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The Battle of Cannae

Posté par admin
samedi 28 janvier 2006 [n° 1001]

Hannibal (247-182 BCE)

Hannibal Club Carthage Tunisie

The Battle of Cannae in the summer of 216 BC is a milestone in Roman history.

The Battle of Cannae (216 BC)

La bataille de Canne

115. The battle was begun by an engagement between the advanced guard of the two armies; and at first the affair between these light-armed troops was indecisive. But as soon as the Iberian and Celtic cavalry got at the Romans, the battle began in earnest, and in the true barbaric fashion: for there was none of the usual formal advance and retreat; but when they once got to close quarters, they grappled man to man, and, dismounting from their horses, fought on foot. But when the Carthaginians had got the upper hand in this encounter and killed most of their opponents on the ground—because the Romans all maintained the fight with spirit and determination—and began chasing the remainder along the river, slaying as they went along and giving no quarter; then the legionaries took the place of the light-armed and closed with the enemy. For a short time the Iberian and Celtic lines stood their ground and fought gallantly; but, presently overpowered by the weight of the heavy-armed lines, they gave way and retired to the rear, thus breaking up the crescent. The Roman maniples followed with spirit, and easily cut their way through the enemy’s line; since the Celts had been drawn up in a thin line, while the Romans had closed up from the wings towards the center and the point of danger. For the two wings did not come into action at the same time as the center: but the center was first engaged, because the Gauls, having been stationed on the arc of the crescent, had come into contact with the enemy long before the wings, the convex of the crescent being towards the enemy.

Ancient History Sourcebook : Polybius (c.200-after 118 BCE) : The Battle of Cannae, 216 BCE

History: Book III: 107-118

Annibal

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a reenactment of the Roman defeat at Cannae created using the “Rome: Total War” engine.

Battle of Cannae

via NVGAE CICERONIANAE

Battle of Cannae

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