So
over the winter the Romans had raised over 100,000 troops in order to replace
the men lost at the Trebia River.[1] Furthermore there was a
consul election so Longus and Scipio were out at this point. They were replaced
by Gnaenus Geminus and Gaius Flaminus. Flaminus was under the threat of being
recalled because he did not complete rituals. It’s kind of like if the
president just decided he was skipping his inauguration and just started to
rule. Flaminus was given four new legions and headed back to Rome to shore up
the defenses. However Hannibal followed and marched faster and managed to pass
the Roman army.
Hannibal
attempted to lure out Flaminus by raiding neighboring towns. But Flaminus kept staying in his camp. The
senate, angered with a lack of progress, told Flaminus to engage Hannibal.
Flaminus gave cash to Hannibals army. Now, Hannibal found a place that would
make a good ambush spot called Lake Trasimene.
The lake had a narrow shore and steep forested hills surrounding it so
it was here that Hannibal laid his trap[2]. He put his troops in the
hills parallel to the path of the shore and had them conceal themselves. He had
his cavalry and Gaelic infantry closer to the Roman camp and his heavy Iberian
and African forces farther away.
Flaminus had pushed his men hard down the path on the lake. Hannibal
sent a group of scouts to lure the vanguard Roman force out. The rest of the
army followed them through the foggy narrow path. Then Hannibal signaled his
forces. The cavalry quickly swept around the sides cutting off the Romans from
retreat. Then rushing down from the hills, the Gauls and heavy infantry charged
the confused Roman lines. The Romans were massacred. They had no easy way of escape being that they
faced a lake or an army[3]. Some of them drowned
trying to swim in their armor. Flaminus
was slain by a Gaul during the battle.
Around 10,000 Romans managed to escape from the battle. It was theorized
that because of how long Hannibal’s line were that a section of troops may have
not gotten the orders for the attack and that’s how the Romans escaped their
trap. 30,000 troops took to the field that day and around half were slain and about
5000 were taken prisoner[4]. Meanwhile Hannibal only
lost around 2500 men. The ambush was extremely successful.
So
for those keeping score at home, Hannibal had won three of three battles that
he commanded. He killed 45,000 Romans and lost around 7000 men. Hannibal is
most certainly winning at this point. Many Romans claimed that Flaminus
skipping the rituals was a bad omen which angered the gods and had them turn on
Rome and Flaminus, leading to his death. After learning from a praetor of the
defeat Rome was now in a desperate state[5]. Hannibal now had access
to the sea after two years. He sent word to the Carthaginian senate of his
triumphs which were met with celebration. Worst of all for the Romans, the
Carthaginians had promised to send Hannibal more supplies and troops. Rome was truly in a panic now for they needed
time to recuperate their losses.
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