AW2ndPunicWar

8/14/2019 AW2ndPunicWar

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Roman Army

in the 3rd

Century BC









Hannibal Rising

• Hamilcar Barca dies in battle, in Spain; having been killed by native tribes 228BC

– He received a delegation from Rome, who asked hisintentions and signed peace treaty (Ebro River) 3yrslater—Telamon

• Power goes to Hasdrubal (the Fair); brother-in-law

until 221BC when Hannibal took command – Livy says “The troops saw in Hannbial their old

commander, Hamilcar, reborn”



Hannibal Barca



It Begins

• 219 BC, Saguntum laid siege by Hannibal – Rome sends senators to Spain, to inquire with

Hannbial; he sends them off – The senators proceed to Carthage, ask the

Carthaginian Senate to recall him—they refuse.• Senator/Fabius Maximus asks them “I hold in the

folds of my toga both peace and war. What do youchoose?”• They yell out “War!” Fabius throws down the left

side of his toga, and yells, “then it is war!”



Hannibal crosses the Alps inthe winter of 218BC

2/3 of his army is lost alongthe way (60k Polybius)



Battle of the Trebbia River, late

218 BCScipio is still wounded incamp (previous cavalryskirmish at Ticinnus).

Sempronius Longus islured across the river.

Mago is hiding with 2,000troops.

Sempronius and the center

punch through theCarthaginian center andretire in safety.

The Romans loose around20,000 men.



Hannibal shows tactical genius and knowledge of his advisory



Hannibal Crossesthe Alps in early

winter of 218 BC.

Trebbia (218)Trasimene (217)

Cannae (216)



Lake TrasimeneEarly 217 BCRomans: Roughly 20,000 and as manyallied units

Hannibal sets a trap by the shore of LacusTrasimenus

In the morning mist, Hannibal drives

the Romans into the lake.30,000 killed; 4,000 prisoner; 6,000escape but are captured.

Reinforcing force of 4,000 sent fromRome--destroyed.

The consul, Gaius Flaminius is killed in battle. A former consul, Marcus AtiliusRegulus, takes over for the year (son of Marcus, brother to Gaius killed in 225 atTelamon).

Quintus Fabius Maximus made



The Ambush



Shore between the lake and the hills Exit

Entrance







Cannae Battle Site



The March Past Rome

• Rome braces for a siege by Hannibal thatdoes not come. – Hannibal marches south into Apulia “setting

free” Greek city states, the Samnites, andanyone willing to abandon Rome.

– Hannibal ad portas! ‘Hannibal is at the gates!’ – Rome continues avoiding direct engagement





The Battle of Cannae, 216 BCHannibal ravages Roman lands, mocking them.

- The Romans are tired of Fabian tactics (the Delayer)

They amass a huge army and put both consuls in command:Varro (rash) and Paullus (conservative)

Romans muster 16 legions, 87,000 men (twice Hannibal’snumber)

The consuls do not agree how to fight, so they alternate days.

- Varro, spoiling for a fight

- Paullus, cautious

Hannibal attacks when Varro is in command.



Units

• Roman – 87,000 infantry

– 6,400 cavalry – Varro and Paullus both

fight

• Carthage – 40,000 infantry

– 10,000 cavalry• Numidian

– Mago and Hannibalfight in the line



Cannae con’tHannibal fights in the center on foot. He places the weakestunit, the Gauls in the center with him. He exposes them to

provoke the Romans.

Varro orders the units close ranks, to smash the

Carthaginian center.The Carthaginian center falls back on command, theRomans—thinking that they are breaking them, rush in.The Roman cavalry is chased off the field, and Hannibal’s

Spanish units move in along the side, encircling theRomans. The Carthaginian cavalry return, closing the box.A massacre ensues.

It’s called a double-envelopment.





The battle lasts 4 hours that August afternoon.

Livy says 50,000 Romans die.

Polybius says 70,000 die. Those who escape, including Varro return toRome (including Scipio the Younger). Paullus falls fighting in the battle.

Both consuls from the preceeding year.

29 out of 48 military tribunes

80 senators out of 300 (30% of the Senate)

85% of the army was destroyed. Those who survived were exiled toSicily as punishment.

Carthaginian losses were about 16,000, mostly Gauls from Italy or Spain.

Casualties

Documents

AW2ndPunicWar