Maharbal
Encyclopedia
Maharbal was Hannibal's cavalry commander during the Second Punic War
. He was often critical to the success of the side of Carthage
over Rome
. Throughout his Italian campaign Hannibal maintained an advantage in mounted soldiers and thus relied upon them and Maharbal to give himself a sizeable edge.
Maharbal is most famously known for what he allegedly said in a conversation with Hannibal immediately following the Battle of Cannae
. According to Livy
the conversation went like this: after Maharbal expressed interest on marching to Rome immediately: "I commend your zeal," he (Hannibal) said to Maharbal, "but I need time to weigh the plan which you propose." "Assuredly," Maharbal replied, "no one man has been blessed with all God's gifts. You, Hannibal, know how to gain a victory; you do not know how to use it." The famous Latin for the last sentence of the conversation goes like this: "Vincere scis, Hannibal; victoria uti nescis."
the plains near the Po in northern Italy. He was recalled to join his commander for the battle on the Ticinus
(218 BC) where the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio
was seriously wounded and his son
first made an appearance in Roman history.
, 6000 Romans who had escaped from the battle occupied a strong position in one of the neighbouring villages. These survivors were induced to lay down their arms, on receiving from Maharbal a promise of safety. Hannibal, however, refused to ratify the capitulation, alleging that Maharbal had exceeded his powers. He dismissed, without ransom, all those men who belonged to the Italian allies, and only retained the Roman citizens as prisoners of war. (Polyb. iii. 84, 85 ; Liv. xxii. 6, 7 ; Appian, Annib. 10.) Maharbal, despite being a cavalry commander, led Iberian
skirmishers and infantry to round up the Romans who had survived the battle.
The consul Gnaeus Servilius Geminus
, who was en route to meet with his co-consul Flaminius
, had sent his cavalry ahead, led by the praetor C. Centenius. After the battle of Trasimene, Maharbal (leading a detachment of spearmen and cavalry) successfully intercepted C. Centinius and his detachment of 4000 cavalry. When Maharbal's force met with Centenius half of the Romans were killed, and the rest retreated. The surviving Roman cavalry were followed to a hill where they eventually surrendered.
After this battle, Maharbal was apparently sent with the Numidian cavalry to ravage the rich Falernian plains.
According to Livy, Maharbal commanded the right wing of the Carthaginian army at the battle of Cannae. Appian, on the contrary, assigns him on that occasion the command of the reserve of cavalry.
Livy claims that immediately after the victory, Maharbal urged Hannibal to push on at once with his cavalry upon Rome itself, promising him that if he did so, within five days he should sup in the Capitol. On the refusal of his commander, Maharbal is said to have observed, that Hannibal knew indeed how to gain victories, but not how to use them. (Liv. xxii. 13, 46, 51 ; Appian, Annib. 20, 21 ; Floras, ii. 5 ; Zonar. ix. 1 ; Cato ap. Gell. x. 24 ; Plutarch, Fab. 17, erroneously assigns this advice to a Carthaginian of the name of Barca.) However, modern historians judge Hannibal's decision more reasonably than did William Smith and his contemporaries. They point to the fact that Hannibal's army was exhausted, that Rome was able to raise fresh legions, that Rome itself was defended by formidable walls, and that Hannibal had no siege machinery.
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
. He was often critical to the success of the side of Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
over Rome
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. Throughout his Italian campaign Hannibal maintained an advantage in mounted soldiers and thus relied upon them and Maharbal to give himself a sizeable edge.
Maharbal is most famously known for what he allegedly said in a conversation with Hannibal immediately following the Battle of Cannae
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae was a major battle of the Second Punic War, which took place on August 2, 216 BC near the town of Cannae in Apulia in southeast Italy. The army of Carthage under Hannibal decisively defeated a numerically superior army of the Roman Republic under command of the consuls Lucius...
. According to Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
the conversation went like this: after Maharbal expressed interest on marching to Rome immediately: "I commend your zeal," he (Hannibal) said to Maharbal, "but I need time to weigh the plan which you propose." "Assuredly," Maharbal replied, "no one man has been blessed with all God's gifts. You, Hannibal, know how to gain a victory; you do not know how to use it." The famous Latin for the last sentence of the conversation goes like this: "Vincere scis, Hannibal; victoria uti nescis."
Military accomplishments
Maharbal was son of Himilco, presumably a Carthaginian, of whom nothing is known. He was first mentioned as commanding the besieging force at the siege of Saguntum (219 BC) in the absence of the commander-in-chief Hannibal. According to Livy, he carried on the operations with such vigor that Hannibal's absence was hardly felt. After Hannibal arrived in Italy, he was detached with a body of cavalry (presumably Hannibal's Spanish allies) to ravageRavage
Ravage may refer to:*Ravage 2099, a fictional superhero, set in the far future, from Marvel Comics*Ravage , a fictional villain at the Marvel Comics and one of the Hulk's enemies...
the plains near the Po in northern Italy. He was recalled to join his commander for the battle on the Ticinus
Battle of Ticinus
The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. The battle took place in the flat country of Pavia county on the right bank of the Ticino River not far north from its...
(218 BC) where the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio
Publius Cornelius Scipio
Publius Cornelius Scipio was a general and statesman of the Roman Republic.A member of the Corneliagens, Scipio served as consul in 218 BC, the first year of the Second Punic War, and sailed with an army from Pisa to Massilia , with the intention of arresting Hannibal's advance on Italy...
was seriously wounded and his son
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus , also known as Scipio Africanus and Scipio the Elder, was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic...
first made an appearance in Roman history.
Battle of Lake Trasimene (217 BC)
At the TrasimeneBattle of Lake Trasimene
The Battle of Lake Trasimene was a Roman defeat in the Second Punic War between the Carthaginians under Hannibal and the Romans under the consul Gaius Flaminius...
, 6000 Romans who had escaped from the battle occupied a strong position in one of the neighbouring villages. These survivors were induced to lay down their arms, on receiving from Maharbal a promise of safety. Hannibal, however, refused to ratify the capitulation, alleging that Maharbal had exceeded his powers. He dismissed, without ransom, all those men who belonged to the Italian allies, and only retained the Roman citizens as prisoners of war. (Polyb. iii. 84, 85 ; Liv. xxii. 6, 7 ; Appian, Annib. 10.) Maharbal, despite being a cavalry commander, led Iberian
Iberians
The Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
skirmishers and infantry to round up the Romans who had survived the battle.
The consul Gnaeus Servilius Geminus
Gnaeus Servilius Geminus
Gnaeus Servilius Geminus was a Roman consul, serving as both general and admiral of Roman forces, during the Second Punic War....
, who was en route to meet with his co-consul Flaminius
Flaminius
Flaminius may refer to*Gaius Flaminius Nepos, Roman consul, killed during the invasion of Italy by Hannibal*Gaius Flaminius, Roman consul, son of the above...
, had sent his cavalry ahead, led by the praetor C. Centenius. After the battle of Trasimene, Maharbal (leading a detachment of spearmen and cavalry) successfully intercepted C. Centinius and his detachment of 4000 cavalry. When Maharbal's force met with Centenius half of the Romans were killed, and the rest retreated. The surviving Roman cavalry were followed to a hill where they eventually surrendered.
After this battle, Maharbal was apparently sent with the Numidian cavalry to ravage the rich Falernian plains.
Battle of Cannae (216 BC)
Maharbal's role in this famous battle is uncertain. Roman historians are themselves divided on his presence or absence, and the most reliable of them, Polybius, does not mention his presence at all.According to Livy, Maharbal commanded the right wing of the Carthaginian army at the battle of Cannae. Appian, on the contrary, assigns him on that occasion the command of the reserve of cavalry.
Livy claims that immediately after the victory, Maharbal urged Hannibal to push on at once with his cavalry upon Rome itself, promising him that if he did so, within five days he should sup in the Capitol. On the refusal of his commander, Maharbal is said to have observed, that Hannibal knew indeed how to gain victories, but not how to use them. (Liv. xxii. 13, 46, 51 ; Appian, Annib. 20, 21 ; Floras, ii. 5 ; Zonar. ix. 1 ; Cato ap. Gell. x. 24 ; Plutarch, Fab. 17, erroneously assigns this advice to a Carthaginian of the name of Barca.) However, modern historians judge Hannibal's decision more reasonably than did William Smith and his contemporaries. They point to the fact that Hannibal's army was exhausted, that Rome was able to raise fresh legions, that Rome itself was defended by formidable walls, and that Hannibal had no siege machinery.