Background:
After his famous crossing of the Alps in the autumn, Hanibal, after much labor, arrived in Italy with the core of his army intact. At a small engagement near the Ticinus River, Hannibal defeated the forces of the other Roman Consul, Scipio the Elder. This was mostly a glorified skirmish and the major parts of the two armies took no part in the battle. After his victory, Hannibal moved on, strengthening the forces that had been depleted by his crossing of the Alps and turning the Cisalpine Gauls of the region (who had a long-lasting hatred of the Romans) over to his side.
The Campaign:
After the Gauls turned on the Romans (which Polybius and Livy agree as occurring by a night slaughter, though Livy doesn't make it sound as big a deal - 21.48), Scipio moved his forces toward the Trebia river and met up with his co-Consul Tiberius (who was stationed in Sicily beforehand during the Ticinus affair) at the city of Ariminium. After this, a small skirmish broke out in which the Romans were victorious. This victory spurred Tiberius to accept a general engagement, and it would cost him. Scipio had in fact advised Tiberius not to attack, saying that the Gauls would desert Hannibal during the winter, leaving him weakened in the Spring. Tiberius however, ignored his colleague's advice, showing the weakness that was so often-present in Roman commanders: the insatiable desire for glory and a triumph in Rome. The glory on the field would instead be Hannibal's.
The Disposition of the Forces:
The Roman and allied forces, according to Livy, comprised about 28,000 men all told. The primary emphasis of this force would be on the legionary, working behind his Scutum shield and thrusting forward with his Gladius after an initial round of engaging at a distance with the throw of his two Pilum. A minority of the force was cavalry, which the Romans themselves never truly emphasized throughout most of their military career.
The Carthaginian forces on the other hand, were a quite varied lot, comprising many different peoples and fighting styles. I recall one writer (who I am won't to remember, unfortunately) describing his army as a "gathering of all the nations and races of the world." There were African spearmen, swordsmen from Iberia with short swords, and the unruly Celts with their longswords. Hannibal's cavalry force, the Numidians, was excellent, and had earlier allowed him to prevail at the Ticinus. A number of other cavalry served in his ranks as well which was generally superior to Rome's. The "Carthaginians" probably numbered slightly less than the Romans.
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| Map of the Battle |
The Battle:
1st Phase:
The battle began with the Roman cavalry charging after the Numidians, who continuously eluded them. During the meantime the Romans moved forward in proper legionary formation, and the Carthaginian missile troops covered the heavier infantry as they moved up to engage.
2nd Phase:
Now the Carthaginian cavalry made an attack on the Roman cavalry, and defeated them on both flanks. The elephants, which the Romans had certainly never trained or prepared for and had no experience with up until now, also charged the center of the Roman line. Yet despite this, the Romans, according to Livy (21.55), did hold firm for a time, and even had success in turning the elephants back against their own men. (21.56)
The frontal infantry assault, too, did seem to go well for the Romans. As expected, they were pushing back the African and Gallic infantry.
3rd Phase:
The frontal assault was just that, however...a front. Not noticing that their cavalry had been defeated on both flanks, the Roman flanks came under withering missile fire and a cavalry assault. It was here that the lynchpin of Hannibal's trap fell down on the Romans.
Hannibal earlier had sent out a force of 2,000 men under his brother Mago consisting of 1,000 infantry and the same amount of cavalry. This ambushing force now came out of hiding and attacked the Roman rear, causing much chaos. The Roman formations began to fall apart, and the victorious infantry in the center, seeing that they could do nothing to help their comrades, fell back to Placentia.
Aftermath:
This defeat was not catastrophic, but it announced with full force that the Romans had a dangerous enemy in their midst in Italy. New elections were held in Rome (Livy, 21.57), and the weary city elected Gnaeus Servilius Geminus and Gaius Flaminius Nepos as Consuls.
These two men would go on to witness the genius of Hannibal at even greater heights in the coming year of 217 B.C.
For Rome, dark days were ahead.
Sources:
Polybius, Histories, Book 3. Tufts University, Perseus Digital Library. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234%3Abook%3D3%3Achapter%3D67
Livy, The History of Rome: Book 21. (J. M. Dent & Sons, Ltd., London, 1905) Trans: Rev. Canon Roberts. Edited by Ernest Rhys. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah../Livy/Livy21.html Battle of Trebiea 218 B.C. Rome Carthage Hannibal 2nd Punic War
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