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t hat vital hardware to be sent by sea. He charged back and forth across
Italy during thirteen long years, hoping for the ships that would
deliver these vital armaments. Unfortunately, they never came. The
city council of Carthage sent out ship after ship to aid Hannibal. But
not one boat ever made it. The Romans may have been doing poorly
on land. But they still controlled the Mediterranean.86
Eventually, the Romans ordered an up-and-coming young citi-
zen from a distinguished military family, Scipio Africanus, to confront
Hannibal's brother--Hasdrubal--back in Spain.87 (You may recall Scipio
from an earlier episode in this book. He was the general who marched
into the Roman Senate toward the end of his life and tore up his
account books, outraged that he'd been accused of corruption.) Scipio
was as good at defeating Hannibal's brother as Hannibal was at
trouncing Romans. When Hasdrubal lost, he moved down the pecking
order. And as the defeated Carthaginian's feathers grew unkempt, his
Spanish allies one by one deserted him.88 In fact, they threw their lot in
with the new master of the Spanish barnyard--the Romans. The rule
that pecking order victories bring you friends had boosted Carthage's
strength for years. Now it was beginning to work against her.
Hearing of the Carthaginian defeats in Spain, Hannibal's Italian
allies, too, trickled away. Carthage was sinking on the hierarchical
ladder. And none of the tribes wanted to go down with her.
Finally, Scipio secured all Spain for Rome and turned his
attention on the Carthaginian mother city.89 In 203 B.C. Hannibal, who
had held Roman citizens in terror for over a decade, was forced to flee
for home to take over his native city's defense. He went with scarcely
an ally left.
When it was all over, Carthage was beaten.90 Her trading empire
was gone. Her colonies were in Roman hands. The north African and
Spanish troops which had long been the mainstay of her military
power turned their backs. And Hannibal, who had built an army of
allies to corner Rome, became a fugitive.91 The town that had ruled the
Mediterranean roost was friendless and alone.
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