Commands & Colors: Ancients
Title
Commands & Colors: Ancients
Collection Tree
- Commands & Colors: Ancients
- Commands & Colors: Ancients
Collection Items
Zama (202 BC)
Carthage is on the verge of defeat. Spain has been lost. Scipio has landed in Africa and beaten a large, but inexperienced, Carthaginian army at the Battle of the Great Plains, and Masinissa with his vaunted Numidian light horse has …
-202
Great Plains (203 BC)
Scipio, the victor of Baecula and Ilipa, has led his battle-hardened army to Africa, and has placed the city of Utica under siege. The Great Numidian cavalry leader, Masinissa, has gone over to the Roman side. While the siege continues, …
-203
Ilipa (206 BC)
Hasdrubal’s departure left only two Carthaginian armies in Spain under mediocre commanders (Hasdrubal – yes another one, and Mago). Scipio made steady progress against them, securing territory and prompting many Spanish tribes to come over to the…
-206
Metaurus (207 BC)
In 207 BC Rome has a big problem—Hasdrubal and his army from Spain are in northern Italy, advancing to combine with Hannibal and possibly win the war. The Carthaginians have a problem too. The Romans know Hasdrubal is coming, but …
-207
Baecula (208 BC)
Publius Cornelius Scipio inherited his slain father’s bravery, but he also had the intelligence to modify standard Roman tactical doctrine. As he rebuilt and retrained the legions in Spain, he made them far more flexible tactically than any other…
-208
Castulo (211 BC)
Time runs out for Publius Scipio. After several years of unbroken successes, the Scipio brothers rashly divide their armies to defeat the Carthaginians in detail. As Publius’s army nears Castulo, he realizes he is facing superior Carthaginian numbers…
-211
2nd Beneventum (214 BC)
Desperate for manpower to replace the losses at Cannae, the Romans found a unique solution. They formed two legions from slaves. They were given to the Consul Gracchus who saw their potential and trained them well. Two years later, still …
-214
Dertosa (Ebro) (215 BC)
After Cannae, Rome struggled to rebuild its armies, but needed time. In Spain, Hannibal’s brother Hasdrubal commanded an army large enough to possibly let Carthage win the war – if it united with Hannibal’s victorious veterans. Standing in his way, …
-215
Cannae (216 BC)
Now, fully aware of the threat posed by Hannibal, the Romans assembled a truly large army, perhaps up to 80,000 strong, led by two consuls and two pro-consuls. Unfortunately, on the day of battle, the incompetent consul Varrus held command and…
-216
Lake Trasimenus (217 BC)
Much of Hannibal’s “genius” for warfare lay in his ability to take the measure of his opponents’ abilities and intentions. His opponent in 217 BC was Roman Consul Gaius Flaminius, a vain and incompetent patrician. Armed with this knowledge, Hannibal…
-217
Trebbia (218 BC)
After the battle at the Ticinus River, Hannibal soon faced an entire Roman army under the Consul Sempronius. As vain as he was inept, Sempronius wanted a victory to finish our his year as Consul. He took no cautionary advise …
-212
Ticinus River (218 BC)
Hannibal has completed his epic march across the Alps, but has lost fully half of his soldiers in doing so. The Consul in Southern Gaul, Publius Scipio, has shadowed Hannibal’s advance following the coastal route. He intercepts Hannibal in Northern …
-218
Bagradas (253 BC)
The Romans are on the verge of defeating Carthage and ending the First Punic War. Regulus and a veteran Roman army have landed in Africa, and though woefully short of cavalry, have defeated several Carthaginian forces. Desperate, the Carthaginians…
-253
Crimissos River (341 BC)
The Carthaginians learned from earlier defeats in Sicily that they had to field reliable, trained heavy infantry of their own. They formed the Sacred Band, a force of about 2,500 excellently trained Carthaginians, as good or better than the best …
-341
Akragas (406 BC)
The Carthaginians on their third invasion of Sicily laid siege to the city of Acragas. The Syracusans under the command of general Daphnaeus marched to Acragas aid. A long battle outside the walls followed with the Syracusans winning the day, …
-406