Hannibal Barca was born in 247 BC in the city of Carthage, which was located in modern Tunis, or the northern tip of Africa. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was a great general in the Carthaginian army who fought in the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage, which the latter lost. Hamilcar, very young, made Hannibal promise "eternal hatred towards Rome" (Lending, 1). At the age of nine, Hannibal accompanied his father on an expedition to take over Spain. During this time Hannibal probably acquired most of his military knowledge which helped him much later in life. When Hannibal's father and older brother died in 229 and 226, Hannibal was elected commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army. About ten years later, Hannibal, fulfilling his promise to his father, attacked the city of Sagantum in Spain, which was controlled by the Romans. This attack led to the start of the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome. Even before the war began, Hannibal knew what he would do. Since Carthage had no navy, there was no hope of going directly from Carthage to Italy via the Mediterranean Sea. Hannibal devised a dangerous but ingenious plan. To reach Italy by land, Hannibal and his army would have to travel from Carthage-controlled Spain across the Alps and into the heart of the enemy. Hannibal set out in the cold winter of 218 BC with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants. While crossing the Alps, “Hannibal's forces suffered greatly from the elements and the hostility of the local tribes” (Beshara, 3). By the time they reached Italy, after just fourteen days, over 9,000 men had perished along with most of the elephants, but this number was soon replenished after 14,000 rebels from northern Gaul joined Hannibal's army. This group of 60,000 men proved superior to the Roman forces, and after at least three major victories were recorded, the Roman Senate was exasperated. An army of 80,000 Roman soldiers was sent to once and for all stop Hannibal's army which now numbers 50,000 men. In July 216 BC, the Romans engaged the Carthaginians “in the vicinity of Cannae, on the eastern coast of Italy” (Lending, 2). Greatly outnumbered, Hannibal realized he would have to win through strategy, and that's exactly what he did. When the two lines met, Hannibal's cavalry gained the flanks and, moving up the sides, attacked the rear of the Roman line..