Final answer:
Hannibal and his army fought in Italy for 15 years without a siege train, limiting their ability to attack fortified cities like Rome. Even with his tactical prowess, Hannibal's army weakened over time due to isolation from reinforcements and supplies, ultimately contributing to their defeat.
Step-by-step explanation:
For 15 years, Hannibal and his army managed to fight up and down Italy without a siege train. Hannibal crossed the Alps with his army into Italy from Spain, achieving considerable military success against the Romans. However, he was handicapped by not having a siege train, which is a collection of equipment and troops needed to conduct a siege, necessary to attack heavily fortified places like Rome itself. Despite repeated victories and clever tactics, including the use of his war elephants, and the historical battle at Cannae, Hannibal's forces gradually grew weaker as he lacked reinforcements and supplies, especially after the Roman general Scipio cut him off from support by winning battles back in Spain and then invading North Africa.