Maharbal ( xpu, 𐤌𐤄𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤋, ; centuryBC) was a
Numidian
Numidia (Berber: ''Inumiden''; 202–40 BC) was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians located in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up modern-day Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisi ...
army commander in charge of the cavalry under
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Pu ...
and his second-in-command during the
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...
. Maharbal was a very close friend to Hannibal and admired him greatly. He was often critical to the battlefield success of
Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...
over
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. Throughout his Italian campaign
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Pu ...
maintained numerical superiority in cavalry, and thus relied upon them and Maharbal to give his army an advantage.
Maharbal is best known for what he possibly said during a conversation with
Hannibal
Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Pu ...
immediately following the
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae () was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and their allies, led by Ha ...
. According to
Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in ...
, Maharbal strongly urged an immediate march on the city of Rome. Hannibal responded by saying "I commend your zeal, but I need time to weigh the plan which you propose." Maharbal then replied, "Assuredly, 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 Latin for the last sentence of the conversation is: ''"Vincere scis, Hannibal; victoria uti nescis."''
Military accomplishments
Maharbal was a son of Himilco. 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 vigour that Hannibal's absence was hardly felt. After Hannibal arrived in Italy, he was sent with a body of cavalry to ravage 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,
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (, , ; 236/235–183 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, most notable as one of the main architects of Rome's victory against Carthage in the Second Punic War. Often regarded as one of the best military co ...
, first made an appearance in Roman history.
Battle of Lake Trasimene (217 BC)
At Lake
Trasimene, 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. 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
Gaius Flaminius, had sent his cavalry ahead, led by the praetor
Gaius Centenius. After the battle of Trasimene, Maharbal (leading a detachment of spear-men and cavalry) successfully intercepted 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
Numidian cavalry was a type of light cavalry developed by the Numidians. After they were used by Hannibal during the Second Punic War, they were described by the Roman historian Livy as "by far the best horsemen in Africa."
History
Numidian cava ...
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 over 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, contradicting Polybius's claim that the right wing was commanded by
Hanno, son of Bomilcar. Appian agrees with Polybius, however, and assigns Maharbal on that occasion the command of the reserve of cavalry instead.
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 to do so, Maharbal is said to have observed that Hannibal knew indeed how to gain victories, but not how to use them. 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.
After Cannae
Maharbal's fate after the Battle of
Casilinum Casilinum was an ancient city of Campania, Italy, situated some 3 miles north-west of the ancient Capua. The position of Casilinum at the junction of the Via Appia and Via Latina, at their crossing of the river Volturnus by a still-existing thre ...
, is not known. A person of that name is mentioned by Frontinus
[Strateg. ii. 5. § 12] as employed by the Carthaginians against some African tribes that had rebelled. However, it is not clear if this is the same Maharbal as Hannibal's cavalry commander. He may have died around the time of the
Siege of Casilinum
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characteriz ...
, or shortly thereafter.
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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External links
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{{Famous Carthaginians
Carthaginian commanders of the Second Punic War
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing
3rd-century BC Punic people