BATTLE REPORT - CANNAE 216 BC -HANNIBAL IN ITALY

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Numidian cavalry - Hannibal's elite light cavalry were the numidians and it was these troops that provided him with the quality advantage in cavalry.These were berber horsemen recruited from Numidia,present day algeria mounted on ponies.Small compared to other horses of the era, these were well adapted for faster movement over long distances.Numidian horsemen rode without saddles or bridles, controlling their mounts with a simple rope around their horse' neck. They had no form of bodily protection except for a round leather shield, and their main weapon were javelins in addition to a short sword.Due to their expert horsemanship and agility, as well as their lack of armoror heavy weaponry, they were most suitable for harassing tactics, charging in loose formation and lobbing their javelins before wheeling off to escape the enemy's counterattack.(tactic shown above) This harassing tactic, while rarely decisive, could be extremely frustrating to a less mobile enemy,their presence certainly contributed greatly to the effectiveness of Hannibal's reconaissance and intelligence.Scipio's victory at Zama was caused by the defection of the numidians which finally robbed hannibal of his last remaining advantage and was decisive in winning the battle.The romans employed numidians for centuries as auxillaries.Later during the muslim conquest of north africa,the arabs recruited large numbers of berber or moorish horsemen into their armies who served in spain.

WAR ELEPHANTS :
War elephants as a battle weapon had been introduced to the carthaginians by Pyyrhos of Epirus.However the elephant carthage used was not the african savannah elephant,but the now extinct North african forest elephant which was smaller than the indian elephants present in the hellenistic armies.Nonetheless these beasts were employed as a shock weapon and usually deployed in front of the battle line.They could cause unaccustomed horses to panic and in the first punic wars initially had caused great terror amongst the romans.By this time however the romans were prepared to deal with these animals.Hannibal emerged from the alps with an incredible 37 elephants still alive.They carried 2 riders and a mahout with missiles and were employed to plough through enemy ranks and create gaps which could be exploited . Hannibal was only able to employ them at Trebbia in italy.The elephants contributed much in impressing the gauls to join with Hannibal.

NEXT : TICINUS AND TREBIA.

 

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HANNIBAL IN ITALY -TICINUS AND TREBIA

HANNIBAL ENTERS ITALY :

When news reached of Hannibal's crossing of the alps,In rome the senate was stunned.They had expected a leisurely war in africa and iberia.And now a carthaginian army was in italy!Hannibal had seized the initiative.In a hurry,the romans cancelled the invasion of africa and recalled sempronius from sicily to move quickly to reinforce scipio.

Hannibal meanwhile took stock of his forces-He had a mere 20,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry left (out of 38,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry he entered the alps with)to challenge the full might of Rome on its own soil.These were however his finest,veterans of conflict with man and nature.The survivors were emaciated, exhausted, and without supplies, having lost most of them in the mountains. Obtaining supplies wherever he could, Hannibal rested his men.The sight of this army instilled scant confidence in the gauls initially.He had entered Italy between the Insubres and a Ligurian tribe called the Taurini.After the army's recovery, Hannibal offered them peace by formal alliance. When it was refused, he surrounded their chief settlement, levelled it and executed all his opponents as an object lesson to the other tribes in the north. This act of terror was effective for the time being in securing a nominal alliance with the other Gauls.Receiving news of the massacre, Publius was incredulous that Hannibal should have crossed the Alps and be in Italy so soon. Decamping, he crossed the Po and marched upstream on the left bank looking for him. Receiving intelligence of Publius' impending arrival, Hannibal was equally incredulous that he should have made the difficult voyage from Marseille and now be at hand with an army. The most astounded of all at the news that both Hannibal and Publius were in Italy, when they were believed to be in Spain, were the Roman Senate and People.

BATTLE OF TICINUS :

Looking for Hannibal,Scipio(elder) moved from Piacenza/Placentia(See map),built a bridge over the Po and a second oen over the Ticinus.As a consul, Scipio superseded the praetors Manlius and Atilius. He could therefore have commanded three legions, about 12,000 infantry and several thousand allies, possibly around 20,000 men. The regular cavalry of three legions amounted to 900. In addition, there were some 2,000 Gallic cavalry, which fought in this battle but later defected, and 1,000 allied cavalry attached to Manlius at Rome, a total of about 4,000 cavalry.At the same time as Scipio was making camp, Hannibal was camping upstream along the Po. The two were unknown to each other but making the discovery through scouts the next day both commanders decided on the same tactic: a reconaissance in force to discover and test the strength of the enemy. Hannibal probably took the majority of the 6,000 cavalry that remained after crossing the Alps, while Scipio took all of his cavalry and a small number of velites.

Finally coming within observation distance of each other, the two armies stopped to form ranks. Hannibal offered his strongest motivations to the troops if they would fight to win: tax-free land in Italy, Spain or Africa, Carthaginian citizenship to allies. He then placed his heavycavalry in the center and the light and swift-moving Numidian cavalry on the wings: a classic formation in which the wings would break off to ride around and attack the enemy rear. Scipio's less effective technique used the cavalry more like the infantry in a fixed line. The Gallic cavalry would be out front screening a line of javelin-throwers, who would cast volleys into the front of the advancing enemy and then retreat through the ranks to the rear.

Hannibal, seeing the infantry beginning to form, ordered an immediate, all-out charge, which rode down on the javelin-throwers before they could cast a single volley and sent them running for their lives through the ranks behind them. The main cavalry ranks then fought until the Numidian cavalry performed their planned envelopment and attacked the rear. Unable to maneuver because of the infantry milling about them, the Roman cavalry broke into small groups, some dismounting and fighting as infantry. Scipio was wounded and soon found himself surrounded, with only a few to defend him.The younger scipio(scipio africanus later) managed to rescue his father by breaking through with his cavalry turma and escorting him off the field.

Aftermath -
Hannibal scattered the Roman forces, but he did not press his victory that day, perhaps because his forces were far outnumbered by the Roman infantry still in the fort.Scipio now knew knew Hannibal would be back the next day with his whole army, would interpose himself between the Roman fort and the bridge and Scipio and all his men would be trapped, a set-up for another massacre. He therefore broke camp in the night, hastened to get over the bridge before dawn and was in Piacenza before Hannibal knew he had left camp. Finding the camp empty the next morning, Hannibal followed the Roman trail to the river, capturing the 600-man guard over a torn-up bridge. He decided not to force a subsequent crossing of the Po under hostile fire,but turned, went up its left bank, found a convenient crossing and descended the right bank to camp before Piacenza two days later.

After Hannibal's arrival in the early morning, before first light, some 2,200 Gallic allies in the Roman camp attacked the Romans closest to them sleeping in their tents, took the heads of the slain and crossed to the Carthaginian camp, where they were well received. Hannibal subsequently sent them as emissaries to raise all the Celts in Italy. Meanwhile, Scipio, again anticipating the consequences, immediately broke camp before dawn on that same nightand slipping up the right bank of the Po to the west in the same direction from which Hannibal had come crossed the Trebia, a right-bank tributary of the Po. Then he headed south along its left bank to the hills from which it flows, keeping the river between him and Hannibal. The Numidian cavalry sent in pursuit made the mistake of burning the camp first, giving all but Scipio's rear guard time to cross the river. A day's march to the south, Scipio reached the hills, fortified the slope of one of them and settled down to rest and wait for the arrival of the second consul,Hannibal camped at a distance in the plain below, enthusiastically supplied by the Gallic population.Meanwhile the Gauls now began to join Hannibal en masse,bolstering his depleted ranks.

BATTLE OF TREBIA :

The second consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus,now arrived and joined forces with scipio.Hannibal meanwhile was taking punitive action against some gauls of whom he suspected treachery.These gauls appealed to the romans.
Tiberius sent some cavalry across the river with 1,000 infantry. They caught the Carthaginians pillaging there and drove them into Hannibal's camp . The Carthaginians acquired reinforcements and sallied out to push the Romans back across the river, where the Romans sent for reinforcements from their camp.Hannibal stopped the Carthaginian attack because this was not the time and place of his choosing, but was happening spontaneously. Tiberius, however, concluded he had won a victory with the very arm in which Scipio had been beaten, the cavalry.Hannibal now knew that he could provoke Tiberius and made plans to entice him across the river, where his troops could be slaughtered without assistance from the camp.The cavalry action of the preceding day had inspired the Romans with confidence. Sempronius resolved to seek "a decisive battle as soon as possible" against scipio's advice,whose confidence had evaporated after his near death experience.

The December of 218 BC was cold and snowy. Scipio was still recovering from his wounds but Sempronius was eager to come to blows with Hannibal to remove the barbarian from italian soil and to win glory – and especially as the time for the election of new consuls was drawing near.Hannibal's force was camped across the cold and flooded Trebbia River.Aware of the roman eagerness for battle he set his trap.'He had long ago noticed a place between the two camps, densely overgrown with brambles and other thorny plants, and here he proposed to lay a stratagem to surprise the enemy'.Hannibal put a detatchment of his best 1100 cavalry and 1100 infantry in ambush position behind the underbrush under cover of night and then set his plan in motion.

 

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Numidian Provocation -
On the following morning, Hannibal sent the rest of the Numidian cavalry beyond the Trebbia to harass the nearby Roman camp and retreat, so as to lure the Romans into a position from which Mago's hidden detachment could strike at the opportune moment. They rode up to the gates and discharged missiles at the men on duty. In response, an enraged Sempronius sent out the Roman cavalry to drive them off, and shortly afterwards sent out 6,000 javelin-throwers, the light-armed infantry, to cover the formation of the main line of battle behind them.The Roman army numbered 42,000 men .12,000 roman heavy infantry and 6,000 velites.Plus 20,000 Italian allied infantry -bulk of it heavy infantry.Supported by 4,000 cavalry.

As snow was falling; the troops had not yet eaten their morning meal as they went across the fords of the Trebia, with the water breast-high and icy-cold. Arrived on the farther side, many Roman soldiers were so chilled that they could scarcely hold their weapons. Hannibal was ready to receive them. His men had eaten, rubbed themselves with oil before their camp-fires.The Numidian cavalry wheeled suddenly and attacked the Roman cavalry, strung out in pursuit. Sempronius withdrew them to the flanks. The Numidians then harassed the Roman light infantry screen of velites causing them to expend most of their missiles.They then withdraw to the flanks.

Deployment and Skirmish -
Meanwhile Hannibal deployed his army with his light infantry and balearic slingers in front.Hannibal had total 40,000 men.20,000 medium and heavy infantry and 8,000 light infantry in his main battle line.2000 infantry and cavalry in ambush.10,000 cavalry divided on both flanks -5000 each.Plus the war elephants deployed on the flanks of the infantry.Behind his main infantry line of spaniards and celts who were outnumbered and outclassed by the roman heavy infantry he placed his elite african veteran pikemen on the wings.Mago's force lies in ambush.

The light infantry of the lines skirmish ,but the velites lose definitively.Sempronius withdraws them and sends forward his legions.Hannibal also withdraws his light infantry to the flanks.Sempronius had placed his 4 roman legions(2 from scipio,2 from him) in the centre in triple line formation flanked by allied heavy infantry on the flanks.His left wing is covered by 3000 allied cavalry and right wing by a mere 1000 roman cavalry.He however has an overwhelming qualitative and quantitative superiority in heavy infantry.

Battle lines clash -
1.Hannibal's cavalry attacks the roman and allied cavalry both from front and flanks.The numerically inferior roman horse is routed swiftly on both flanks in the face of this 2 pronged assault.

2.Hannibal sends forward his elephants on each flank to mow through the ranks of the allied infantry on the flanks.They cause considerable damage and panic before most of them are killed by light-infantry detachments was sent out to stop them.These they dealt with by volleying darts and jabbing under the tail..The elephant attack however disrupts the infantry lines and creates significant gaps by trampling through the packed ranks.

3.The Roman infantry juggernaut presses forward and engages the carthaginian centre.

Trap is sprung -
1.After routing the roman cavalry the carthaginian cavalry attack the roman rear and flanks,surrounding them.
2.The african pikemen swing inwards and attack the exposed flanks of the allied italian infantry.They are already under attack from front and rear,and have been mauled by the elephant attack and begin to collapse.
3.Mago's hidden force emerges from its ambush position and strikes at the roman rear,completing the envelopment from all sides.
4.Sempronius and 10,000 veteran roman infantry seeing their flanks collapsing form themselves up in a hollow square and cut through the carthiginian centre,in a vindication of the power and discipline of the roman legions in a straight contest.They move east and recross the trebia at a distance and rejoin scipio at piacenza.Due to the heavy snow and rain reducing visibility and ,engagement with the remaining surrounded roman army the carthaginians do not pursue effectively.Hannibal surrounds the rest of the roman army on all sides and proceeds to annihilate them.

Aftermath -
The romans suffered huge casualities ,particularly in allies.28,000-32,000 men were killed.But 10,000 veteran roman infantry in the centre made it out.Hannibal suffered the loss of 4000 -5000 men -mostly infantry and some elephants.
For a time, the Romans were spared attacks by the Carthaginians, as the latter were now suffering from exposure. A cold snap had set in and the precipitation had turned from rain to snow and ice. All the elephants but one died along with many men and horses.Hannibal was down to less than 20,000 men as his seasonal gallic allies had returned home for a period.An indecisive engagement was fought trying to take the roman camp ,followed by a roman counterattack on the carthaginian camp which ended in stalemate as the year came to an end and the Romans elected new consuls and raised new armies to Hannibal once and for all.

The recipes for Hannibal's success at Trebia were surprise,deception,excellent use of terrain and an understanding of the enemy. Acc. to Walter Raliegh Sempronius lost because - First he engaged hannibal on flat ground while inferior in cavalry , Second he didn't properly reconnoiter the ground he fought in ,leading to being ambushed and finally he let his men fight half-frozen and hungry.

NEXT: BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE AND FABIAN STRATEGY

 

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BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE

When news of trebia reached Rome,the alarmed senate mobilized its second wave of troops by raising four new legions. As hannibal and his army went into winter quarters,the romans elected their Consuls for the new year-Servilius geminus and Gaius Flaminius.The Senate commissioned Servilius to replace and take command of his army, while Flaminius was appointed to lead what remained of Sempronius’s army. These new legions, together with the remains of the former army, were divided between the two consuls.The majority of the recently conquered italian states were in the south,were hannibal expected to find allies.However to realize his aim of disintegrating the roman confederacy he had to invade southern italy.The Romans set about to prevent this.Two consular armies were stationed as blocking detatchments.Geminus was at Ariminium blocking the coastal road with 2 fresh legions and remnants of scipio's legions ,plus allied troops.Gaius Flaminius was at Arretium or Arezzo,blocking the path west towards Rome.The roman plan was Pin Hannibal down with one army and have another arrive and crush in between the 2,the same plan had worked against the Gauls at Telamon seven years earlier.

There are about half a dozen possible routes over the mountains into the Arno valley into Etruria which is why Hannibal chose this route.Hannibal eluded Flaminius by marching through the presumably impassable Arno valley marshes and swamps.He contracted a disease in the swamps that cost hannibal his left eye.All the surviving elephants also died.Hannibal intended to lure Flaminius' force into a pitched battle and destroy it before he could link up with Geminus.
To accomplish this he proceeded to ravage the rich countryside in full view of flaminius and even had the temerity to march right past his camp.Even then however Flaminius would not be goaded into battle even though he was enraged.
Unable to goad Flaminius into battle, Hannibal marched boldly around his opponent’s left flank and effectively cut Flaminius off from Rome.Now as Hannibal was between him and Rome and no force standing between him and the city,Flaminius was forced to move.This was not an impulsive move as to crush Hannibal the Romans needed to follow him but at a distance to avoid a premature battle.Flaminius has been sometimes portrayed as rash,but this is most likely because he was a populist and a non-patrician.He had infact won a great victory over the gauls a few years earlier and was a noted roman commander of the time.

(Terrain of ambush site)

BATTLE OF LAKE TRASIMENE :

As Hannibal passed Lake Trasimene, he came to a place very suitable for an ambush, and hearing that Flaminius had broken camp and was pursuing him, made preparations for the impending battle. To the north was a series of heavily forested hills where the Malpasso Road passed along the north side of Lake Trasimene. Along the hill-bordered skirts of the lake, Hannibal camped where he was in full view of anyone entering the northern defile, and spent the night arranging his troops for battle. Below the camp, he placed his heavy infantry upon a slight elevation. Here, they had ample ground from which they could charge down upon the head of the Roman column on the left flank, when it should reach the position.His cavalry and gallic infantry were concealed in the hills in the depth of the wooded valley from which the Romans would first enter, so that they could quickly sally out and close the entrance, blocking the Roman route of retreat. Then he posted his Light troops at intervals along the heights overlooking the plain, with orders to keep well hidden in the woods until signalled to attack.

In addition, the night before the battle commenced, Hannibal ordered his men to light campfires on the hills of Tuoro, at a considerable distance, so as to convince the Romans that his forces were further away than they actually were.

The morning of June 21, the Roman troops marched eastward along the road running near the northern edge of the lake,the deep morning mist and wooded hills obscuring the carthaginians from roman view.Flaminius pushed his men hard and hurried up the column in the rear. He had over 30,000 men.

Hannibal then sent a small skirmish force to draw the vanguard away from the front of the line, in order to split the Roman forces. Once all the Romans had at last marched through the foggy, narrow defile and entered the plains skirting the lake, trumpets were blown, signalling the general attack.

The Carthaginian cavalry and infantry swept down from their concealed positions in the surrounding hills, blocked the road and engaged the unsuspecting Romans from three sides. Surprised and outmanoeuvred, the Romans did not have time to draw up in formation, and were forced to fight a desperate hand-to-hand battle in open order. The Romans were quickly split into three parts. The westernmost was attacked by the Carthaginian cavalry and forced into the lake, leaving the other two groups with no way to retreat. The centre, including Flaminius, stood its ground, but was cut down by Hannibal's gauls after three hours of heavy combat.

In less than four hours, most of the Roman troops were killed.The lake trasimene ran red with blood. The Roman advance guard saw little combat and, once the disaster to their rear became obvious, fought their way through the skirmishers and out of the forest. Of the initial Roman force of about 30,000, about 15,000 were either killed in battle or drowned while trying to escape into the lake including Flaminius himself, who was slain by a Gaul with an old vendetta. Another 10,000 are reported to have made their way back to Rome by various means, and the rest were captured. Hannibal's losses were 1,500. About 6,000 Romans escaped, under the cover of fog, only to be captured by the numidian cavalry under Maharbal the following day.In just four hours of fighting hannibal had dealt a total defeat on the roman army in one of the greatest ambushes in military history.Furthermore 4,000 Roman cavalry reinforcements from Geminus were also intercepted and destroyed just a couple days later to add to the pain.Again the chief causes of Hannibal's success had been deception,surprise and an eye for terrain while the romans had yet agains underestimated their enemy and failed to recon properly.It cost Flaminius his army and his life.

THE ROMAN RESPONSE - DICTATORSHIP :

Terror and panic gripped Rome at the news of Trasimene.The senate appointed Fabius Maximus Dictator by suspending the constitution for 6 months.Fabius was 60 years old,had been consul twice.A veteran of the first punic war and had celebrated a triumph of the gauls.Fabius put into practice the 'Fabian strategy'-To avoid pitched battle at all costs and follow and harass hannibal's supply lines and grind him down through attrition until the roman army could be rebuilt.He correctly appreciated that Rome's huge manpower reserves would ensure she could not be defeated if a such a strategy could be employed successfully. Meanwhile he also raised four new legions and took over Geminus's legions.With a grand total of 47,000 infantry and 2500 cavalry(romans had suffered massive losses in this department) and began to shadow Hannibal.

 

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While Hannibal was close to Rome the city still had a garrison and large forces available on the field and Hannibal didn't have the manpower to besiege and take rome while under a potential 2-front attack.So he had crossed the Apennines mountains again and moved to eastern half of Italy while moving south.Fabius kept his force on the mountanous terrain shadowing Hannibal's line of march while sending out raiding parties to harass the carthaginian foragers.Trying to goad Fabius into battle,Hannibal ravaged the countryside.When it became clear he wouldn't oblige,Hannibal intended to create a provocation which would compel him to fight.Crossing the Apennine mountains again into western Italy he passed via Beneventum and into Campania ,dominated by Capua -the second largest city in Italy,and the very fertile agricultural region which served as a bread basket.(See map)

BATTLE OF AGER FALERNUS : MASTER OF DECEPTION

Hannibal had entered Campania through Beneventum, alongTelesia and into the Falernian fields.After going through Allifae, Callifae, across the Volturnus River to Cales and then down on the plain the Carthaginians finally arrived near Casilinum.Hannibal let loose his soldiers on the rich land,seeking to goad Fabius who remained immovable,staying on the mountanous terrain above but refusing to descend into the plains.Hannibal had tried all kinds of provocations to get Fabius to fight, he had even spared the property of Fabius while devastating all else, to cast doubts about him.However the Carthaginian army couldn't be sustained in the winter in the area indefintely.Hannibal had entered the region to prove Rome's inability to protect her allies and on news that Capua might defect.But this had not taken place.Now he was in a potential trap.Being positioned north of the Volturnus River, and with all the bridges in Roman hands, there were only three that Hannibal could take to leave the river plain.(See map)
Fabius first reinforced the Roman garrison at Casilinium, which guarded one such bridge, and Cales on the south of Ager Falernus. His second in command Minucius took up position to the north of the plain to watch both the via Latina and via Appia with a detachment, while Taenum was also garrisoned. The main Roman army camped near Mount Massicus, north of the plain to the west of Minucius, ready to support his position. A detachment of 4,000 troops was sent to watch the passes of Mount Callicula to the east of the plain near Allifae, one of the possible passes through which Hannibal might choose to leave the plain.Having covered all possible routes Hannibal could take to leave the plain, Fabius sat tight wait until the Carthaginians ran out of supplies and then were forced to launch a direct attack on unfavourable terrain where their cavalry would be unuseable.Finally Fabius thought he had the fox trapped,but just as he thought he had his man - Hannibal totally fooled the romans once again.

The Carthaginian army finally moved east towards the pass beside Mount Callicula through which they had originally entered the plain. Fabius, anticipating the move, had blocked the pass with 4,000 troops, and encamped on a nearby hill with the main army.Minucius then joined this army with his contingent.Hannibal made careful preparations to break out of the trap, but not through a pitched battle as the Romans had hoped. The day before Hannibal put his plan in motion, he had most of his men eat a hearty supper and go to bed early while leaving the campfires burning. 2,000 oxen from the captured herds were selected, along with 2,000 camp followers to drive the cattle and 2,000 spearmen to guard the whole gang, cattle and all. Dry wood and fagots were tied on the horns of the oxen. An officer called Hasdrubal, in charge of army supplies oversaw the whole operation. Once the preparations were complete, this group was to move towards the pass being guarded by 4,000 Romans. However, combat with the Romans or capturing the pass was not to be their objective. There was a saddle below the camp of Fabius to the east, and on the north west of the pass, at the foot of Mount Callicula. The Carthaginian spearmen were to capture and hold the saddle.

At the appointed time, after the third part of the night had ended, the Carthaginian army roused itself and made ready to march as silently as possible. The picked force with the oxen marched to the saddle, and when they approached the slopes, the wood and faggot tied to the horns were lit by the camp followers. The terrified oxen began to flee and stampede up the slopes of the saddle, creating an illusion of thousands of torches moving up the mountainside. The lights and sounds of the spectacle attracted the attention of the Romans in the camp of Fabius, and also the Roman detachment guarding the pass. The reaction of the forces were different.(Above brown arrow is feint with oxen)

Fabius refused to move from his camp despite the pleas of his officers and the urgings of Minucius. The Roman army made ready and stood at arms but did not move out. Fabius did not want to fight a night battle, fearing a Punic trick to draw the Romans into a battle over broken, uneven ground, where Roman infantry will lose their edge as their lines would be broken, and communication would be hampered. Hannibal had previously hoodwinked and destroyed two Roman armies at Trebbia and Trasimene and the cautious Fabius did not want his army to be the third. Thus, although Hannibal still managed to trick the Romans, the Romans only suffered loss of face but not the loss of another army.

The Roman force stationed at the pass, with no Fabius to restrain them, deserted their posts at the head of the pass to attack what they thought was the main Carthaginian army trying to outflank their position and escape across the saddle. As soon as the Romans left their position, Hannibal's main army left camp, with the African infantry leading, the cavalry, the baggage train and the cattle herds marching in line after them, and Celts and Iberian infantry guarding the rear. The Carthaginian army moved through the pass unmolested, as Fabius did not challenge them. The Roman force attacking the saddle was bewildered when they confronted the lights on the saddle. The cattle ran amok, breaking their lines, the Carthaginian spearmen ambushed them, and a wild melee ensued. As dawn broke to make matters clear, a group of Iberian infantry was seen scaling the saddle walls to join the ongoing pandemonium on the saddle. The Iberians, being experts in Mountain warfare engaged the now scattered Roman soldiers and killed over 1,000 of their number, and managed to rescue the Carthaginian camp followers, the spearmen guard and some of the cattle well before the main Roman army could intervene.

The political clout of Fabius began to wane after this incident, as displeasure with his tactics grew in Rome. Hannibal, after escaping from the trap he had gotten himself into, marched east towards Apulia, ravaging the Roman estates at will. Fabius cautiously followed him still keeping to the Fabian strategy. He would order towns burned, and crops destroyed in the path of Hannibal. The scorched earth policy destroyed the best Roman economic assets,and the 'unroman' strategy of Fabius earned him the derisive nickname Cunctator or 'Delayer'. Hannibal marched east through Samnium into Apulia, and selected the town of Geronium as his winter base.

BATTLE OF GERONIUM : ROMAN NEAR -ESCAPE

Minicius's Aggression - While the Carthaginians had been busy at Geronium, Fabius had left Minucius in charge of the Roman army with instructions to follow the ‘Fabian Strategy’ and journeyed to Rome to observe some religious duties and shore up political support.Minucius, who had always advocated a more forward strategy against Hannibal, moved down from the hills after a few days and set up a new camp in the plain of Larinum to the north of Geronium. The Romans then began harassing the Carthaginian foragers from their new camp as Minucius sought to provoke Hannibal into battle. Hannibal in response moved near the Roman camp from Geronium with two thirds of his army, built a temporary camp, and occupied a hill overlooking the Roman camp with 2,000 spearmen.The mobility of the Carthaginians was restricted at this time as their cavalry horses were being rested. This had also deprived Hannibal of his best weapon against the Romans, a fact which would come into play soon. Minucius promptly attacked and drove back the spearmen posted on the hill, and then moved his camp to the top of the captured hill.(3rd white line from top,the white lines denote position of roman camps,box is hannibal's main camp)

Responding to the Roman move, the Carthaginians reduced the number of their foragers for a few days and kept the army in readiness within their camp situated near the Roman camp.But Hannibal was eventually forced to send out parties in increasing numbers for foraging. The Romans, seizing their chance, sent out light infantry and horsemen through the back gate of their camp to cut off and kill a large number of Carthaginian foragers, who were scattered all over the plain of Geronium, while Minucius himself led the infantry in strength towards the temporary Carthaginian camp itself, where most of the Carthaginians had taken refuge after being worsted in the initial clash. Hannibal, with his foragers under attack and his camp in danger of being assaulted, led out a sortie against the attacking Roman infantry.

With only a third of the army present and most of their cavalry absent, the outnumbered Carthaginians fought a small-scale battle not of their own choosing, and mostly got the worst of the engagement.Carthaginians are said to have suffered 6,000 casualties, the Romans about 5,000 during the whole affair. This was the only time Hannibal had been drawn into large scale skirmishing and had surrendered the initiative to the enemy during the war.


Hannibal's Response -
As the Carthaginian army was divided between 2 camps while the Roman one was concentrated.Staying in the current position would lead to constant skirmishing, and regardless of the results, a war of attrition was in the Roman favour. Hannibal chose to reduce the risk to his army and fell back to the main camp at Geronium. Minucius immediately occupied the deserted Carthaginian camp.Elated by this small success the Roman senate awarded Minicius equal powers to Fabius.Minicius chose to divide the army encamped one and a half miles south of where Fabius camped rather than accept command on alternate days.Hannibal informed of this chose to bait the aggresive Minicius into a trap and destroy his forces.

The ground between the Carthaginian and Roman camps was flat, treeless and barren, with a low ridge sitting midway between the camps. There were hollows and dead patches of land in the ground behind and beside the hill where soldiers could hide without being noticed. Hannibal selected a picked body of 5,000 infantry and 500 cavalry, and ordered them to conceal themselves in groups of 200-300 in the hollows and dead ground on the night before the battle. The skill and discipline of the Carthaginians is evident through their flawless execution of this potentially hazardous operation. At dawn, a contingent of Carthaginian light infantry took position on the hill in full view of the Romans.Minicius sent a group of velites to drive them off. In turn, Hannibal reinforced the hill with just enough soldiers to fight the Romans to a stalemate. This caused Minucius to send the Roman and Italian allied cavalry up the hill, which Hannibal immediately countered with his Numidian and heavy Carthaginian cavalry, again seeking a stalemate. With the cavalry engaged, Minucius lost his best tool for scouting the battleground and discovering the trap Hannibal had set for him. After skirmishing for a while, the Roman cavalry slowly began to give ground against their better skilled opponents.Minucius, observing the situation, now called out his four legions and marched towards and then up the hill. Hannibal had also deployed his infantry beyond the hill and now advanced to meet the advancing Romans. The sequence and timing of events, all planned and orchestrated by Hannibal, did not give the Roman general any time to examine the ground or scout the area. Fabius, who was watching the events unfold from his camp, called his army to arms but did not move out to help his fellow general.

Just as the Roman infantry commanded by Minucius reached the hill and was moving up the slopes, the Roman cavalry broke and began to scatter. The Roman light troops, already hard pressed, were also driven back on the marching legions. The Roman battle formation was disrupted, and before the Romans could regain cohesion, the Carthaginians concealed in the hollows emerged and fell on the exposed flanks and rear of the Roman battle line. Hannibal and his infantry struck the now unbalanced Romans from the front before the shock of the ambush faded or Minucius could take corrective action. Attacked from all sides, some of the Romans broke ranks and fled, while the others became surrounded and were fighting for their lives. A disaster for Rome again loomed,but Minicius was only saved by the timely arrival of Fabius's army at which Hannibal withdrew as it was not in his original plan to fight him.The romans had suffered heavy casualities and escaped disaster by a whisker,Minicius having learnt his lesson gave up his powers to Fabius and called him 'father'.

NEXT : CANNAE - THE ANNIHILATION BATTLE

 

[Nilgiri]

BATTLE OF CANNAE

''The Senate determined to bring eight legions into the field, which had never been done at Rome before, each legion consisting of five thousand men besides allies. ...Most of their wars are decided by one consul and two legions, with their quota of allies; and they rarely employ all four at one time and on one service. But on this occasion, so great was the alarm and terror of what would happen, they resolved to bring not only four but eight legions into the field.'' -Polybius

ROMAN MOBILIZATION :

Unimpressed by Fabius,and feeling the economic pinch the romans didn't renew his dictatorship and instead now took an unprecedented step and ordered the greatest mass mobilization in their history.With their patience totally exasperated and fearing defection of its allies-in 216 BC Rome decided to end the hanibalic threat once and for all.To do this it raised the greatest army in its history.Eight overstrength legions(each 5000 strong), some 40,000 Roman soldiers and an estimated 2,400 cavalry, formed the nucleus of this massive new army. As each legion was accompanied by an equal number of allied troops, and allied cavalry numbered around 4,000, the army that faced Hannibal was likely no fewer than 90,000.Ordinarily, each of the two consuls would command his own portion of the army, but since the two armies were combined into one, Roman law required them to alternate their command on a daily basis.

In the spring of 216 BC, Hannibal took the initiative and seized the large supply depot at Cannae, in the Apulian plain, placing himself between the Romans and their crucial source of supply.The consuls, resolving to confront Hannibal, marched southward in search of him. After two days' march, they found him on the left bank of the Aufidas river , and encamped six miles (10 km) away.During the approach Varro had succesfully repelled a small carthaginian ambush which greatly increased roman self-confidence.The romans camped two-thirds of the army east of the Aufidus River, sending the remainder to fortify a position on the opposite side. The purpose of this second camp was to cover the foraging parties from the main camp and harass those of the enemy.The two armies stayed in their respective locations for two days. During the second day (August 1), Hannibal, aware that Varro would be in command the following day, left his camp and offered battle, but Paullus refused.On the next day Varro accepted.(Varro is blamed sometimes,but necessary to remember Polybius was a client of the scipio family and paullus was his patron's grandfather)The sheer size of the roman army intimidated the carthaginian commanders,an officer called gisgo voiced his concerns to hannibal.Hannibal is said to have replied-"another thing that has escaped your notice, Gisgo, is even more amazing—that although there are so many of them, there is not one among them called Gisgo.''demonstrating his self-cofidence.

STRENGTH :

The roman army on the field would have numbered over 90,000 - 75,000 infantry(half-roman and half allied) and 6400 cavalry on the field with a further 10,000 infantry guarding the camp.This was the greatest army rome had ever put on the field.The scale of preparations can be ascertained by the fact that between a quarter and a third of the Senate was present at Cannae, and most of the remaining senators had sons or other close relatives with the legions(among them scipio the younger).

Hannibal's army was greatly outnumbered and could count on 50,000 men in strength.40,000 infantry in all - 8,000 veteran african pikemen, 6,000 spanish medium and heavy infantry, 14,000 gallic infantry and 12,000 more light and medium troops.He had a superiority in cavalry - 10,000 horsemen.4000 numidians,4000 gauls and 2000 spanish.

To the Romans it seemed a perfect battle spot.Hannibal seemed to have little room to maneuver and no means of retreat as he was deployed with the Aufidus River to his rear. When pressed hard by the Romans' superior numbers, the Carthaginians would fall back to the river and, with no room to maneuver, would be cut down in panic. Bearing in mind that Hannibal's two previous victories had been largely decided by his trickery and ruse, the field at Cannae was clear, with no possibility of hidden troops being brought to bear in an ambush.The compressed battle space gave hannibal's cavalry little space for manuevre,and would be forced into frontal attacks.Romans had enormous superiority in numbers and had chosen the battlefield.The overstrength legions could be counted upon to punch through the carthaginian line as they had done in previous battles,but even more quickly and decisively.

So why did,hannibal choose such a battlefield?He clearly understood the Roman battering ram approach.And while by densely packing their legions on the compressed space meant the carthaginian cavalry had little space for manuever it also meant roman numbers were not used to extend their own line and attempt to outflank hannibal(who due to vastly less number of troops couldn't keep up).Also the sun would be in the roman's eyes as they advanced.

Deployment - Romans deploy into battle formation with the 2400 Roman cavalry on the right, the Roman and allied heavy infantry in the centre and the 4000 allied horse on the left.The flanks rested on the river and the high ground around Cannae.The roman infantry deployed unusually deep in the aces triplex.The maniples themselves were overstrength at 140-150 men instead of the normal 120.but chose extra depth rather than breadth for the infantry in hopes of breaking quickly through the center of Hannibal's line. Varro knew how the Roman infantry had managed to penetrate Hannibal's center at Trebia and Trasimene, and he planned to recreate this on an even greater scale. The principes were stationed behind the hastati at lesser than normal intervals ,ready to push forward at first contact to ensure the Roman infantry proved irresistable.If the Punic centre could be crushed, then it would matter little if the Roman wings at last gave way, for on their own the Carthaginian cavalry would not be able to do much more than harass the legions.Varro commanded the allied cavalry and Paullus the Roman cavalry.The task of the roman cavalry was to delay long enough for the centre to finish the job.Geminus,the previous year's consul led the infantry in the centre.

Hannibal deploys his spaniards and gauls in the centre in alternate units ,the veteran iberians to steady the fickle gauls.Behind the wings of his infantry line to the rear and unseen from view he places his veteran african pikemen in 2 bodies of 4000 each.He deploys his cavalry unevenly -massing all his heavy gallic and spanish cavalry on his left flank over 6000 strong to achieve local superiority there.On the right flank he leaves the Numidians with 3000-4000 light cavalry.

Now Hannibal adopted a novel formation as the armies moved to meet each other..As the armies advanced on one another, Hannibal gradually extended the center of his line, as Polybius described -


"After thus drawing up his whole army in a straight line, he took the central companies of Hispanics and Celts and advanced with them, keeping the rest of them in contact with these companies, but gradually falling off, so as to produce a crescent-shaped formation, the line of the flanking companies growing thinner as it was prolonged, his object being to employ the Africans as a reserve force and to begin the action with the Hispanics and Celts."

The density of the troops greatest at the centre,then falling away towards both gently refused flanks.The main goal of this formation,was to break the forward momentum of the legionary advance and slow them down to buy enough time to allow for events on other parts of the battlefield to unfold.Mago commands the centre,and here Hannibal places himself.He intends to fight with the centre encouraging them and controlling their withdrawal,the nature of the formation is meant to suck in the roman attack like a elastic rubber band,where if overextended Hannibal intended to take the romans exposed flanks from the sides with his unseen african infantry which remained hidden.Meanwhile his cavalry would rout the roman flanks.Hasdrubal(not brother) commanded the heavy horse and Maharbal the numidian cavalry.In effect the greatest roman army ever is walking into a gigantic ambush formed in open sight,and yet invisible.

Initial moves -
The light skirmisher screens of both sides clashed and exchanged projectiles for a period,without any conclusive results as the main roman body approached.The dust and the skirmisher screen had prevented the romans from effectively viewing their enemy and in any case they were highly confident in their numbers and strength.Before the infantry lines clashed Hasdrubal led his Spanish and Gallic horsemen in a direct charge against the Roman cavalry on the right.

The cavalry fighting occurred in such a confined space, between the river and the flank of the Roman infantry, making it impossible for either side to outflank the other.Instead the Carthaginians attacked head on into the outnumbered Roman cavalry, and a brutal combat ensued.Many dismounted to fight and the romans were gradually pushed back by the weight of Hasdrubal's assault.The Roman cavalry is routed and driven off the field by Hasdrubal's cavalrymen,an injured Paullus escapes and joins the infantry in the centre.Maenwhile on the right flank Maharbal's Numidians pin down the allied Italian horsemen with their peculiar hit-and -run style of fighting.Here no side is able to gain an advantage.Both sides play for time.The numidians waiting on Hannibal's plan,and the romans on their infantry to crush the centre.

Meanwhile in the centre the Roman infantry move forward and crash into carthaginian forward ranks after throwing their pila.Hannibal's decision to advance the middle of his line and provoke a battle first in the very centre acted to reduce even more the width of the initial contact.The hastati and the spaniard/gauls engage in fierce fighting.The roman infantry juggernaut advances rythmically.

 

[Nilgiri]

Roman Assault -
The momentum of the roman attack is slowed down by the peculiar formation.They also have to adjust to the alternate fighting styles of the celts and iberians.One fights with a slashing long sword,the other the thrusting short sword.More roman troops enter the fight.The fresh Principes reinforce the hastati and the gauls and spaniards are slwoly and inexorably driven back(in effect straightening out the carthaginian centre).


''at first equally matched in strength and confidence, the Gauls and Spaniards stood firm for as long as their formation held. At length the Romans, surging forward again and again on an even front and in dense array drove back the
advanced wedge formed by the enemy which was too thin and weak to hold.'' -Livy

Legions to the immediate sides of the centre legions are instinctively drawn inward towards the nearest enemy,that is the thrust out carthaginian centre.The compression of the romans towards the centre of the line thus begins.Hannibal fights amongst the men in the centre inspiring hem and controlling the slow withdrawal under pressure.Meanwhile Hasdrubal reforms and rallies his cavalry.He sends one contingent to keep up pursuit of the surviving roman cavalry,most of which are wiped out.

Trap is sprung -
Carthaginian crescent shape changes as roman pressure on the centre builds and more and more roman reserves are pumped in to puncture the line.At first the convex shape is pounded flat,and then pushed back and back into a concave shape.Hannibal and mago move around the line shouting encouragement to resist a while longer to gain every precious second.Hannibal had turned the strength of the Roman infantry into a weakness. While the front ranks were gradually advancing, the bulk of the Roman troops began to lose their cohesion, as they began crowding themselves into the growing gap.With the enemy line and about to collapse,the romans sense victory and the overcrowded roman centre and reserves surge forward,rapidly filling the salient.Finally the carthaginian centre collapses as the gauls and spaniards begin to rout under the irresistable pressure of the roman legions.Paullus, Geminus and the other officers with the infantry see that the plan was working and redoubled their efforts to pour more of their reserves into the gap, giving the enemy no opportunity to rally. In the centre of the battlefield a great mass of Roman infantrymen some tens of thousands strong pressed forward to complete the rout of the enemy foot and pursue them. In the haste of this breakthrough however,and the heavy combat before it the formed order of the roman centre had disappeared infantry were now more like a crowd than an organized body divided into distinct sub-units closely controlled by their officers.

As the Romans taste victory ,they suddenly face the hitherto unseen african pikemen on their exposed flanks who with excellent discipline wheel inwards,lower their pikes in a phalanx and crash into the overextended and disorganized mass from both sides as the romans are stunned.The Roman momentum is evaporated and in total surprise the advance is halted under the weight of this new attack.

Maenwhile,in accordance with Hannibal's plan Hasdrubal leads his reformed cavalry circling around the roman rear and
attacks the Allied italian cavalry engaged with the numidians in the rear.The Italian cavalry is routed.

Double Envelopment -
The whole roman line loses its momentum,as the flanks densely packed due to the deep maniples try to unsuccesfully turn and face this new menace.The routing Celts and Iberians see the Romans under attack from both sides,Hannibal and Mago rally the survivors of the centre and the light infantry and again join the fray,thus plugging the gap in the centre.Faced with attacks from all sides,and so densely packed that they can't effectively wield their weapons-the legions begin to fall back.Hasdrubal having left the pursuit of the allied cavalry to the numidians now reform and charge into the rear of the roman army,cutting off their final escape route.Surrounded from all sides,unable to use their weapons due to lack of space-the depth of their own formations now turned against them-the romans are slowly slaugtered throughout the day as the Carthaginians tighten the noose.Paullus is cut down with his men.


"as their outer ranks were continually cut down, and the survivors forced to pull back and huddle together, they were finally all killed where they stood." -Polybius

The entire roman force-Rome's greatest ever field army is annihilated.Hannibal had won an unbelievable victory.

Losses - It was the greatest battlefield victory of all time.Hannibal had successfully executed a move thought nigh-impossible - The double envelopment of an army superior in both numbers and quality.

The roman losses had been catastrophic.55,000-70,000 infantry killed. 2300 cavalry dead. Further 4500 infantry and cavalry were captured shortly afterwards.80 roman senators,29 out of 38 military trbunes and 300 noblemen were killed in the battle,including the Consul Paullus,Minicius(same as the one from Geronium) and Geminus,the consul of last year.Cream of Rome's political leadership was completely wiped out in a single day.
Hannibal lost 5700 killed and more wounded.4000 gauls and 1500 spanish and africans.Plus 200 cavalry.

Reasons for Roman Defeat -
1>Know Your Enemy - Hannibal knew exactly what the romans intended to do,their familiar battering ram assault being all too predictable to him.He turned his enemies greatest strength-the depth and weight of their infantry into their greatest weakness.

2>Deception - Hannibal's deception was masterly.He kept his african reserves well hidden from Roman eyes behind his cavalry.

3>Surprise - Hannibal once again achieved total tactical surprise with his libyan phalanxes.He knew the battlefield didn't allow for ambushes or outflanking.His unique deployment made sure that the romans ended up outflanking themselves.It was a gigantic ambush in open sight.

4>Leadership - The carthaginian senior commanders performed very well.Hasdrubal performed a complicated cavalry manuevre as well as reorganizing his cavalry after 2 charges.Maharbal and mago too followed their instructions to the letter.The timing of the carthaginians was superb.And on top was the genius of hannibal.

5>Concentration and economy of Force - Hannibal unlike the romans didn't split his cavalry equally,but concentrated them on his left to gain a decisive local superiority.He also kept his trump card uncommitted till the decisive moment.On the other hand,the crescent shaped formation with 2 refused flanks was the embodiment of economy of force to delay the romans with minimal forces.

AFTERMATH :

Cannae sent shockwaves through Rome.It was the republic's Darkest hour.In panic the senate gathered manpower from whatever source it could- criminals,freed slaves.Forces recalled from other fronts.Full mobilization of all male manpower was declared.The walls were fortified.But hannibal never marched on rome.He sent and envoy to the senate offering moderate terms.But the senate refused to even meet him.Any other state of the ancient world would have collapsed after a series of such crushing defeats - but the romans decided to fight on.

There has been great debate as to why hannibal didn't march on Rome immediately.Indeed maharbal urged him to saying- '' Hannibal you know how to gain a victory ,but not how to use it''.
Later roman scholars claimed this decision saved Rome.However recent scholars on closer inspection contend that hannibal just didn't have the manpower to lay siege to massive city like Rome with its defenses while still supplying it ,and Rome still had manpower reserves left.A failed siege of Rome would have nullified the shock of cannae.However the psychological impact of Hannibal's army outside Rome's gates could well have shocked the romans into a treaty.The debate continues.

Much of Sicily and all of Southern italy revolted from Rome after cannae.But her closest latin allies and those in the north - over 50% of Rome's manpower reserve remained loyal upsetting hannibal's calculation.He had been a hundred years too late.These had been absorbed into the roman confederacy long ago and accepted the romans over the foreign carthaginians.Rome's Hydra like ability to come up with more men manifested itself again.
After cannae the romans never again tried to defeat hannibal in pitched battle with a single large army.Under Fabius again,they utilized several independent armies, still outnumbering the Punic forces in numbers of armies and soldiers. The war still had occasional battles, but was focused on taking strongpoints and constant fighting according to the Fabian strategy.

When hannibal's army moved to defend one allied italian town,the several idependent armies of rome would avoid pitched battle and concentrate on another carthaginian italian ally.All the while harassing his supply lines.The carthaginian politicians abandoned hannibal in italy,prioritizing reinforcements to other sectors.
Still there was one moment when the fate of the world hung in the balance.Hasdrubal,hannibal's brother arrived from iberia through the land route and attempted to link up with hannibal.If he succeeded hannibal would finally have enough manpower to directly attack Rome.However as luck would have it the romans intercepted hasdrubal's message to hannibal telling of his arrival in italy.Hasdrubal's force was intercepted and destroyed at the Battle of Metaurus by a desperate roman army-hannibal didn't even know he was there until it was too late and didn't move.For 16 yrs hannibal's army in italy rampaged through italy,abandoned by his home country.He reamined undefeated winning more than 20 battles - but these were battles for strongpoints and cities.Not pitched battles of the earlier scale.On atleast 2 occasions more he destroyed whole roman armies.(not of the cannae scale)

As Roman armies defeated carthage's remaining generals in iberia and Scipio africanus invaded africa and defeated 2 more carthaginian armies,the carthaginian senate recalled hannibal from italy,without most of his veteran army which was left behind for a last hopeless battle with hastily raised levies against scipio's veterans and the now defected numidian cavalry,allied to rome at Zama.His first and only defeat.
Hannibal remains a tragic hero of sorts.A man so brilliant that he single handedly brought the greatest superpower of his time to the brink of destruction by sheer force of will and imagination.Rome never forgot Hannibal,even hundreds of years later in the heydays of the roman empire after carthage had faded from memory-a crisis was answered with the rallying cry - 'Hannibal at the Gates'
He remained to history Rome's greatest enemy and her worst nightmare.In this hannibal kept his oath.

LEGACY :

Cannae remained the holy grail for tactical perfection for future commanders.From Frederick,Moltke and as late as the gulf war all tried to recreate a modern cannae.Germany's masterplan for World war I the Schlieffen Plan was to be the german general staff's modern recreation of cannae.The scale of Hannibal's achievement can be measured by the fact that the other 2 great powers of the day - Macedon and The mighty Seleucids(who ruled over the entire middle east save egypt) capitulated to the Romans after defeat in a single major battle against a single roman army(very shortly after end of 2nd punic war and with same armies and commanders) which had landed on their territory.Yet these same Romans were so afraid of Hannibal that they let him run rampant over Italy for 16 years without support from home,with a polygot mercenary force -during this time he destroyed at least 5 whole roman armies -the greatest of them at Cannae.Hannibal remains one of history's greatest commanders, and if a man is to be measured by his enemies, arguably the greatest of antiquity.

..............................................................................X..............................X................................................................................

Sources -
Osprey Campaign - Cannae
Cannae - Adrian Goldsworthy
Greece and Rome at War - Peter Conolly
Osprey -Roman Battle tactics 390 -110 BC
Military history Magazine
Roman Warfare -Adrian Goldsworthy
Osprey Warrior -Roman Republican Legionary
Net sources

 

[Shanlung]

 

[Barcid]

Ahhh cannae. I chose my username because of hannibal. Although in larger scheme of things, he was probably stupidz nevertheless good attempt

 

[Nilgiri]

View attachment 8193

多謝

Ahhh cannae. I chose my username because of hannibal. Although in larger scheme of things, he was probably stupidz nevertheless good attempt

How was he stupid in the larger scheme of things? He made some strategic errors for sure after Cannae, but there was reasoning behind it all. This was a period of time both sides knew this was the ultimate fight for primacy in the mediterranean....and Hannibal calculated correctly it was better to fight now rather than later when Rome was even stronger.

 

[Barcid]

多謝


How was he stupid in the larger scheme of things? He made some strategic errors for sure after Cannae, but there was reasoning behind it all. This was a period of time both sides knew this was the ultimate fight for primacy in the mediterranean....and Hannibal calculated correctly it was better to fight now rather than later when Rome was even stronger.

If you can't win a war even after winning a battle like cannae, not to mention two more impressive victories before that, and scaling the alps,you shouldn't have gone to war in the first place. Hannibal shouldn't have initiated this war.

Had rome initiated it, hannibal could have fought a defensive war, and defeated them, like parthians.

 

[Nilgiri]

If you can't win a war even after winning a battle like cannae, not to mention two more impressive victories before that, and scaling the alps,you shouldn't have gone to war in the first place. Hannibal shouldn't have initiated this war.

Had rome initiated it, hannibal could have fought a defensive war, and defeated them, like parthians.

Hannibal initiated the war? You need to look at the earlier parts of the story first.

 

[Barcid]

Hannibal initiated the war? You need to look at the earlier parts of the story first.

Who took saguntum?

 

[Nilgiri]

Who took saguntum?

These things don't happen in some vacuum is what I'm saying. There was a larger thing that had brewed and was brewing between Rome and Carthage and in those days there was really only one way they had on settling those.

Hannibal expected the shock and awe of 2nd punic war to work.

He didn't know the Roman mettle and tenacity to not give in while he waited in the Italian peninsula. Can't hold that against him, he worked with what he knew (of warfare and general political temperament then regd Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and the established setups so far of that era), not what he didn't know (which the Romans would then illustrate in fairly novel way).

These all look lot clearer only from hindsight, which no one in that immediate time knows. Roman temperament and context would also change later and far less potent adversaries than Hannibal would accomplish much more against Rome as well....and throwing much more caution to the wind too than he did too.

 

[Barcid]

These things don't happen in some vacuum is what I'm saying. There was a larger thing that had brewed and was brewing between Rome and Carthage and in those days there was really only one way they had on settling those.

Hannibal expected the shock and awe of 2nd punic war to work.

He didn't know the Roman mettle and tenacity to not give in while he waited in the Italian peninsula. Can't hold that against him, he worked with what he knew (of warfare and general political temperament then regd Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and the established setups so far of that era), not what he didn't know (which the Romans would then illustrate in fairly novel way).

These all look lot clearer only from hindsight, which no one in that immediate time knows. Roman temperament and context would also change later and far less potent adversaries than Hannibal would accomplish much more against Rome as well....and throwing much more caution to the wind too than he did too.

Maybe. My objection to hannibal starting the war stems because of 2 reasons:
1. If you don't have men beseige Rome, even after completely destroying their army, you shouldn't have gone to war with them
2. Hannibal had the initiative. He could have picked a better time. He could have wait for a tribal invasion of Rome, or some revolt in Greece instigated by the pontics. Meanwhile, he could have continued to subjugate Iberia. He chose a time when Romans were primarily at peace.