What happened when Hannibal took Saguntum in 219 BC?

Hannibal takes Saguntum

Aníbal toma Sagunto

219 BC. After losing the First Punic War, Carthage rebuilt its power in southern Spain, where Hamilcar Barca settled at Gades in 237 BC and his family mined silver and…

Where: Spain, Valencia

What happened

After losing the First Punic War, Carthage rebuilt its power in southern Spain, where Hamilcar Barca settled at Gades in 237 BC and his family mined silver and recruited Iberian soldiers. His son Hannibal pushed north and in 219 BC besieged and took Saguntum, an Iberian town near Valencia that was allied to Rome. Rome demanded that Hannibal be handed over; Carthage refused, and in 218 BC Rome declared war. Hannibal marched over the Alps into Italy, while Roman armies sailed for Spain to cut him off from his base. The Second Punic War had begun, and it would make Hispania a Roman province. Sagunto, with its Roman theatre and hilltop castle, still remembers the siege.

Say it

Aníbal atacó Sagunto y empezó la guerra con Roma.

Hannibal attacked Saguntum and the war with Rome began.

Why it matters

The fall of Saguntum is the reason Rome came to Spain: everything Roman in Spanish life, starting with the language, follows from it.

There today

See

You can climb to the hilltop castle of Sagunto, near Valencia, and sit in its Roman theatre.

Connected

• The Phoenicians found Gadir (c. 8th century BC)
• The Phoenicians found Gadir (c. 8th century BC)
• Rome lands in Hispania (218–19 BC)
• Rome lands in Hispania (218–19 BC)

• Before: Iberians, Celts and Celtiberians
• After: Rome lands in Hispania

Sources

1. Saguntum — World History Encyclopedia
2. Second Punic War — World History Encyclopedia