The Rest Is History 641. Rome’s Greatest Enemy: Hannibal’s Nemesis (Part 2)
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Feb 5, 2026 A sweeping retelling of the Iberian campaign that turned the tide against Carthage. Bold youth, theatrical self-fashioning, and Numidian politics reshape power in Spain. A daring amphibious assault on New Carthage and a crucial clash at Ibera shift momentum. Strategic marches, intercepted reinforcements, and the rise of Scipio set up a dramatic march toward Africa.
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Scipio's Deliberate Godlike Branding
- Scipio cultivated a Greek-style, almost divine persona to inspire awe and legitimacy among Romans and allies.
- Livy suggests this self-fashioning blended myth, ritual and deliberate PR to build authority quickly.
New Carthage: Carthage's Iberian Nerve Center
- Hasdrubal controlled New Carthage, its mines and harbor, making Spain the Carthaginian power base in Iberia.
- The Scipio brothers' main duty was to block Hasdrubal from sending reinforcements to Italy through that region.
Ibera: A Little-Known Strategic Turning Point
- The Battle of Ibera halted Hasdrubal's march and prevented a junction with Hannibal in Italy.
- That Roman victory arguably averted a strategic catastrophe for Rome despite not annihilating Hasdrubal's cavalry.
