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.