historiandaily:

“Carthago delenda est, Carthage must be destroyed.”

October 19, 202 BC- Scipio Africanus leads his Roman legions to victory against a Carthaginian army under Hannibal Barca at the Battle of Zama, the last battle of the Second Punic War. Despite outnumbering the Romans and commanding 80 war elephants, Hannibal’s entire army is killed or captured while the Romans suffer minor losses. Having lost so decisive a battle on their home territory, Carthage soon sued for peace. The terms were so humiliating and punishing, Carthage could never challenge Rome again. Fifty years later, Rome would start the Third Punic War and wipe Carthage out completely, razing the city and killing all but a few citizens.

Picture- Carthaginian war elephants engage Roman infantry at the Battle of Zama, Henri-Paul Motte, around 1890