Hannibal Essays - Barcids, Roman Censors, Hannibal, Marching

Hannibal Essays - Barcids, Roman Censors, Hannibal, Marching Hannibal Since his meteoric life and tragic death, Hannibal Barca comes across the centuries as the military commander with few, if any equals. A courageous leader, brilliant tactician, and steadfast soldier in the service of his beloved Carthage, Hannibal existed for one sole purpose: to defeat and, if possible, to eliminate the power of Rome(Livy p.207). Hannibals destiny was already chosen for him before his own birth. The only thing that couldnt have been foretold was the outcome of his struggles. His father Hamilcar Barca, another fearless commander from Carthage, was in charge during the first Punic War. Hannibal was taken to Spain at the young age of only nine. There he was forced to swear hostility to Rome. From his fathers death to his own death Hannibal was constantly involved in a struggle between Carthage and Rome. Hannibal was placed in the army as soon as his father felt he was old enough to start his vigorous training. He learned to handle arms as skillfully as any soldier does, and he never asked his soldiers to do something that he himself could not do. In 221 BC, Hasdrubal was assassinated, and Hamilcar died in battle in 229 BC. The young Hannibal was given his first command, at the age of twenty-six. Hannibal was now the commander-in-chief, and the Carthaginian government ratified his position. He was a brilliant well-liked leader form the start. The veterans thought that in Hannibal, Hamilcar had returned to life. They noted the same energy in Hannibals face, the same keen glance. He was absolutely fearless in going into danger, very prudent when it was on hand. No amount of labor fatigued him, physically or mentally. He endured heat and cold very well. What time remained over when his tasks were done he gave to rest. Many times the soldiers saw him lying on the ground amid the outposts and the guards, wrapped in a military cloak(Miller et al Livy p.41). Before the death of Hasdrubal, Carthage had negotiated a treaty with Rome to establish a line of Demarcation on the Ebro River. This treaty led to Hannibals first military action. Saguntum, which was located well south of the line, became the center of Roman ambitions. Saguntums leaders began attacking nearby Cartheginian allies and expelling supporters. The city of Saguntum was well inside the Carthaginian influence, but the Romans demanded that Carthage not take action at Sanguntum. Hannibal ignored Roman demands and decided to take action on the city. Hannibal organized his armies and threw a siege on Saguntum. The city was greatly reduced and Hannibal began his amazing trip over the Alps. According to H.L. Oerter of Miami University, Hannibals journey, including 40 elephants, over and through the Alps into Italy has never been denied. But, there has been no generalized agreement on the route that he followed. It is known that two Greek scholars accompanied Hannibals forces, but their accounts have never been found. A Roman army under the command of General Publius Cornelius Scipio was sent to meet and dispose of Hannibal, but failed to come across the great leader. Scipio did finally meet Hannibal at the Ticinus River. The meeting was accidental. Forces from both sides met, and the Carthaginians came out of the battle victorious. Scipio was badly wounded and nearly lost his life. The Romans retreated to Placentia, where Longus would reinforce them. Fighting on the left bank of the Trebia River the Romans were again soundly defeated. Hannibal advanced to the Arno River by spring. In 217 BC, Hannibal moved on to Perugia and forced the Roman Flaminius into open combat, at the battle of Lake Trasimene. The Carthaginians nearly annihilated Flaminius, killing thousands and forcing others to drown in the lake. Rome sent reinforcements to Flaminius but Carthage intercepted and destroyed them also. That same year Rome elected Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctators dictator who adopted the Fabian tactic of delay. This tactic only allowed small skirmishes between the two armies. In 216, Hannibal made his move south and seized the army supply depot at Cannae on the Aufidus River. Here, in August, The Battle of Cannae was fought. While the Guals and Iberian infantry of Hannibals center line yielded before the

4 ways your job can impact your health

4 ways your job can impact your health It’s one thing to dislike your job, but it’s another if it’s making you sick. If you’ve been feeling physically and mentally worn down lately and can’t seem to shake it, maybe it’s time to take a hard look at your work life to see if it’s the cause of your health issues. Of course you have to go to work, but recognizing where problems exist and making even small changes can start to put you on the road to wellness. Are you sedentary all day?According to a study done by the American Heart Association (AHA), even if you fit exercise into your life, sitting all day every day can negate the health benefits you’ve gained. The solution? Move even more- as much as you can. Make sure to get up and walk around every hour or so. Walk to the kitchen for water once an hour. Take an office lap every other hour. Get up and get your blood flowing whenever possible.Does your commute stress you out?If you’re spending a ton of time getting to and from work, it’s likely taking a toll on your life attitude. One study done in the United Kingdom earlier this year found people with long commutes are more likely to suffer from depression and work-related stress. If your commute is longer than 10 miles by car or 30 minutes by bus or subway, then it might be negatively impacting your life. You can’t help where your office is located, but do everything you can to make the travel time as restful and enjoyable as possible: try downloading a fun podcast or listening to music that will start your day off right.Are you way overworked?If all your waking hours are spent thinking about work or being at work, you’re likely neglecting all other aspects of your life. In fact, according to a recent study, if you work more than 39 hours a week, your mental and physical health will start to decline. Even if you’re on your couch in pajamas, if you’re logged in and constantly monitoring your work emails the n you’re not getting proper rest. Dedicated time to focus on yourself, your friends, and your family is crucial to maintaining balance- at some point, you need to be able to shut things off and not be at work.Are you surrounded  by germs? (You are.)Did you know that your keyboard, mouse, mousepad, and even I.D. badge are all germ factories? Scary but true: your keyboard in 20,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. And then there are all the hands you shake and doorknobs or faucets you turn in the course of a day. You’re in an enclosed space with tens or hundreds of people every day- start carrying around that hand sanitizer. And if your office is open plan? It might encourage more collaboration, but it also encourages sharing whatever bug is going around. You might find you’re getting sick more and more often, just by coming to work. Take your vitamins, keep your space clean, and get fresh air when you can throughout the day.Notice a theme here? If you take mom ents out of your day to make sure you are taking care of yourself, your overall health will start to improve.