Successor State + Carthage 'What If?' Question

[icydawgfish]

Was there even the remotest possibility that by the start date of EB, any of the successor states (Macedonia, Seleucids, Ptolemies) could have conquered the other diadochi and reformed Alexander's Empire. If so, when and how, and if not, could they still have carved out strong(er) kingdoms/empires through the many wars (Chremoidian War, Syrian Wars, Macedonian Wars, and the numerous struggles in the Seleucid east). For example, could the Ptolemies have absolutely dominated the Seleucids in their wars or could the Macedonians have invaded Italy to aid Hannibal if planned, along with other scenarios like that.

Also, could Carthage have won the first Punic War and if so, how would this have impacted future relations with Rome?

[desert]

I think that in the 3rd Syrian War Ptolemy actually managed to conquer Babylon.
But the Macedonians were taking their Aegean territories and Ptolemy had to withdrew when a Seleukid army approached from Anatolia. I think that the Ptolemies did walk away with Antioch, though.

[KozaK13]

I know Hannibal could have won the battle of Zama, near the 2nd Punic wars end, if the Sacred Band cavalry hadn't been denied to him (taught to me by Eb) or if he had maybe advanced on Rome after Cannae, the Romans could have been beaten.
Plus if the Seleucids had defeated the Romans at Magnesia, then during thier later push to Egypt wouldn't have turned back due to Rome's threatened interventiion. Though i can;t remember if Magnesia came before or after that now i think of it...

[icydawgfish]

But how would the second Punic War had turned out assuming Carthage won the first? There certainly wouldn't be a need to go over the alps, or there may not have even been a second Punic War, or it could have just been a rehash of the first. Think of it as an opinion/speculative history question in reference to the OP.

[/Bean\]

You can't live in a world of If's for everything. For instance, what if Alexander of Epiros had managed to conquer every land up to the Pillars of Hercules, as he and Alexander the Great had supposedly composed to do? Then everything from the edge of Africa and Spain to India would have belonged to Greece. The Romans would have been wiped out or subjigated at their infant stage, and we may never have had a Roman Empire. Scary stuff isnt it

[desert]

Isn't EB itself a giant What If?

Why shouldn't we be allowed to imagine alternatives to historical reality? How dull would we be then?

[Dayve]

I know Hannibal could have won the battle of Zama, near the 2nd Punic wars end, if the Sacred Band cavalry hadn't been denied to him (taught to me by Eb) or if he had maybe advanced on Rome after Cannae, the Romans could have been beaten.
Plus if the Seleucids had defeated the Romans at Magnesia, then during thier later push to Egypt wouldn't have turned back due to Rome's threatened interventiion. Though i can;t remember if Magnesia came before or after that now i think of it...

I doubt the sacred band would have made any difference. Hannibals own elepants ran amok through his own lines and routed his own troops.

Sorry, i was mistaken. Not sure what i was thinking but this isn't the reason the battle of Zama was lost.

I do recall reading somewhere that at the time of Zama, even if Hannibal were granted the sacred band cavalry, there would only be 1,000 of them. If that's the case, Hannibals cavalry would still be outnumbered by the Romans, 5,500 to 8,500, 4000 of which were hannibals previously very well experienced Numidians, so that could have gone either way.

Unless, i'm mistaken again! haha.

[satalexton]

you forgot, the roman cavalry suck, they're nothing more than hillbillies on ponies armed with cattleprods.

[Dayve]

you forgot, the roman cavalry suck, they're nothing more than hillbillies on ponies armed with cattleprods.

Not the experienced Numidians that they enticed over to their side from Hannibal. They were far from hillbillies on ponies with cattleprods, and there were 4,000 of them.

[Lixus]

Also, could Carthage have won the first Punic War and if so, how would this have impacted future relations with Rome?

Long story short if the Carthaginian polilitcians would have been 100 procent behind Hamiclar Barca (1st punic war) and later on his son Hannibal (2nd Punic war) Rome would have been destoyed. As Hanno was more to blame than Rome for the fall off Carthage, In my opinion.