Hannibal Barca, military commander of the Punic forces in southern Italy, after being on the run for 18 years from the vengeful Roman Senators was finally cornered in distant Bythinia. Choosing to prevent this last triumph for Roman arms he took poison ending his life at sixty two.
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, conqueror of Spain and Africa, was given command against Antiochus the Great whom he utterly crushed at the battle of Magnesia. Accused of receiving bribes in favor of a generous peace treaty, he was eclipsed from the commons. His last wish upon his deathbed was to be burried at Liternum, resting place of his beloved Punic War veterans, so that "the ungrateful citizens of Rome would not have his bones".
Coincidentaly both men died on the same year, 184BC.
Hasdrubal Barca, brother of Hannibal and commander of the Punic forces in Spain, died at the battle of the Metaurus river in northern Italy 207 BC, attempting to reinforce his brother.
Mago Barca, third brother of Hannibal and commander of the Punic forces in Northern Italy, succumbed to his injuries on his galley en route to Africa, recalled by his Senate at the news of Scipio's invasion in 203BC.
The valiant soldiers serving Hannibal during his Italian campaign were massacred by the Romans after being tricked into lowering their swords. A limited number had managed to be ferried to Africa along with Hannibal to face the Roman invasion. They fought to a man at Zama.
Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Roman consul and the last Roman to ever win the spoila opima, after inspiring the Romans to victory after Cannae died in a Carthaginian ambush in Apulia 208BC.
Consul Varro's fate is unknown.
But the most sad fate of all was that of the Legionaries of Cannae. After surviving the most catastrophic defeat in Roman history they were unjustly dishonoured by the Senate and exiled in Sicily. Redeeming themselves in Africa they were then sent to campaign in Greece, having not seen their home for 14 years. There they paid their final tribute to their fallen Cannae comrades; Philip's defeat allowed for the last survivors of Cannae to be released from slavery -Greek slavers had bought them after the battle twenty years earlier.
Generations after the war Roman parents would frighten their children into discipline with Hannibal's name - such was the impression he had left on the Roman nation.
As for Carthage..."Ceterum Censeo Carthaginem esse delendam".