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Hannibal

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps to challenge Rome during the Second Punic War

Detailed Definition
Hannibal’s tactical genius and elephants became legendary, though he ultimately failed to take Rome. He epitomizes daring strategy. Poets invoke him as the ultimate adversary, symbol of relentless will, and the tragic hero whose brilliance is thwarted by fortune and logistics.
Example
Example in poetry:
Hannibal appears in Roman and later poetry as the Carthaginian terror who crossed the Alps; Poets reference his elephants to evoke impossible feats; In neoclassical verse, Hannibal symbolizes strategic genius and relentless enmity; Modern poets use Hannibal to explore the psychology of the outsider; His oath against Rome becomes a motif of lifelong vendetta; Hannibal’s final exile inspires poems on the cost of obsession.
Additional Notes
Hannibal Barca (247–183/181 BCE), Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps to fight Rome; in poetry, Hannibal embodies strategic genius, implacable enmity (“Hannibal ante portas”), or the tragic outsider—celebrated by Livy and later poets as Rome’s noblest foe; useful for analyzing poems on military daring, exile, or the Punic Wars’ legacy.
Also Known As
Hannibal Barca
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