Hanno (, ), distinguished as the son of the suffet
Bomilcar, was a
Carthaginian officer in the
Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC).
Biography
He was a nephew of
Hannibal Barca, Carthage's leading general. Hanno's mother was one of Hannibal's three elder sisters.
Travel through the Alps
When
Hannibal's army reached the Western bank of the
Rhône River, they began preparations to cross. A group of
Gauls
The Gauls (; , ''Galátai'') were a group of Celts, Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age Europe, Iron Age and the Roman Gaul, Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). Th ...
gathered on the Eastern bank, intent on preventing the army from crossing. Hanno led a small group north, which crossed in small rafts they built. Once across, they headed south toward the Gauls. Hanno sent a smoke signal to inform Hannibal that his force was ready. Hannibal began to send his cavalry across in canoes. As the cavalry attained a foothold on the Eastern bank, the Gauls approached, ready to fight. At this point, Hanno's force attacked the Gauls' rear, causing enough confusion to force the Gauls to retreat.
Campaign in Italy
At the
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae (; ) was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Ancient Carthage, Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and ...
, Hanno led the
Numidian cavalry
Numidian cavalry was a type of light cavalry developed by the Numidians. They were used by Hannibal during the Punic Wars, and later became commonplace in the Roman army of the late Republic.
History
Numidian cavalry is first mentioned by Polybi ...
on the right (northern) side of the Carthaginian army.
Hasdrubal led the
Spanish and
Celtic cavalry on the left (south near the
Aufidus river) of the Carthaginian army. Hasdrubal was given about 6,500 cavalry, and Hanno had 3,500 Numidians. Hasdrubal's force was able to quickly destroy the
Roman cavalry (on the south), pass the Romans' infantry rear, and reach the Roman allied cavalry while they were engaged with Hanno's Numidians. Once the Romans' allied cavalry was destroyed, Hanno and Hasdrubal were able to lead their cavalry into the Roman infantry's rear.
With the defection of several cities to Carthage in
Lucania,
Bruttium,
Apulia
Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...
and
Samnium after Cannae, Hannibal sent
Mago Barca into Lucania with a detachment of troops in 216 BC to recruit troops and subjugate towns. Mago completed his mission, and when he sailed to
Carthage
Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, 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 classic ...
to report to the Carthaginian senate and ask for reinforcements, Hanno was left in command of his army. Hanno continued to subdue pro-Roman towns in Bruttium. While marching back to Campania
Tiberius Sempronius Longus defeated Hanno near
Grumentum, causing 2,000 casualties, and forcing Hanno to retreat back to Bruttium in early 215 BC. Hanno received the reinforcements landed by
Bomilcar, the leading Carthaginian admiral, consisting of 4,000 cavalry and 40 elephants, near
Locri and joined Hannibal near
Nola later that year. He was present at the
Third Battle of Nola in the summer of 215 BC. After the battle, Hannibal sent Hanno back to Bruttium with an army.
Hanno led a mostly Bruttian army that captured
Crotona
Crotone (; ; or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Calabria, Italy.
Founded as the Achaea (ancient region), Achaean colony of Kroton ( or ; ), it became a great Greek city, home of the renowned mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras amongst other f ...
in 215 BC, and with the defection of Locri, all of Bruttium except
Rhegium was allied with Carthage. He had marched to join Hannibal in
Campania
Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...
in early 214 BC, but, near the River Calor, at
Beneventum, his army was intercepted by the praetor
Tiberius Gracchus and his legions of mostly freed slaves. In the ensuing combat, Hanno's army of 17,000 foot (mostly Bruttians and Lucanians) and 1,200 horse was utterly routed, forcing Hanno to escape with only 2,000 soldiers, chiefly cavalry back to Bruttium. His situation improved when he destroyed a force of pro-Roman Lucanians in early 213 BC in Bruttium.
Defending Capua
In 212 BC, Hannibal ordered Hanno to arrange provisions for Capua, which was being threatened by the Romans. The Romans had fielded six legions, along with allied units and cavalry units, to besiege Capua (led by prefects Hanno and Bostar), which they were circumventing with double palisades. Hanno, starting from Bruttium, slipped past the army of Gracchus in Lucania, then evaded the respective armies of the two consuls in Samnium, and finally reached Beneventum. He set up camp on a hill and collected provisions from his Samnite allies, then requested some wagons from the Capuans so as to carry the provisions to
Capua from his camp.
The tardiness of the Capuans, who were slow to send sufficient wagons, gave time for
Quintus Fulvius Flaccus to get wind of the enterprise from loyal Italians, and he attacked the Carthaginian camp when most of Hanno's men were out foraging. Although the Carthaginians succeeded in repulsing the first assault, the Romans were galvanized by the actions of an Italian allied cohort and eventually captured all the supplies and wagons along with the camp.
Hanno, unable to do anything further for Capua, then retired to Bruttium, again evading the Roman armies that could have intercepted him in on the way.
[Livy, XXV, p. 13-15]
Return to Africa
He reappears in sources as the next commander of the land armies of Carthage after the defeat of Hasdrubal Gisgo. He was replaced by Hannibal himself.
See also
*
Battle of Cannae
The Battle of Cannae (; ) was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Ancient Carthage, Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and ...
*
Other Hannos in Carthaginian history
References
Citations
Bibliography
* .
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanno, Son Of Bomilcar
Carthaginian commanders of the Second Punic War
3rd-century BC Punic people
Barcids