Battle of Cannae
event · 3 works · 4 mentions · 7 anchored passages
Cannae · the battle · such a complete success · the disaster at Cannae
in the texts
Fabius Maximus
Catastrophic Roman defeat in which Hannibal's double strategy of wind and encirclement destroys the Roman army and kills Paulus Aemilius, among tens of thousands.
For the centre gave way and was followed by the Romans in pursuit, Hannibal’s line of battle thus changing its shape into that of a crescent;
But Terentius, insisting on his right to command a day in turn, and then encamping over against Hannibal by the river Aufidus amid the town called Cannae, at break of day put out the signal for battle,—a scarlet tunic displayed above the general’s tent.
But orders were given to the picked troops, when the Romans should have cut the troops in the centre to pieces, pursued them hotly as they retreated and formed a deep hollow, and so got within their enemy’s line of battle,—then to turn sharply from either side, smite them on the flanks, and envelop them by closing in upon their rear.
Aemilius Paulus
The disastrous Roman defeat in which Lucius Paulus died fighting.
and in the case of Lucius Paulus, his misfortune at Cannae gave testimony alike to his wisdom and valour.
For when he could not dissuade his colleague from giving battle, he took part with him in the struggle, though reluctantly, but would not be a partner in his flight;
Marcellus
The catastrophic Roman defeat by Hannibal, whose aftermath shapes much of the surrounding narrative.
And when the disaster at Cannae came, and many thousands of Romans had been slain in the battle, and only a few had saved themselves by flying to Canusium, and it was expected that Hannibal would march at once against Rome, now that he had destroyed the flower of her forces, in the first place, Marcellus sent fifteen hundred men from his ships to protect the city;
are you that Bantius who is more talked of in Rome than any of those who fought at Cannae, as the only man who did not abandon Paulus Aemilius the consul, but encountered and received in his own body most of the missiles aimed at him?
This man had fought with conspicuous bravery at Cannae, and had slain many of the Carthaginians, and when he was at last found among the dead with his body full of missiles, Hannibal was struck with admiration of him, and not only let him go without a ransom, but actually added gifts, and made him his friend and guest.