Battle Of Cannae
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On August 2nd 216 BC, Hannibal seized the large supply depot at Cannae
in the Apulian plain next to the River Aufidus. By capturing Cannae,
Hannibal had placed himself between the Romans and their crucial source
of supply.
The newly elected Roman Consuls, Varro and Paullus, who had both run
on a platform of taking the war to Hannibal, were anxious to begin their
tenure with military achievement. Varro and Paullus immediately formed a
large force to deal with the Carthaginians ravaging southern Italy.
Between the two Consuls, they levied a force of nearly 80,000 men.
While ancient sources offer conflicting reports, Polybius reckons Rome
fought with eight citizen legions and eight allied legions combined. As
each legion was accompanied by an equal number of allied troops, and
allied cavalry numbered around 4,000, the total strength of the army that
faced Hannibal could not have been much less than 80,000.
However, some have suggested that the destruction of an army of 80,000
troops would be impossible. They argue that Rome probably had 48,000
troops and 6,000 cavalry against Hannibal's 35,000 troops and 10,000
cavalry. Livy quotes one source stating the Romans only added 10,000
men to their usual army. While no definitive number of Roman troops
exists, all sources agree that the Carthaginian army faced a considerably
larger foe.
Hannibal meanwhile, still attempting to subvert Roman authority in the
allied areas of Italy, was waiting for the Romans with a colourful mix of
Gauls, Spaniards, Numidians and Carthaginians, approximately 40,000
men.
The Battle:
Hannibal's Celtic and Spanish heavy cavalry were
driving the Roman cavalry back. Combined with the
advance of the Roman infantry this meant that there
emerged a gaping breach in the Roman line. A
large body of cavalry now separated from the
Carthaginian left wing and charged across the field
of battle to the right wing, where it fell into the rear
of the cavalry of the Roman allies.
The Roman infantry had continued to drive forward, and had driven itself into an
alley formed by the light Carthaginian infantry stationed at the sides.
Shielded by these Carthaginian troops, their comrades who had stayed at the
rear could now swing around and come in behind the Roman army. The Roman
doomed legions were encircled and being attacked from all sides.
Outcome:
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3000 Romans were taken prisoner, Paullus and Servilius were dead and
Varro fled with about 15000 men.
Polybius claims 70,000 Romans died and 10,000 captured, though Livy,
Appian and Plutarch report only 50,000 dead.
Hannibal lost about 6000 men in his greatest victory, and Rome’s worst
defeat.
Many parts of Italy joined Hannibal's cause.
Battle of Zama
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The Battle of Zama occurred in late October 202 BC and marked the end
of the power of the great Hannibal Barca.
Prior to the battle, Roman forces landed in Africa and began marauding
the area, defeating the Carthaginian armies under Syphax and supporting
a Numidian rising against Carthaginian rule.
Both armies numbered 35'000 to 40'000 men.
Hannibal now had a strong elephant corps with him, but his infantry were
of lesser quality to the highly trained legions of Scipio.
The Battle:
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The battle opened with the elephants charging the Roman lines, Scipio
Directed the elephants into neatly open lanes. The elephants panicked
and turned on their own lines to escape the carnage.
Scipio then turned the tables and used much the same tactics at Zama as
Hannibal had at Cannae. His cavalry pushed Hannibal's aside with ease,
driving them off, and the infantry met in the center.
Both armies extended their lines as long as possible to prevent being
flanked, and Scipio failed to encircle Hannibal. Both lines fought fiercely
with neither infantry gaining an advantage and it looked as if Scipio's plan
to emulate Cannae might fail.
At the critical juncture, however, the Roman and Numidian cavalry broke
off its pursuit of the fleeing Carthaginian cavalry and returned to attack
Hannibal's flanks.
Despite the brilliance of his veterans, the Carthaginians had no chance
while being crushed on all sides. The Carthaginians soon broke and the
battle, and the Second Punic War, would soon be over.
—20,000 men from Hannibal's army were killed with an equal number taken as
prisoners to be sold at slave auction. The Romans meanwhile, lost as few as 500
dead and 4,000 wounded- Boak and Sinnegen.
Consequences of Second Punic War
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Spain was forever lost to Carthage.
Carthage was reduced to the status of a client state and lost all power of
enacting its own treaties and diplomacy.
It was forced to pay a tribute of 10,000 talents, all warships, save 10 were
turned over to Rome along with any remaining war elephants.
Carthage was forbidden to raise an army without the permission of Rome.
Grain and reparations for lost supplies had to be provided to Rome.
The defeat of Carthage transformed the Roman Republic from a growing
regional power into the super-powered Empire of the Mediterranean.