DBA Armies

This list includes Carthaginian armies from just after the war against Pyrrhos of Epeiros until the destruction of Carthage by the Romans. It covers the first Punic War against the Romans 264-241 BC fought mainly in Sicily, the Mercenary War of 240- 237 BC in Africa, conquests in Spain 237-218 BC, the second Punic War against the Romans in Spain 218-206 BC, under Hannibal in Italy 218-206 BC and in Africa 205-202 BC, then the third Punic War against the Romans in Africa 149-146 BC. After Sicily, Poeni (Phoenician-descended citizens) did not fight outside Africa except as officers and the army was largely regular Libyan spearmen and Spanish and Gallic mercenaries. At Cannae in 216 BC, the centre of the Carthaginian front line consisted of Spaniards and Gauls, who were intended to be pushed back so that pursuing Romans could be struck in flank by the Libyan spearmen on the ends of the line. It is unlikely that the Libyans and veterans said to have been rearmed with captured Roman equipment after Hannibal’s initial victories in Italy adopted Roman weapons as well as mail armour. All horsemen now used shield and javelins. Cavalry became a mix of Poeni, Spanish, Gauls and Italians. Numidian LH shrank when their ruler changed sides in 205 BC. Spanish foot were mostly scutati with long shields, the rest caetrati with small round shields. At the Trebia in 218 BC, Hannibal’s Gallic foot fought under tribal leaders and the next year were accused of bad march discipline and lack of stamina, so are classed as Wb. At Cannae in 216 BC, they were organised in small controllable units and mixed with Spanish and so can alternatively be 4Ax. The elephants Hannibal took to Italy over the Alps quickly died and replacements were infrequent. At Zama in 202 BC, larger numbers of inadequately-trained elephants were used as an expendable front line; and recently recruited Gallic foot supported by Ligurians are said to have attacked with great enthusiasm and to have resented lack of support from the Libyans and Poeni behind, so are classed as Wb. References: Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars D. Head, The Punic Wars A. Goldsworthy, The First Punic War ).F Lazenby, Hannibal’s War ].F. Lazenby, Hannibal’s Campaigns T. Bath, The Second Punic War A Reappraisal T. Cornell, B. Rankov & P. Sabin.