Africa, Macedonia, the home-realm of Alexander the Great, had been
successfully invaded, and the first great step taken by Rome towards the
conquest of the East.

The loss of Macedonia stirred up Antiochus, who resolved on war with
Rome, and marched with his army towards Europe. Hannibal, who had failed
to find him at Antioch, overtook him at Ephesus, and found him glad
enough to secure the services of a warrior of such world-wide fame.

Antiochus, unfortunately, was the reverse of a great warrior, and by no
means the man to cope with Rome. Hannibal saw at a glance that his army
was not fit to fight with a Roman force, and strongly advised him to
equip a fleet and invade Southern Italy, saying that he himself would
take the command. But nothing was to be done with Antiochus. He was
filled with conceit of his own greatness, was ignorant of the power of
Rome, and was jealous of the glory which Hannibal might attain. His
guest then advised that an alliance should be made with Philip, king of
Macedonia. This, too, was neglected, and the Romans hastened to ally
themselves with Philip. Antiochus, puffed up with pride, pointed to his
great army, and asked Hannibal if he did not think that these were
enough for the Romans.

"Yes," he replied, sarcastically, "enough for the Romans, however greedy
they may be."

[Illustration: THE BATHS OF CARACALLA.]

It proved as he feared. The Romans triumphed. Hannibal was employed only
in a subordinate naval command, in which field of warfare he had no
experience. Peace was made, and Antiochus agreed to deliver him up to
Rome. The greatest of Rome's enemies was again forced to fly for his
life.

Hannibal now took refuge with Prusias, king of Bithynia. Here he
remained for five years. But even here the implacable enmity of Rome
followed him. Envoys were sent to the court of Prusias to demand his
surrender. Prusias, who was a king on a small scale, could not, or would
not, defend his guest, and promised to deliver him into the hands of his
unrelenting foes.

Only one course remained. Death was tenfold preferable to figuring in a
Roman triumph. Finding the avenues to his house secured by the king's
guards, the great Carthaginian took poison, which he is said to have
long carried with him in a ring, in readiness for such an emergency. He
died at Libyssa, on the eastern shore of the sea of Marmora, in his
sixty-fourth year, as closely as we know. In the same year, 183 B.C.,
died his grea