The Battle of Cannae - 1172 Words

The battle of Cannae was the third victory for the Carthaginians against the Romans, during the second Punic War [ca. 216 BCE]. The battle at Cannae would prove to be the battle that made Hannibal famous, and nearly bring the entire Roman Empire to its knees. For the Carthaginians the battle brought great victory and support to their interracial army. For the Romans it brought symbolic importance and lessons learned as well as the need for military strategic adaptation. Hannibal a great general by the age of 26 was sworn in his youth to look on the Romans with utter contempt and to destroy them in their highest ranks. The Romans on the other hand mocked Hannibal time and time again by sending out their lesser soldiers. By the time the†¦show more content†¦Hannibal proceeded to send out his African veterans to form two wings on either side of the Romans. Suddenly the crescent formation began to break up and the Romans began to flood in like a dam that has burst. Scores and s cores of them began to overtake Hannibal and his men. However the veteran Africans stood firm unlike the Roman Calvary who had fled. On the Carthaginian right wing the Numidians had triumphed over the Romans allied Calvary. Ill- matched as the Carthaginian right wing Calvary where amongst the most skilful horsemen in the world. They now pursued the enemy as they fled. At the same time the Roma legions continued to drive at Hannibal’s center. â€Å"They had penetrated so far that the African infantry on the wings projected on either side like the banks enclosing a moving river of armour.† Meanwhile Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s staff officer, who heeded the Carthaginian heavy Calvary, had completely routed the Roman right wing and now brought his horsemen around behind the roman Legions, attacking the allied horse on their left. Already disorientated from the attack by the Numidians, the Carthaginian heavy Calvary on the Romans rear proved to be too much and completed th e collapse of the Roman left wing. At a trumpets sound the moment had arrived. Hannibal’s tactic of â€Å"double envelopment† of the Roman Legions was complete. â€Å"The African troop’s heavily armed, disciplined and fresh, made their move: those onShow MoreRelatedBattle Of Cannae : The Romans1805 Words   |  8 Pages27 6/4/15 Term Paper Battle of Cannae When people think of the Roman Empire they think about the Romans excellence in everything. The Romans had their flaws, however, and it was on full display during the second Punic war when a specific battle called Cannae took place. This battle which took place on August 2, 216 highlights an important fight in the war between the Carthage Army led by Hannibal and the superpower in Rome led by officials Lucius Paullus and Gaius Varro (Cannae, 17). In what is consideredRead MoreHannibal: Romes Greatest Enemy744 Words   |  3 PagesSpanish holdings of Carthage. Eight years later, Hasdrubal was murdered, and Hannibal was elected leader of the entire Carthaginian army at the age of 26. Throughout his life, Hannibal faced many trials, such as his crossing of the Alps, the Battle of Cannae, and eventually, his losses. In 218 BC, when Hannibal was 29 years old, he took 50,000 infantry, 10,000 cavalry, and 37 African elephants with him and set out for Italy. With no remaining navy they would have to take a land route, leaving onlyRead MoreEssay on Hannibal’s Tactical Defeat of the Roman Army at Cannae1319 Words   |  6 PagesThe Battle of Cannae, between the Carthaginian General Hannibal and the larger Roman army under the command of Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gaius Terentius Varro in 216 B.C. serves as one of the most influential tactical battles in history. Two enemy forces faced off using very different tactics. 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He was a distinguished tactician, able to determine his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, and coordinate his battles accordingly. He also wasn’t above making allies when the time called for it, winning over many allies of Rome in the process during his 15-year invasion before a Roman counter-invasion of North Africa forced him back home to Carthage where he wasRead MoreThe Battle Of The Second Punic War2071 Words   |  9 Pagesthe entire civilized world at the time. The battles of the second Punic War show Hannibal Barca to be not only the greatest military leader of his age, but perhaps one of the greatest generals of all time. By examining one of Hannibal’s most spectacular victories, the paradigm for a battle of annihilation, military professionals can learn how the Roman commanders might have defeated Carthage’s General. In conducting an analysis of the Battle of Cannae, I will postulate an alternate outcome by introducing