Who he was
Son of the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca, Hannibal grew up in the long rivalry between Carthage and Rome. In 218 BC he marched from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy, losing much of his army and most of his elephants on the way.
The decisions that defined him
Once in Italy he destroyed Roman armies at the Trebia, Lake Trasimene and Cannae. His great gamble was that defeats on this scale would break Rome's alliances in Italy. Some cities did defect, but the core held, and Rome refused to make peace.
For more than fifteen years he campaigned in Italy without the siege equipment or reinforcements to take Rome itself.
How it ended
Recalled to defend Carthage, he was beaten by Scipio Africanus at Zama in 202 BC. He later led Carthage's government, went into exile, and took poison rather than be handed to Rome.
Watch
Episodes that cover this
2:16 Why Hannibal Won Cannae but Didn't Win the War
2:11 How Many Romans Died at Cannae? The Sources Disagree
2:07 The Battle Map That Explains Cannae
1:58 What Rome's Commanders Could See—and What They Couldn't
2:02 The Cavalry Move That Closed the Trap at Cannae
2:08 Why Hannibal Let His Center Bend Backward
2:02 The Roman Army Walked Into Hannibal's Trap at Cannae
20:06