Osprey Men-at-Arms 121 : Armies of the Carthaginian Wars 265-146 BC

The epic conflict between Rome and Carthage remains one of the most compelling stories of military history. The wars included such legendary events as the crossing of the Alps by Hannibal, and the Battle of Cannae. In the spring of 255 BC a Spartan adventurer named Xanthippus found himself in command of the entire Carthaginian army - an army facing the might of Rome, no less. At the battle of Tunes, Xanthippus placed 100 elephants in the front line to break up the legions, and positioned cavalry and light troops on the flanks with the heavy infantry phalanxes extended across the whole battlefield. As the phalanxes on the flanks were concealed by the cavalry and light troops, the Romans did not realise their own heavy infantry line was outflanked. Shattered by the elephants and outflanked on both wings, the Roman army was completely defeated, losing some 15,000 men out of 20,000. Terence Wise explores the history of the Carthaginians, from the founding of Carthage in 814 BC to its fall in 146, where nine tenths of the population died of starvation, disease or in battle. Numerous illustrations and photographs accompany the text, including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

Contents

• Chronology
• The Carthaginians
• The Romans
• The Plates