Should Hannibal Barca Have Taken Ptolemaic Egypt Instead Of Attacking Rome?
Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 12:25 pm
Should Hannibal Barca have taken Ptolemaic egypt instead of attacking Rome?
Carthage
Hannibal Barca initiated the second Punic war at around 218 BCE at this point Carthage already had southern Iberia(Spain) under control. They also had an experienced army from that conquest. There goal wasn't to attack Rome directly it was to attack it's surrounding client states and choke it out by weakening it's access to troops and resources.
The Carthaginian army in Iberia, excluding the forces in Africa, totaled, according to Polybius, 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and 37 war elephants: it was thus one of the largest in the Hellenistic world and equal in numbers to any that the Romans had yet fielded. Hannibal departed with this army from New Carthage (Cartagena, Spain) northwards along the coast in late spring of 218 BC.
Ptolemaic Egypt
Around the same time(218 BCE) in Ptolemaic Egypt the Battle of Raphia was a year away 217(BCE). After this successful war the native Egyptians used their war training to rebel against the Ptolemaic kingdom establishing an autonomous kingdom for 20 years. Ptolemaic Egypt was generally in decline around this point anyway.
Battle of Raphia
According to Polybius, Ptolemy had 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 73 war elephants and Antiochus 62,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 102 elephants.
The two largest of the Hellenistic kingdoms, Ptolemaic Egypt and the Seleucid Empire, were bitter enemies, and repeatedly fought for control of Syria. These were the Syrian Wars. The Fourth Syrian War began in 219 B.C. Ptolemaic Egypt was ruled by Ptolemy IV, and the Seleucid Empire was ruled by Antiochus III the Great. By 217 B.C. Antiochus and the Seleucid army advanced through Syria. Ptolemy’s self interests led his ministers, advisors and generals to make serious preparations. Both kingdoms disputed Syria.
According to Polybius, Carthaginian army in Iberia had 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and 37 war elephants(excluding the forces in Africa)
According to Polybius, Ptolemy had 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 73 war elephants
My position is Carthage takes Egypt in order to consolidate hold of the southern Mediterranean trade along with exit to the Atlantic(Carthage already controlled the straits of Gibraltar) This provides...
1.Economic might over Rome by trade from the Senegal river all the way to Egypt
2. A war cushion against rome in terms of supplies(from egypt) and second base of operations Egypt
3. A war cushion against Arabian peninsular in terms of supplies(from Carthage) and second base of operations Carthage
Between (southern Iberia, Carthage, and Egypt) they could have weathered most any attack of that day up till the Mongol introduction of gun powder into the region. It's up for grabs after that.
Conclusion:
Cognitively I don't think it would've even crossed his mind. This was a generational vendetta from his dad, step brother, down to him. By the time he gained control of the army he was in tunnel vision mode against Rome. Maybe if it had been successful they would've looked to Egypt
Carthage
Hannibal Barca initiated the second Punic war at around 218 BCE at this point Carthage already had southern Iberia(Spain) under control. They also had an experienced army from that conquest. There goal wasn't to attack Rome directly it was to attack it's surrounding client states and choke it out by weakening it's access to troops and resources.
The Carthaginian army in Iberia, excluding the forces in Africa, totaled, according to Polybius, 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and 37 war elephants: it was thus one of the largest in the Hellenistic world and equal in numbers to any that the Romans had yet fielded. Hannibal departed with this army from New Carthage (Cartagena, Spain) northwards along the coast in late spring of 218 BC.
Ptolemaic Egypt
Around the same time(218 BCE) in Ptolemaic Egypt the Battle of Raphia was a year away 217(BCE). After this successful war the native Egyptians used their war training to rebel against the Ptolemaic kingdom establishing an autonomous kingdom for 20 years. Ptolemaic Egypt was generally in decline around this point anyway.
Battle of Raphia
According to Polybius, Ptolemy had 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 73 war elephants and Antiochus 62,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 102 elephants.
The two largest of the Hellenistic kingdoms, Ptolemaic Egypt and the Seleucid Empire, were bitter enemies, and repeatedly fought for control of Syria. These were the Syrian Wars. The Fourth Syrian War began in 219 B.C. Ptolemaic Egypt was ruled by Ptolemy IV, and the Seleucid Empire was ruled by Antiochus III the Great. By 217 B.C. Antiochus and the Seleucid army advanced through Syria. Ptolemy’s self interests led his ministers, advisors and generals to make serious preparations. Both kingdoms disputed Syria.
According to Polybius, Carthaginian army in Iberia had 90,000 infantry, 12,000 cavalry and 37 war elephants(excluding the forces in Africa)
According to Polybius, Ptolemy had 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 73 war elephants
My position is Carthage takes Egypt in order to consolidate hold of the southern Mediterranean trade along with exit to the Atlantic(Carthage already controlled the straits of Gibraltar) This provides...
1.Economic might over Rome by trade from the Senegal river all the way to Egypt
2. A war cushion against rome in terms of supplies(from egypt) and second base of operations Egypt
3. A war cushion against Arabian peninsular in terms of supplies(from Carthage) and second base of operations Carthage
Between (southern Iberia, Carthage, and Egypt) they could have weathered most any attack of that day up till the Mongol introduction of gun powder into the region. It's up for grabs after that.
Conclusion:
Cognitively I don't think it would've even crossed his mind. This was a generational vendetta from his dad, step brother, down to him. By the time he gained control of the army he was in tunnel vision mode against Rome. Maybe if it had been successful they would've looked to Egypt