Which general is credited with ending the Second Punic War by defeating Hannibal at Zama?

• A. Hannibal
• B. Brutus
• C. Scipio
• D. St. Paul

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is identifying who delivered the decisive victory that ended the Second Punic War. Scipio Africanus is the general who defeated Hannibal at Zama in 202 BCE, turning the tide after Hannibal’s successes in Italy. He won by combining a disciplined Roman infantry with effective cavalry, including the Numidian horsemen under Masinissa, to outflank and outmaneuver Hannibal. The elephants at Zama caused some disruption, but Scipio kept his lines steady, used his reserves wisely, and exploited the Carthaginian setup to break their coordination. The result was a decisive Roman victory and Carthage’s surrender terms, which effectively ended the war. So the general associated with ending the conflict by this defeat is Scipio Africanus.