247-183 B.C.

Carthaginian general who is regarded as one of the greatest military commanders of the ancient world. Hannibal, whose father was the general of the Carthaginian army and who waged the First Punic War (264-241) against the Romans, succeeded his father and led the offensive against Rome in the Second Punic War (218-201). Hannibal led the army of Carthage, a city-state in northern Africa, to a series of remarkable victories against the Romans in Spain and Italy, but was eventually defeated. He is especially remembered for leading his army, with elephants, across the Alps.