When and where did the Battle of Zama take place?
The Battle of Zama was fought in 202 BC in what is now Tunisia. The site is generally believed to be a flat area south of Sicca, modern El Kef, known as the Draa el Metnan.
Questions about Battle of Zama
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded the two armies at the Battle of Zama?
The Roman army was commanded by Scipio Africanus and the Carthaginian army by Hannibal. Scipio was also supported by the Numidian king Masinissa, whose cavalry played a decisive role in the outcome.
How many war elephants did Hannibal use at Zama and what happened to them?
Hannibal deployed 80 war elephants at Zama. Many panicked when Roman soldiers sounded bugles and beat weapons against shields; they stampeded back through Carthaginian cavalry lines, throwing both flanks into disorder. At least 11 elephants survived to be captured by the Romans.
What were the casualties at the Battle of Zama?
Polybius records 20,000 Carthaginians killed and as many taken prisoner, accounting for the entire Carthaginian army. Roman dead are given as 1,500, a figure representing five per cent or more of their total force.
What were the peace terms imposed on Carthage after the Battle of Zama?
Rome required Carthage to surrender all overseas territories and some African ones, pay an indemnity of 10,000 silver talents over 50 years, give up war elephants, reduce its fleet to 10 warships, and wage no war outside Africa without Roman permission. The treaty was accepted in spring 201 BC.
What happened to Hannibal after the Battle of Zama?
Hannibal escaped the battlefield and reached Hadrumetum, where he mustered 6,000 infantry and 500 cavalry. He advised the Carthaginian Senate to accept peace on whatever terms Rome offered, and was subsequently forced into exile.