Battle Of Cannae
The year was 218 B.C. The Roman Republic at this point encompassed all of
Italy, including Corsica, Sicily, and Sardinia. Those three islands were won in the
First Punic War, a massive war raged from 264 241 B.C. against the
Mediterranean's greatest power, the Carthaginian Empire. After an exhaustive war in which Rome was forced to learn the arts of naval warfare (and mastering it), the stubborn Romans were able to beat all odds and defeat Carthage.
After the war, while Rome was rolling around in its new position as the strongest city in the Mediterranean, Carthage was gearing up for the next battle. Hamilcar
Barca, a veteran general of the First Punic War, was annexing territory in Spain to use for extraction of wealth (Spain had lots and lots of silver) and as a base of manpower (Carthage used mostly mercenaries in its wars, not Carthaginian citizens). Hamilcar had brought his son, Hannibal, who took over the campaign after Hamilcar's death.
Hannibal displayed his brilliance in his wars against the Spanish tribes, eventually encroaching upon a Roman ally. Rome asked Hannibal to stop, and when he did not, Rome went straight to Carthage. The Carthaginians opted for war. Hannibal with a massive mercenary army (including his famous elephants) travelled through Iberia, the south of France, and over the Alps in his famous crossing. The Romans, expecting a naval invasion, had been preparing for an invasion of Africa in Sicily. When news reached a paniced Rome that Hannibal was entering Italy, an army was sent north commanded by T. Sempronius Longus and P. Cornelius Scipio.
Hannibal defeated this army at the Battle of Ticinus, then finishing it off at the
Battle of the River Trebia. The next year, Rome sent another consular legion
(large army) under G. Flaminius, which was ambushed and devastated at the
Battle of Trasimene. Now, in 216, Rome sent both their executive generals
(consuls) Varro and Paullus with an army numbering 86,000 against
Italy, including Corsica, Sicily, and Sardinia. Those three islands were won in the
First Punic War, a massive war raged from 264 241 B.C. against the
Mediterranean's greatest power, the Carthaginian Empire. After an exhaustive war in which Rome was forced to learn the arts of naval warfare (and mastering it), the stubborn Romans were able to beat all odds and defeat Carthage.
After the war, while Rome was rolling around in its new position as the strongest city in the Mediterranean, Carthage was gearing up for the next battle. Hamilcar
Barca, a veteran general of the First Punic War, was annexing territory in Spain to use for extraction of wealth (Spain had lots and lots of silver) and as a base of manpower (Carthage used mostly mercenaries in its wars, not Carthaginian citizens). Hamilcar had brought his son, Hannibal, who took over the campaign after Hamilcar's death.
Hannibal displayed his brilliance in his wars against the Spanish tribes, eventually encroaching upon a Roman ally. Rome asked Hannibal to stop, and when he did not, Rome went straight to Carthage. The Carthaginians opted for war. Hannibal with a massive mercenary army (including his famous elephants) travelled through Iberia, the south of France, and over the Alps in his famous crossing. The Romans, expecting a naval invasion, had been preparing for an invasion of Africa in Sicily. When news reached a paniced Rome that Hannibal was entering Italy, an army was sent north commanded by T. Sempronius Longus and P. Cornelius Scipio.
Hannibal defeated this army at the Battle of Ticinus, then finishing it off at the
Battle of the River Trebia. The next year, Rome sent another consular legion
(large army) under G. Flaminius, which was ambushed and devastated at the
Battle of Trasimene. Now, in 216, Rome sent both their executive generals
(consuls) Varro and Paullus with an army numbering 86,000 against