Download Battle of Trebia (218 BC) and Lake Trasimere (217 BC)

Carthaginian Victories!
Carthage
Rome
Hannibal
Mago-Hannibal’s
brother
Scipio
Sempronius
CARTHAGE WON!
Carthage has few causalities.
Rome had an estimated 20,000.
 Scipio
was still recovering from his wounds
but Sempronius was "impetuous and
headstrong." Sempronius began making
plans to engage Hannibal in open battle
before the more senior Scipio could resume
command. Sempronium disregarded
Scipio’s caution not to attack with untrained
men.[8] Unfortunately for Sempronius,
Hannibal was aware of this, and prepared
to take advantage of Sempronius'
impetuosity.

On the following morning, Hannibal sent the rest
of the Numidian cavalry beyond the Trebbia to
harass the nearby Roman camp and then
retreat. The idea was to lure the Romans into a
trap where Mago’s regiment could attack. The
Carthaginians rode up to the gates and discharged
missiles at the men on duty. As expected,
Sempronius sent out the Roman cavalry to drive
them off, and shortly afterwards sent out 6,000
javelin-throwers, the light-armed infantry, to cover
the formation of the main line of battle behind
them.
When Hannibal’s Gallic spies told him the
Romans were ready to do battle, he sent
the best infantrymen and cavalrymen for a
special mission. This detachment of 1,000
infantry and 1,000 cavalry under the
command of Hannibal's younger brother,
Mago, were instructed to conceal
themselves in the underbrush of the watercourse under the cover of night, and
prepare an ambush for the Romans.
Hannibal quickly formed his army with
infantry in the center and cavalry and war
elephants on the flanks. Sempronius
approached in the standard Roman
formation with three lines of infantry in the
center and cavalry on the flanks.
DRAW THIS FORMATION

On the flanks, the Carthaginian cavalry, making
use of their greater numbers, slowly pushed
back their Roman counterparts. As pressure on
the Roman cavalry grew, the flanks of the infantry
became unprotected and open to attack. Sending
forward his war elephants against the Roman left,
Hannibal next ordered his cavalry to attack the
exposed flanks of the Roman infantry. With the
Roman lines wavering, Mago's men sprang from
their concealed position and attacked
Sempronius' rear. Nearly surrounded, the
Roman army collapsed and began fleeing
back across the river.
Carthage
Rome
Hannibal
Flaminius
Guess what?!
CARTHAGE WON!
Carthage started with 50,000 men, and had an estimated 4,000
causalities.
Rome started with 40,000 men, and had an estimated 20,000 casualties.
Flaminius took command of Sempronius' (loser’s)
army, and was reinforced by new legions. He moved
south to defend a position closer to Rome. When
Hannibal found out, they followed.
 Moving faster than the Romans, Hannibal's force
passed Flaminius and devastated the
countryside—trying to egg the Romans to battle.
Hannibal worked to encourage Rome's allies (friends)
to turn their back on Rome by showing that Rome was
unable to protect them.
 Unable to draw the Romans into battle, Hannibal
moved around Flaminius' left and maneuvered to cut
him off from Rome. Under increasing pressure from
Rome and angered by Carthaginian actions in the area,
Flaminius moved in pursuit.





Hannibal planned a massive ambush along the lake's
shore. The area along the lake was reached by passing
through a narrow pass to the west which opened to a narrow
plain. To the north were wooded hills with the lake to the
south.
As bait, Hannibal established a camp which was visible
from the pass. Just to the west of the camp he deployed his
heavy infantry along a low rise. On the hills extending west,
he placed his light infantry in concealed positions.
Furthest west, hidden in a wooded valley, Hannibal formed
his Gallic infantry and cavalry. These forces were intended
to sweep down on the Roman rear and prevent their escape.
As a final trick, on the night before the battle, he ordered
fires lit in the Tuoro hills so the Romans wouldn’t know the
exact location of the camp.
The next day, Flaminius approached the pass, ignoring
advice to wait, he goaded his men forward.
 Once
Hannibal lured all the Romans onto
the the narrow plain, the Carthaginians
emerged from their positions and
attacked. Riding down, the Carthaginian
cavalry blocked the road east sealing the
trap. Streaming down from the hills,
Hannibal's men caught the Romans by
surprise and prevented them from forming
for battle. Separated into three groups, the
Romans desperately battled for their lives.
The BLACK = Flat plains
 Who
was the Roman commander at the
Battle of Trebia?
 Name one similarity between the two
battles in Hannibal’s battle strategy.
 Name one similarity between the two
battles in the Roman’s battle strategy.
HOMEWORK: