Hat 9023 Carthaginian War Elephant with 3 Man Crew

Like the armies of the Hellenistic diadochi, the Carthaginian army also used war elephants in combat. At the same time, it used in combat almost certainly other species of these animals than the armies of the Indian subcontinent. It is often assumed that for this reason, Carthaginian war elephants were smaller, lighter, and did not have the same breaking power as their Indian relatives. Nevertheless, they were undoubtedly still a formidable weapon on the battlefield. On the battlefield, they were ridden by mahouts, and on their backs there were combat turrets, which could - most often - hold from 2 to 4 soldiers armed with spears, javelins and bows. Carthaginians used battle elephants for sure during the First Punic War (264-241 BC), but it must be said that with varying luck, because the Romans came into combat contact with these animals during the war with Pyrrus (280-275 BC). BC) and they did not come as much of a surprise. Hannibal, on his way to Rome, brought them with him at the beginning of the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), but many of them died while crossing the Alps. However, they were used during the Battle of Zama (202 BC), but they did not lead to the Carthaginian victory.