Magister Elephantorum

This article, which examines all the available evidence for Hannibal's use of elephants in the Second Punic War, refutes the contention that Hannibal was especially innovative in his tactical use of the beasts. In addition, greater reliance on elephants in Italy, particularly after his success at the Trebia, would have hindered Hannibal in his lengthy campaign against Rome. The article also contends that Hannibal's use of massed elephants at Zama highlights the degree to which he was accustomed to take chances in the field, especially given his demonstrable familiarity with the fickle nature of elephants when used for military purposes

Art · Literature · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History

• Elephants

  Open Access•Philip Rance•The Encyclopedia of Ancient History•2012

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• Elephants

  Open Access•Philip Rance•The Encyclopedia of Ancient History•2020

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• The elephant in the oppidum. Preliminary analysis of a carpal bone from a Punic context at the archaeological site of Colina de los Quemados (Córdoba, Spain)

  Open Access•Rafael M Martínez Sánchez, Agustín López Jiménez et al.•Journal of Archaeological Science…•2026

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• El elefante en las acuñaciones hispanocartaginesas

  Open Access•José Luis Aledo Martínez•Panta Rei•2020

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• Monsters of Military Might

  Open Access•Branko F Van Oppen De Ruiter•Arts•2019

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• A Historical Commentary on Polybius

  E T Salmon, F W Walbank•The American Journal of Philology•1958

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• Polybius, Livy and the 'Fabian Strategy'

  Paul Erdkamp•Ancient Society•1992

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• Hannibal's Elephants

  C Howard Smith, Alfred Powers•The Classical Weekly•1945

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• The Roman Historians

  Ronald Mellor•Roman Historians•1988

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• The First Punic War

  John Lazenby, John F Lazenby•First Punic War•2016

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• Hannibal's Elephants and the Crossing of the Rhône

  Open Access•Shawn O’Bryhim, S O'bryhim•The Classical Quarterly•1991

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• Hannibal's March in History

  T J Luce, Dennis Proctor•The Classical World•1972

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• Cannae

  Gregory Daly•Cannae•2005

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• The Second Punic War

  G K Tipps, Tim Cornell et al.•The Journal of Military History•1996

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• The African Elephant in Warfare

  Sir William Gower, SIR WILLIAM GOWERS•African Affairs•1947

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• African Elephants and Ancient Authors

  William Gowers•African Affairs•1948

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• Hannibal

  Laurence Collier, Gavin De Beer•Geographical Journal•1970

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• Scipio Africanus

  G V Sumner, H H Scullard•Phoenix•1972

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• Hannibal's War, a Military History of the Second Punic War

  John T Swanson, J F Lazenby•The International Journal of…•1981

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• The Elephant in the Greek and Roman World

  B H Warmington, H H Scullard•The International Journal of…•1976

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