Ancient history

Information on battle of Cannae where Hannibal Barca defeated the Romans?

Date: August 2, 216 BC

Location: Near the town of Cannae in Apulia, southeastern Italy

Forces:

- Carthagenians: Approximately 50,000 troops, including 10,000 cavalry, mainly Numidians and 40,000 infantry. led by Hannibal Barca.

- Romans: Approximately 87,000 troops, including 80,000 infantry and 6,000 Calvary, led by consuls Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro.

Background:

- After several successful campaigns against the Romans in Hispania, Hannibal crossed the Alps with his army to campaign against the Roman Republic in Italy.

- Despite early victories in the battles of Ticinus River and Trebia River, Hannibal faced difficulties because he lacked support from major Roman allies and resources.

- The Romans decided to engage Hannibal in a decisive battle to end the war. The consuls Paullus and Varro jointly commanded the Roman army and adopted different strategic approaches.

Course of the Battle:

- Positioning:

- Hannibal arranged his army in a crescent-shaped formation. His center, consisting of Gallic and Hispanic troops, was weaker compared to the wings, which were held by experienced Carthaginian and Numidian forces.

- The Romans formed their traditional battle formation, with heavily armed infantry (Hastati, Principes, and Triarii) in the front lines and cavalry on the flanks.

- Initial Engagement:

- The battle commenced with a skirmish between the Roman and Carthaginian light infantry and Calvary. The Romans briefly gained an advantage by pushing back Hannibal's cavalry but couldn't sustain it.

- Double Envelopment:

- Hannibal allowed the Roman infantry to advance into his center, weakening its cohesion. Simultaneously, his strong wings swung outward, encircling the Roman forces and cutting off their escape routes.

- The disciplined Romans fought valiantly, but the lack of space to maneuver and the pressure from both sides caused their lines to collapse.

- Encirclement and Slaughter:

- With the Roman flanks crushed and the infantry trapped in a pincer movement, Hannibal's cavalry charged forward, further devastating the Roman formation.

- The fighting turned into a massacre as the Carthaginians slaughtered thousands of Romans, while many others surrendered.

- Roman casualties:

- The battle of Cannae resulted in heavy casualties for the Romans. Estimates range from 50,000 to 70,000 Roman troops killed, captured, or wounded, including consul Paullus and 80 senators.

- It was one of the worst defeats in Roman history and had catastrophic consequences for the Republic.

Aftermath:

- Hannibal's Dominance:

- The victory at Cannae cemented Hannibal's reputation as one of the greatest military generals of antiquity.

- Despite the victory, Hannibal couldn't march on Rome due to the lack of siege equipment and Roman resistance at Capua.

- Roman Strategy:

- The catastrophic loss at Cannae forced the Romans to reconsider their military strategies.

- They adopted more cautious tactics, focused on guerilla warfare, and avoided facing Hannibal in direct battles.

- Prolonged War:

- The battle of Cannae marked the turning point in the Second Punic War.

- The war continued for another 15 years until the Roman victory at the battle of Zama in 202 BCE.