The Battle at Cannae and the rise of P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus Chapter 2 Case Study ‘The Death of Aemilius Paulus’ by John Trumbull, The Athenaeum.

The Battle at Cannae and the rise of P. Cornelius Scipio Africanus

Chapter 2 Case Study

‘The Death of Aemilius Paulus’ by John Trumbull, The Athenaeum / Yale University Art Gallery. Licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Death_of_Aemilius_Paulus.jpg#mediaviewer/File:The_Death_of_Aemilius_Paulus.jpg

‘Battle of Cannae, 215 BC - Initial Roman attack’ by The Department of History, United States Military Academy: http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web03//atlases/map%20home.htm. Licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Cannae,_215_BC_-_Initial_Roman_attack.png#mediaviewer/File:Battle_of_Cannae,_215_BC_-_Initial_Roman_attack.png. Labels added by A. Graham.

Hannibal Hannibal

Roman cavalry

The Roman forcesplaced heavy legionsin the centre row withallied troops on the wings This simple advance tactic did not utilizeRome’s greater numbers,nor did it adapt as the battle lines changed.

The Roman forcesplaced heavy legionsin the centre row withallied troops on the wings This simple advance tactic did not utilizeRome’s greater numbers,nor did it adapt as the battle lines changed.

Hannibal’s loose organizationallowed his troops to moveeasily, drawing in the Roman forces, while surrounding them.His position on the Roman left flank guarded his troops from being pushed into the river.

Hannibal’s loose organizationallowed his troops to moveeasily, drawing in the Roman forces, while surrounding them.His position on the Roman left flank guarded his troops from being pushed into the river.

‘Battle of Cannae Destruction" by Frank Martini, cartographer, Department of History, United States Military Academy. Licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_cannae_destruction.png#mediaviewer/File:Battle_cannae_destruction.png

Hannibal Hannibal Moving forwards almostblindly, the Roman legionspressed on protected onlyby the light troops at the back, and allied troops on on the flanks, who were assaulted by cavalry andthe African infantry, respectively.

Moving forwards almostblindly, the Roman legionspressed on protected onlyby the light troops at the back, and allied troops on on the flanks, who were assaulted by cavalry andthe African infantry, respectively.

Results of the Battle of Cannae

• C. 50,000-75,000 Roman men died in a day• A number of Rome’s Greek allies pledged

allegiance to Carthage• The Roman government is in chaos with over a

hundred Senators, a consul and many others now deceased (remember that the first class of Romans also had the greatest contribution to the military)

• Hannibal, 50 miles from Rome, now appears invincible

Aristocrat: Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236-183 BC)

Aristocrat: Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (236-183 BC)

• His father (L. Corn. Scipio) was censor with Duilius; his grandfather was Scipio Barbatus, censor 280 BC, among other things.

• Elected quaestor in 213 when 22 years old. The tribunes objected, but were overruled.

• Elected proconsul (Spain) in 211, when 25. • Elected consul in 205 BC, when 31.• Given agnomen Africanus in 201 BC.• Elected censor in 199 BC, when 37; technically too young to run

for consul.• Legacy: both sons became praetors in 174, but carried on no

further; adopted heir Scipio Aemilianus Africanus. His descendants include Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi and Marc Antony’s third wife, Fulvia, and Scipio Nascia, who was part of the defence in the trial of Verrem (cf. Cicero’s In Verrem)