History glossary
the Second Punic War
the war of Hannibal's invasion of Italy and Scipio's victory at Zama, fought from 218 to 201 BCE.
- Category
- Conflict
- Region
- Western Mediterranean
- Date range
- 218-201 BCE
What it means
The Second Punic War began after Hannibal's attack on Saguntum and became the most dangerous war Rome had yet faced. Hannibal crossed the Alps, won at Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae, but Rome survived, attacked Carthaginian power in Iberia and Africa, and ended the war with Scipio's victory at Zama.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Roman Republic
From the expulsion of Rome’s kings to the rise of Augustus, the Roman Republic built a powerful mixed constitution, expanded across the Mediterranean, and ultimately collapsed into civil war and one-man rule.
The Punic Wars: The Story of Rome, Carthage and Hannibal
From rivalry over Sicily to Hannibal's invasion, Zama, and the destruction of Carthage, the Punic Wars made Rome the dominant power of the Mediterranean and changed the Republic forever.
