It was the bloodiest battle the ancient world had ever seen. During the Second Punic War on August 2, 216 B.C., a Carthaginian army under the general Hannibal clashed with eight Roman legions near the Italian city of Cannae. Though heavily outnumbered, Hannibal used a famous double-envelopment tactic to surround the Romans and trap their army. By the time the slaughter finally ended, at least 50,000 legionaries lay dead and Rome faced the greatest crisis in its history.Nice video. Hannibal won the battle but lost the war.
Past posts involving the Battle of Cannae (which, perhaps surprisingly, has been in the news lately) are here and here and links.
