After more than 15 years of fighting across Italy, Spain, and North Africa, Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, returned home to defend Carthage as the Roman general Scipio invaded North Africa. The two armies met near Zama, southwest of Carthage (modern-day Tunisia). The battle of Zama would decide the course of the Second Punic War. This map depicts the deployment phase of the battle. Hannibal has deployed war elephants in front, which are moving to break the Roman lines.
Roman (Blue) Deployment Table
| Unit / Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Publius Cornelius Scipio | Roman commander |
| Velites | Light infantry skirmishers |
| Hastati | First main infantry line |
| Principes | Veteran heavy infantry |
| Triarii | Elite spearmen, last line |
| Italian Cavalry | Roman allied cavalry |
| Numidian Cavalry | Fast, elite light cavalry allies |
| Overall Formation | Standard Roman manipular system |
Carthaginian (Red) Deployment Table
| Unit / Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hannibal | Carthaginian commander |
| Elephants | War elephants charging Roman lines |
| Mercenaries | Foreign auxiliary troops |
| Citizens | Carthaginian citizen infantry |
| Veterans | Experienced troops from Italy campaign |
| Cavalry (Right) | Carthaginian mounted troops |
| Cavalry (Left) | Supporting cavalry group |
| Overall Formation | Three-tier infantry arrangement |