Final answer:
Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general who defeated the Romans at Cannae with a double envelopment tactic. Consul Varro's forgiveness after the loss could be attributed to bringing honor to Rome or Senate politics. The total destruction of Carthage after the Third Punic War included enslavement and killing of survivors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hannibal Barca was a Carthaginian general who is renowned for his strategic prowess in the Second Punic War, particularly for his victory against the Roman legions at the Battle of Cannae using a double envelopment tactic. On this day in 216 BCE, Hannibal's ingeniously planned tactic allowed his significantly smaller forces to encircle and decimate a larger Roman army. Despite Consul Varro's defeat, he was likely forgiven because he was perceived to bring honor to Rome or due to political considerations within the Senate, facts that have been historically debated. When Carthage was finally defeated and destroyed in 146 BCE after the Third Punic War, the Romans brutally sacked the city, profoundly impacting history and ending the Carthaginian state, with survivors killed or enslaved.