Ancient Worlds - BBC Two  Episode 5 “The Republic of Virtue”The Battle of Cannae (i

Ancient Worlds - BBC Two 

Episode 5 “The Republic of Virtue”

The Battle of Cannae (in the summer of 216 BC) is one of the greatest battles of the Second Punic War and one of the worst defeats in Roman history.

The army of CarthageunderHannibal Barca (247 - 183/182 BC), the Carthaginian military commander and tactician, fought and defeated a larger army of the Roman Republic under the consuls L. Aemilius Paullus and C.Terrentius Varro.

Having crossed the Alps with his elephants, Hannibal descended into Italy and quickly won major victories at both TrebiaandLake Trasimene. In July 216 BC  the Romans pinned down the Carthaginian army in the neighborhood of Cannae (Apulia, southeast Italy). The battle was engaged on the second of August. Hannibal’s tactics were successful and the Roman army, with its heavy infantry was effectively destroyed as a fighting force. Around 70.000 Roman and allied infantry died that day. The consul Paullus died in the battle, while Varro managed to escape.

After this event, many Roman allies switched sides. Sardiniarevolted;Capua, the richest and most populous city inCampania, became Hannibal’s new base and he promised that once he’d conquered Italy, Capua, rather than Rome, would be capital in Italy. His brother Mago Barca was sent to Carthage to announce the victory. He made quite an impression when he poured out hundreds of golden rings taken from the bodies of the Romans killed in action at the entrance of the Carthaginian Senate building.

Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years until he was forced to return to Carthage. He was decisively defeated at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC.

There is a single column which commemorates the battle near the area where most historians think the battle was fought.

Picture n. 3: bust of Hannibal Barca

‘Cannae Battlefield’, Barletta, Apulia , Italy