Why Did The Romans Consider Quintus Fabius Maximus’ Strategy Cowardly?

February 17, 2023 By Leave a Comment

Quintus Fabius Maximus thought outside the box. The normal Roman response was to directly confront the enemy on the battlefield, and most Romans could not understand or tolerate Fabius’ thinking. Livy relates how Fabius attempted to dissuade the Consul Lucius Aemilius Paullus from confronting Hannibal at Cannae. Fabius: “I think you know why I have […]

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Quora Qestion: Why did Carthage do so Well in Their War Against Rome

March 27, 2019 By Leave a Comment

If you are referring to the Second Punic War, Carthaginian success was entirely due to one military genius, Hannibal. Hannibal introduced a style of warfare that the Romans had never before experienced and were unprepared for. In the two years after Hannibal crossed the Alps into Italy, Hannibal won four battles, three of them major. […]

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The Battle of Trasimene: Excerpt from WIP In the Wake of Hannibal

June 21, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Today, June 21st, is the anniversary of the Battle of Lake Trasimene in 217 B.C. in which Carthaginian forces under Hannibal trapped a Roman Army under the command of Gaius Flaminius in a defile and slaughtered some 15,000 Romans. It was to be the third of four set-piece victories for Hannibal as he moved down […]

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