Umbria (217 BC)

Even as one Roman army under Flaminius was being butchered by Hannibal’s troops at Lake Trasimenus in 217 BC, his colleague Gnaeus Servilius Geminus was racing to reinforce his fellow consul. Servilius Geminus hoped to trap Hannibal between the two …

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Even as one Roman army under Flaminius was being butchered by Hannibal’s troops at Lake Trasimenus in 217 BC, his colleague Gnaeus Servilius Geminus was racing to reinforce his fellow consul. Servilius Geminus hoped to trap Hannibal between the two Roman armies. And since speed was of the essence, he sent the propraetor Gaius Centenius ahead with all his mounted forces. This body numbered 4,000 horsemen - 600 Romans, 1,800 Italians and 1,600 allied Cenomani Gauls. Hannibal’s scouts spotted the approaching column, and he dispatched his marshal Maharbal with about 4,000 light infantry and 3,000 cavalry to intercept the Roman troopers. Somewhere in Umbria, Maharbal chose an advantageous site for an ambush and posted his light foot troops in concealed positions. Centenius approached with great haste and little caution. The Carthaginians launched a missile barrage, and followed with a sudden cavalry charge. Half the Roman force was slain in the initial onslaught, and the remainder were driven back to a barren hill. Maharbal quickly surrounded the fugitives and forced their surrender. The Carthaginian victory was complete. Without cavalry, Servilius Geminus’ army was crippled, and the Hannibal's Punic marauders were free to pillage Italy without interference. In Rome, the elder statesman Quintus Fabius Maximus was elected as Dictator, to begin his policy of delay and avoidance of battle - “Fabian Tactics.”

Lake Trasimene, Italy

The Battle of Lake Trasimene was fought when a Carthaginian force under Hannibal ambushed a Roman army commanded by Gaius Flaminius on 21 June 217 BC, during the Second Punic War. It took place on the north shore of Lake Trasimene, to the east of Cortona, and resulted in a heavy defeat for the Romans. The First Punic War between Carthage and Rome ended in 241 BC after 23 years. In 219 BC the quasi-monarchial, autonomous ruler of the Carthaginian territories in south-east Iberia, Hannibal, besieged, captured and sacked the Roman protected town of Saguntum. The following spring Rome declared war on Carthage and Hannibal left Iberia for Italy with a major military expedition. Crossing the Alps Hannibal arrived in Cisalpine Gaul in autumn 218 BC. The Romans rushed reinforcements north from Sicily and the Carthaginians engaged and defeated the combined Roman army at the Battle of the Trebia.

Wikipedia: Battle of Lake Trasimene

Carthaginian

Roman

Second Punic War