Why the second punic war started

In-school Workshops. Never Such Innocence. End of the Second Punic War. While Carthage had controlled territory in Spain, they had demanded a tax on mines. When the Romans took over the territory, they continued the same taxes. Livy views the seizure of Saguntum as a cause; Polybius feels this is the beginning of the war rather than an underlying cause. After discussing the facts available on each of the causes, the dissertation maintains that all four causes are sustainable.

The primary objection to the ancient causes is that they are too pro-Roman. In reality, the revenge factor reflects poorly on the Romans and legality may rest with Hannibal's on the seizure of Saguntum.

This last issue continues to be hotly debated. Other possibilities for the Second Punic War are briefly analyzed including the inevitability of the conflict, the miscalculation of Roman motives by the Carthaginians, economic inducements, imperialism, and the character of Hannibal.

Hamilcar drowned while crossing a river during a battle and his command was given to his son-in-law the Fair. He continued the strategy of Hamilcar and continued to expand the Punic presence in Iberia [3].

In BCE Hasdrubal was assassinated by a local tribesman, many believe at the instigation of the Romans. The army acclaimed Hannibal and he became its commander at the age of Hannibal sought to consolidate the power of the Carthaginians in Iberia and he stormed several important fortresses. He faced a coalition of rebellious Spanish tribes but Hannibal defeated them at the Battle of the River Tagus.

As part of the peace treaty that ended the First Punic War, Carthage could not intervene in the affairs of Italy. However, there was a faction in Carthage that was determined to renew the war with Spain.

They were supported by the Barcids in Spain. This faction briefly won a majority in the Carthaginian Senate or Assembly and entered into a secret agreement with the Celts in Northern Italy. The Romans feared the Celts ever since. The Celts with the support of the Carthaginians planned to move south into Roman territory. However, the Romans became aware of the plan and they launched a preemptive strike. Rome was now very much afraid of a Celtic-Carthaginian alliance and attacked Cisalpine Gaul Southern France to deny the Carthaginians an opportunity to attack the Republic.

Rome had been complacent about the Carthaginians and they adopted a more aggressive stance. The adopted a strategy to contain Hannibal in Spain. The Hannibal inspired attempts by the Carthaginians to engineer a Celtic or a Celtic-Carthaginian invasion placed Rome on a war-footing.

The Romans had begun to focus more on Spain but after the assassination of Hasdrubal, they became distracted by events elsewhere. They became embroiled in a war in Illyria [7]. This allowed Hannibal to consolidate his position in Spain. The capture of Saguntum was essential to Hannibal's plan.

This was originally a Greek city but later was composed of a mixed population of Greeks, Romans, and Iberians. The city was a very prosperous trade center and it was strongly fortified.

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