During the Second Punic War, also known as the Hannibal War, there was a consul called the Italian sword.
The name is Marcus Claudius Markels (BC268-BC208)
Let's take a look at the famous general who was born in the prestigious Claudius family, one of the most prestigious republicans, and suffered a great deal from Hannibal!
Marcus until fighting Hannibal
There were some influential aristocrats in Rome.
The Fabia family represented by Fabius Maximus, who was said to be the shield of Italy, the Cornelius family represented by Publius Cornelius Scipio, and the Claudius family born of Marcus.
Among them, the Claudius family is a prestigious prestigious person who has produced multiple emperors in Appius Claudius, which is famous for the construction of the Appian Way, and in imperial Rome, and has produced a large number of human resources in the history of Rome.
The Claudius family was a brave boy's family for generations, and Marcus was one of the most brave of them, but he usually had a gentle personality and loved the excellent Greek culture like other Roman aristocrats.
He has also participated in the First Punic War, set in Sicily, where he was elected Aedile.
The Aedile is the third most important position in Rome from the top, and since it is selected by election, Marcus's promising position can be seen.
After that, he was elected the second most important Praetor (legal officer), and later made further achievements in the fight against the Gauls (Celts).
During this time, he was appointed to the highest best in Rome, the Consul, and made great achievements such as performing a number of martial arts and holding a triumphal ceremony in Rome.
Fight against Hannibal in the Second Punic War
The Second Punic War is also known as the Hannibal War.
At first, Rome had no hands or feet for Hannibal, who is said to be the strongest tactician in the history of the world.
Especially in the defeat at the Battle of Cannae, the then consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus was killed in action, and it is said that 60,000 of the 70,000 Roman soldiers died.
Rome decided to adopt an endurance tactic that does not directly fight Hannibal at the suggestion of Fabius Maximus, who is called the shield of Italy.
Hannibal himself countered it because he planned to cut down neighboring countries without attacking Rome, but brave Marcus repeated small-scale guerrilla attacks on Hannibal while avoiding direct battles like Kanne. Adopted the tactics.
Marcus was nicknamed the "Italian sword" because of his aggressive fighting.
Marcus was able to defeat Hannibal in the Battle of Nola, albeit on a small scale, and Rome as a whole came to life.
After that, Marcus's relentless attack continues. Hannibal's side tended to avoid exhaustion due to lack of supply from Carthage and Spain, and Hannibal fled for years when Marcus chased.
When Hieron, the tyrant of Syracuse, a long-time ally of Rome, died, Syracuse was on the side of Hannibal.
Marcus directs his army to Sicily and sets out to capture Syracuse. Soldiers who managed to survive the defeat of Kanne participated in the capture of Syracuse, and it is said that the troops were about 30,000.
Archimedes, a scholar who left his name in posterity, was in Syracuse at that time, and he made various inventions and greatly afflicted the Roman army.
Marcus said that he muttered, "My Roman army will be swayed by an old man ..." during the capture of Syracuse. Archimedes was 75 years old at that time.
Inventions such as the legendary Archimedes mirrors and catapults afflicted the Roman army, but Marcus succeeded in the fall of Syracuse. According to one theory, Marcus was a prisoner of war from Syracuse, and it is said that Syracuse liked it when he heard that Syracuse was drunk on the day of the Artemis festival.
By the way, at that time, Archimedes was still devoted to research even when Roman soldiers came and shouted, "Don't mess up my figure!" Just before his death.
It is said that Archimedes' face is engraved on the award-winning medal of the Fields Medal, which is also called the Nobel Prize in mathematics.
After returning from Syracuse, Marcus returns to life with Hannibal.
Although he did not win a decisive victory, he did not give Hannibal a chance to attack and gradually but surely exhausted it.
In 208 BC, Marcus, who became his fifth consul, finally died in the fight against Hannibal.
But at that time, a new hero was about to be born in Rome.
Personal evaluation of Marcus
Hannibal was later defeated by Scipio, but by that time he was quite exhausted.
It can be said that Rome beat Hannibal and beat Carthage the great power because Marcus and Fabius were exhausting Hannibal.
Even if he couldn't beat Hannibal individually, Rome totally won Hannibal.
In that sense, Marcus is one of the heroes who saved Rome.