The Plain of Zama
You have changed History! If Scipio had given any easy peace terms,
he might have been in trouble in Rome, but immediate history would have
changed greatly. Hannibal offered tremendous concessions, but would
not willingly accept that Carthage should become only a vassal state to
Rome. He was willing to give up money, power, and weapons, but Scipio
wanted Carthage reduced to a weak town, so that the threat to Rome would
be removed. If they had agreed on a just peace, there would have
been no final battle, but the two cities would undoubtedly have come into
conflict again in the near future. (as they, in fact, did anyway)
It would have left Carthage more powerful, and therefore, more dangerous,
and the Romans had come awfully near to destruction. This choice
really wasn't an option, given the character of the Romans. Scroll
down...
The two great
armies met for the final time on the Plain of Zama, a large area to the
west of Carthage. Each had nearly 100,000 men, and the destruction
was terrible. To the latter-day observer, it should have been obvious
how this would turn out. We must respect Hannibal for defending his
city, but his army was no longer composed so much of seasoned veterans
as it was by men past their prime, war-weary, or drafted in desperation. At the end of the day, Hannibal
went to the Carthaginian Senate and proclaimed defeat. According
to Abbott, he said, "The fortune which once attended me is lost forever,
and nothing is left to us but to make peace with our enemies on any terms
that they may think fit to impose." For his success and great victories,
Scipio was given the title Africanus Major. He would always have
great honor and respect in Rome, and his name would be among the highest
in Roman lore.