omans could breathe freely and look forward with
confidence to the issue. In the two years (207-206 B. C.) following the
departure of Hasdrubal Scipio completed the conquest of what remained to
Carthage in Spain. In 205 he returned to Rome to enter upon the
consulship, and thereupon went to Sicily to make preparations for the
invasion of Africa, since the Romans were now able to carry out their plan
of 218 B. C. which Hannibal had then interrupted. At this moment, too, the
Romans found themselves free from any embarrassment from the side of
Macedonia. In Greece the war had dragged on without any decided advantage
for either side until 207, when the temporary withdrawal of the Roman
fleet enabled Philip and the Achaean Confederacy to win such successes
that their opponents listened to the intervention of the neutral states
and made peace (206 B. C.). In the next year the Romans also came to terms
with Philip.

*The invasion of Africa: 204 B. C.* In 204 B. C. Scipio transported his
army to Africa. At first, however, he was able to do nothing before the
combined forces of the Carthaginians and the Numidian chief, Syphax, who
had renewed his alliance with them. But in the following year he routed
both armies so decisively that he was able to capture and depose Syphax,
and to set up in his place a rival chieftain, Masinissa, whose adherence
to the Romans brought them a welcome superiority in cavalry. The
Carthaginians now sought to make peace. An armistice was granted them;
Hannibal and all Carthaginian forces were recalled from Italy, and the
preliminary terms of peace drawn up (203 B. C.). Hannibal left Italy with
the remnant of his veterans after a campaign which had established his
reputation as one of the world's greatest masters of the art of war. For
nearly fifteen years he had maintained himself in the enemy's country with
greatly inferior forces, and now after inflicting many severe defeats and
never losing a battle he was forced to withdraw because of lack of
resources, not because of the superior generalship of his foes. Before
leaving Italian soil he set up a record of his exploits in the temple of
Hera Lacinia in Bruttium.

*Zama: 202 B. C.* An almost incredible feeling of over-confidence seems to
have been aroused in Carthage by the arrival of Hannibal. The
Carthaginians broke the armistice by attacking some Roman transports and
refused to meet Scipio's demand for an explanation. Hostilities were
therefore res