Generals

This passage talks about the Punic Wars and a general from Africa named Hannibal.

Lexile Level: 430L

Categories: History People & Places

Hannibal was a great general. He was from Carthage. Carthage was a city in North Africa. Hannibal was born in 247 B.C. That is over 2,000 years ago. The Roman Republic and Carthage were enemies. The Roman Republic controlled most of Italy. Rome and Carthage fought three wars. These are called the Punic Wars. Hannibal was leader of the armies from Carthage in the Second Punic War. This war lasted from 218 to 201 B.C. Hannibal invaded Italy by going over the Alps. The Alps are the mountains on the border of Italy. They are very high mountains. Hannibal's army had elephants in it. People still don't know how he got the elephants over the mountains. The Alps are very hard to cross. Hannibal and his army won several battles in Italy. They stayed in Italy for ten years. They never took the city of Rome. Hannibal had to flee back to Carthage after ten years. He died in 183 or 182 B.C.