34 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



lead half tlie forces, and invested him ^vith the power of dictator. He 

 attacked Hannibal, but was defeated, and would have been annihilated, but 

 for Fabius coming promptly to his rescue. The consuls of the year 

 216, Paulus ^milius, and the inconsiderate Terentius Yarro, sought 

 to terminate the war by a bold stroke ; but they met with a terrible defeat. 

 Paulus JEmilius, with 50,000 Komans, lay dead on the field. This battle 

 secured to Hannibal the suj)port of Southern Italy ; but he still 

 delayed marching on Rome with his forces, in spite of the favorable 

 moment. Being without succor from Carthage, he endeavored to recruit 

 his army in Campania, which province, like most tribes of Southern Italy, 

 had broken allegiance to Rome. But here his warriors degenerated and 

 became effeminate. He then negotiated with Philip of Macedonia, and 

 won the new king of Syracuse to the interests of Carthage. This caused 

 the invasion of Sicily by a strong Roman army under MarceUus, who 

 captured Syracuse, after a siege of three years (214-212), and made the 

 whole of Sicily, as well as Sardinia, a Roman province. Hannibal, 

 leaving Capua (in Campania), advanced towards Rome, but soon retired 

 again, and even lost Campania. His brother Asdrubal's army, which was 

 sent to reinforce him, was completely routed near Sena (207), and Hannibal 

 was obliged to retire to the southernmost point of Italy. 



Cornelius Scipio, a celebrated Roman hero, conquered the whole of 

 Carthaginian Spain, 210-206, and negotiated alliances with the African neigh- 

 bors of Carthage, Masinissa and Syphax, which became vastly useful to 

 him in 205, when he, then consul of Rome, transferred the seat of war from 

 Sicily to Africa. Victory upon victory was won by his indomitable 

 warriors, and he at length threatened the city of Carthage itself, whose 

 citizens, apprehending the greatest evil, recalled Hannibal from Italy. Hav- 

 ing speedily collected a strong force of horsemen, Hannibal defeated Masi- 

 nissa, but lost the battle of Zama (202); and in 201, Carthage was con- 

 strained to accept the peace dictated by Rome. Thus ended the Second 

 Punic War. Scipio was henceforth known by the surname Africanus. 



The power of Rome was now re-established, and she was again enabled 

 to carry war into the countries of her enemies. Her first effort was to 

 punish Philip of Macedonia for his alliance with Hannibal. She sent a 

 strong army into Epirus, and after four years of varying success (200-197), 

 was at length completely victorious, dictating another peace, eventful in its 

 consequences. 



Antiochus, king of Syria, having also lent assistance to the Cartha- 

 ginians, next fell under the vengeance of the Romans, who made war upon 

 him, which, after a short duration, also terminated in their favor, 190. A 

 second Macedonian war against Perseus, was closed by ^milius Paulus, 

 at the battle of Pydna (168), and in 148 that empire was reduced to the 

 condition of a Roman province. 



In our account of Greece, we have already shown on what terms Rome 



was with that country. Rome no longer hesitated to proclaim herself mistress 



of the world, and boasted of her power. To her Carthage was at last destined 



to succumb. By deceit and perfidy Rome provoked a war, and after three 



206 



