalpine Gaule fell in to the hands of Hannibal; and the Gauls, who, in his first arrival, were prevented from joining him by the presence of Scipio's army in their country, now they eagrly assisted him with both men and supplies. In the following year, BC 217, The Romans made great preperations to oppose their formidable enemy. Two new armies were raised. One was posted at Arretium, under the command of the consul Flaminius, and the other at Ariminum, under the command of the consul Servilius. Hannibal determined to attack Flaminius first. In his march southward through the swamp of basin of the Arnus, his army suffered greatly, and he himself lost the sight of one eye. After resting his troops for a short time in the neighbourhood of Faesulae, he marched past Arretium ravaging the country as he went, with the view of drawing on Flaminuis to a battle. Flaminius, who appears to hve been a rash, headstrong man, has followed Hannibal;and, being attacked at the basin lake Trasimenus, was completely defeated by the Carthaginians. Hannibal appears to have entertained hopes of overthrowing Roman dominion, and to have expected that the other states of Italy would take up arms against Rome, in order to gain their independence. To win over the affections of the Italians, he dismissed without ransom all the prisoners whom he took in battle; and, to give them an opportunity of joining his army, he marched slowly along the eastern side of the peninsula, though Umbria and Picenum, into Apulia; but he did not meet with that co-operation which he appears to have expected. After the defeat of Flaminius, Q. Fabius Maximus was appointed dictator, and a defensive system of warfare was adopted by the Romans for the rest of the year. In the following year Bc 216, the Romans resolved upon another battle. An army of 80,000 foot and 6,000 horse were raised, which was commanded by the consuls L. Aemilius Paulus and C. Terentius Varro. The Carthaginian army now amounted to 40,000 foot and 10,000 horse. Both armies were encamped in the neighbourhood of Cannea in Apulia. In the battle which was fought near this place, the Romans were defeated with dreadful carnage. This victory placed the whole of lower Italy in the power of Hannibal, but it was not followed by such important results as might have been expected. Capua and most of the cities of Campania espoused his cause, but the majority of the Italian states continued true to Rome. The defensive system was now strictly adopted by the Romans, and Hannibal was unable to make any active exertions for the further conquest of Italy till he received a reenforcement of troops. He was in hopes of obtaining support from Philip of Macedon and from the Syracusans, with both of whom he formed an alliance; but the Romans found no means to keep Philip employed in Greece, and Syracuse was besieged and taken by the Romans, BC 214-12, In addition to this, Capua was taken by the Romans, BC 211. Hannibal was therefore obliged to depend upon the Carthaginians for help, and Hasdrubal was accordingly ordered to march for spain to his assistance. Gneaus Scipio, as already observed, had been left in spain to oppose Hasdrubal. He was afterwards joined by P. Cornelius Scipio, and the war was carried on with various success for many years, till at length the Roman army was entirely defeated by Hasdrubal, BC 212