Hannibal as a Conqueror

Hannibal
Livy tells of the speeches given by both Hannibal and Scipio. Both military leaders give radically different reasons for why their troops should emerge victorious from the battle. Scipio states that the Romans should win the battle because the Phoecians have been subjected to Roman rule for many years. He states that the Phoecians are a broken people who will not be able to fight the Roman soldiers after crossing the alps. Scipio says they are nothing but the, “Remnants of an army, not a true enemy,” and that “The alps [...] seem to have conquered Hannibal,” ( From the Founding of the City  21.1, 21.39-44, 22.59 = RECW 8.7). To encourage his men, Hannibal makes them observe Roman prisoners fight to the death. He then says that the Carthaginians should take over everything that the Romans have. He also tells his troops that because he was born into the army and has watched his troops as he has grown up. They are therefore united moreso than the Roman legions and as a result they are able to defeat them.