First Battle of Herdonia
Coordinates: 41 ° 19 ′ 0 ″ N , 15 ° 38 ′ 0 ″ E
.jpg)
Location of ancient Herdonia
| date | 212 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Herdonia today Foggia , in Italy |
| output | Decisive Carthaginian victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| Three legions, about 18,000 men plus regional auxiliaries | 20,000 infantry and approx. 5000 Numidian horsemen |
| losses | |
|
allegedly 15,000-16,000 |
very few |
Saguntum - Lilybaeum II - Rhone - Ticinus - Trebia - Cissa - Lake Trasimeno - Ager Falernus - Geronium - Cannae - Nola I - Nola II - Ibera - Cornus - Nola III - Beneventum I - Syracuse - Tarentum I - Capua I - Beneventum II - Silarus - Herdonia I - Upper Baetis - Capua II - Herdonia II - Numistro - Asculum - Tarentum II - New Carthage - Baecula - Grumentum - Metaurus - Ilipa - Crotona - Large fields - Cirta - Zama
The First Battle of Herdonia was a 212 BC. Battle fought between the troops of Hannibal and those of Praetor Gnaeus Fulvius Flaccus . After Cannae , this battle was one of the most devastating defeats Rome suffered in the Second Punic War.
prehistory
After the Carthaginian general had triumphed at Silarus and Cannae, he decided to leave Campania behind and conquer Puglia before the arrival of the Roman relief troops. Rome, however, had made great efforts to secure all territories on the Italian half-boot and to equip them with generals. Gnaeus Fulvius was chosen for Apulia. Knowing nothing of the presence of the Carthaginians, he had his troops demobilized there for convenience. When Hannibal suddenly appeared, the three Roman legions stationed in Apulia had little time to equip themselves well. The battle broke out near present-day Foggia.
procedure
When the first attack on some farms in the area began, the Romans were forced to open the battle. The little war experienced Gnaeus let his warriors standing on the plain run against the numerically superior Carthaginian army standing on the hill. Due to the gradient, Hannibal was able to charge his infantry much more effectively against the Roman ranks.
His 5,000-strong Numidian cavalry rode around the Roman camp, so that the Roman troops saw themselves trapped. 16,000 of them were killed, Fulvius and about 2,000 men were able to flee before the ring of the enemy was closed. The entire battle lasted only a few hours. The Roman survivors were probably assigned to the Legiones Cannenses .
consequences
The entire Roman occupation in Apulia was wiped out. The Carthaginian army rested in the region for a few weeks before Hannibal moved on.
See also
swell
- Peter Connolly : Hannibal, and the enemies of Rome , ISBN 3-7886-0182-5 , page 72f
- Leonard Cottrell: Hannibal, Feind Roms , ISBN 978-0-03-030720-1 , p. 175f