August 2, 2006 - Anniversary of the Battle of Cannae

[Paal_101]

Today, August 2, 2006, is the 2222 anniversary of the Battle of Cannae, a battle that would go on to change the world.

Most people are aware of the fact that this battle is considered by many to be the ultimate tactical victory in history, securing Hannibal an immortal position in history. On August 2, 216 BC, Hannibal's mixed army of 54,000 men defeated the largest army ever fielded by Rome in its history, 16 legions totalling some 86,000 men. Using an elaborate, yet risky, encircling technique, Hannibal was able to completely surround the Romans, pressing them so close together that the Latin troops were unable to wield their weapons, where they were slaughtered at leisure by the Carthaginian troops. In less than a few hours Hannibal suffered 16,000 casualties, including 8000 killed, but inexchange killed 60,000 Romans and captured a further 10,000. Among the dead were 80 Roman senators and one of the consuls. Not until the Battle of the Somme, when more than 60,000 men died in on day, was the death toll from Cannae ever matcjhed. Fortunately, as tactically skilled as Hannibal was he was far less capable in strategic thinking. As a result he failed to immediately attack Rome, despite his lack of siege equipment. The city was in shock following the staggering defeat, having lost 20% of its fighting men in two years in three battles with Hannibal, a total of some 95,000 killed alone, let alone captured or maimed, and would have most likely capitulated easily. By not attacking the city itself, Hannibal allowed Rome to catch its breath.

The immediate after-effects of the battle were catastrophic for Rome. In particular their southern Italian allies pledged support to Hannibal, where they had supported Rome steadfastly for the last 70 or so years. This was a major blow to the Romans, but in addition the Macedonians agreed to ally with Carthage against Rome, opening up a potential second front in the war for the Romans. All seemed lost, but with their traditional resiliance, the Romans gathered themselves and committed themselves to a fight of attrition. And in a complete about face from earlier tactics, they attacked. Not Hannibal, for he had proven himself to be a far superior general in the repeated engagements with Roman armies, but Carthaginian holdings in Spain.

The general who lead the assault on Carthaginian Spain was Publius Cornelius Scipio, a man who had lost his father and uncle to Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, in addition to being a survivor of both Trebia and Cannae. The core of his army was made up of legionnaries who had managed to cut their way out of the encirclement at Cannae. The stigma of having been on the losing side of that disastrous defeat had marked them and they had been essentially banished from Italy. As such they were more than willing to fight under Scipio in Spain, where their ferocity in battle was matched only by their fervor to clear their names. Eventually these men and their commander, all scarred by Cannae, would crush Carthaginian Spain and change the tide of the war in Rome's favor. Eventually they would take the fight to the very plains of Carthage itself. And these men, 14 years after the defeat at Cannae, would eventually defeat Hannibal head-to-head at Zama, securing themselves perhaps one of the most epic military careers in the history of warfare.

But the main thing that came from the defeat at Cannae was a sudden Roman aggressive stance with all foreign nations. Suddenly beset by opponents from all sides, Rome adopted an aggressive response to hostility, where they had always been defensive for the centuries before the Punic Wars. As such they immediately struck out after Cannae, taking over Spain, Illyria, and savagely beating Macedonia. Within a matter of 50 years between the Second and Third Punic Wars the Romans had gone from a regional power in Italy to master of the known world. More than anything else it was the impending doom of total annihilation after the Battle of Cannae that spurred the Romans to do what it took to survive, resulting in an amplified culture of aggression and conquest that would change the course of the world.

[Yamato Take]

I always find it ironic hopw Cannae is the turning point in the Second Punic War. I still consider it to be the greatest tactical battle in history.