Hannibal's ambush destroyed a Roman army of 25,000 at Lake Trasimene, prompting Rome to appoint a dictator and marking a turning point in the Second Punic War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 21 June 217 BC
- Roman casualties (killed)
- ~15,000
- Total Romans killed or captured
- ~25,000
- Carthaginian army strength
- more than 50,000
- Duration of battle
- 3 hours
- Roman dictator appointed after
- Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After crossing the Alps and defeating Rome at the Trebia in 218 BC, Hannibal moved south through Etruria in spring 217 BC, plundering the countryside to provoke a Roman response. Roman consul Gaius Flaminius, commanding the nearest army, set off in pursuit, allowing Hannibal to choose the ground and prepare a carefully laid ambush on the north shore of Lake Trasimene.
Hannibal positioned his forces along the hills overlooking the north shore of Lake Trasimene and sprung a surprise attack on the Roman column from flank and rear, possibly under poor visibility. With no time to form a fighting line, the Romans fought for three hours before being overwhelmed; roughly 15,000 were killed in the battle itself, and the remaining 6,000 who initially escaped were surrounded and forced to surrender.
The near-total destruction of Flaminius's army caused panic in Rome and led to the appointment of Quintus Fabius Maximus as dictator. Dissatisfied with his cautious Fabian strategy, Rome elected more aggressive consuls who confronted Hannibal at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, suffering an even greater catastrophe and prolonging the war by thirteen more years.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Hannibal Barca.
Side B
1 belligerent
Gaius Flaminius.