Special Sub-Topic: Great Battles of the World - Cannae Click Here To Play: Great Battles of the World - Cannae

Which two sides were involved in the Battle?

Rome and Carthage. The battle was fought between the armies of Carthage under Hannibal, and the Roman legions under Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Gaius Terentius Varro.

The previous year, Hannibal had ambushed and destroyed 40,000 soldiers under Gaius Flaminius at which battle?

Lake Trasimene. Hannibal's army of 50,000 took the Roman legions completely by surprise when he launched his ambush on the shores of Lake Trasimene. 40,000 Roman soldiers were killed, captured or drowned for the loss of just 1,500 Carthaginan soldiers.

At Cannae, Hannibal executed a brilliant use of which battlefield tactic?

Double Envelopment. Hannibal lured the romans into attacking his centre by forming his men into a half moon shape, convexed towards the enemy. When the Romans forced his centre through, they found themselves trapped inside a concave half moon. Hannibal's cavalry then moved in from both sides to complete the encirclment.

Which of these peoples did NOT march with Hannibal during his invasion of Rome?

Britons. Hannibal's force was made up of several peoples that had united against the might of Rome.

Varro, the less experienced of the two Roman commanders, believed that the battle would be a walkover for what reason?

His forces outnumbered Hannibal's by almost 2 to 1. The Romans had musstered the greatest army ever fielded in Roman history. They had about 80,000 infantry with 6,000 cavalry. Opposing them was just 40,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.

Hannibal fielded two units of cavalry at Cannae. His elite Numidian Light Horseman on his right, and his heavy cavalry on his left. Who was in command of this heavy cavalry?

Hasdrubal. Hasdrubal commanded the heavy cavalry on Hannibals right flank. It was this cavalry that moved round and closed the encirclement of the Roman army.

Why was Hannibal in Cannae in the first place?

In order to seize Roman grain supplies. Hannibal needed to feed his army. The Roman grain store in Cannae was just what he wanted.

What was the name of the javelin that the Roman infantry would have carried at Cannae?

Pilum. The Pilum was a long javalin that the Roman soldiers threw before charging. Each man carried two or three.

Hannibal's victory over the Romans at Cannae completed all his objectives of his military campaign.

f. Hannibals original objective had been to break up the mighty state of Rome. He destroyed their army, but the Roman Republic remained intact.

The Battle of Cannae was one of the major battles of the second Punic war, but what was the battle that finally decided the victor of the war?

Zama. Hannibal returned to Carthage to couter a Roman invasion. At the battle of Zama, he found for the first time that his cavalry was outnumbered. The Carthaginians lost the battle, and so ended the second Punic war.