Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic WarOn a hot and dusty summer's day in 216 BC, the forces of the Carthaginian general Hannibal faced the Roman army in a dramatic encounter at Cannae. Massively outnumbered, the Carthaginians nevertheless won an astonishing victory - one that left more than 50,000 men dead. Gregory Daly's enthralling study considers the reasons that led the two armies to the field of battle, and why each followed the course that they did when they got there. It explores in detail the composition of the armies, and the tactics and leadership methods of the opposing generals. Finally, by focusing on the experiences of those who fought, Daly gives an unparalleled portrait of the true horror and chaos of ancient warfare. This striking and vivid account is the fullest yet of the bloodiest battle in ancient history. |
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LibraryThing Review
Avis d'utilisateur - Miro - LibraryThingBackground: Over 2000 years ago during the Second Punic War the Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Alps and invaded Italy, inflicting a series of major defeats on the Romans, culminating in the ... Consulter l'avis complet
LibraryThing Review
Avis d'utilisateur - Donogh - LibraryThingNo one who's interested in the ancient world or in military history can have gone without reading something about Hannibal's war against Rome. This book re-examines the battle of Cannae, where about ... Consulter l'avis complet
Table des matières
Skirmishers | 106 |
Conclusion | 112 |
Command at Cannae | 113 |
The consuls and their staff | 119 |
Hannibal and his staff | 123 |
Preparations for battle | 128 |
The theatre of leadership | 134 |
The commanders battle | 145 |
| 45 | |
| 48 | |
| 54 | |
| 56 | |
| 64 | |
| 70 | |
| 73 | |
| 76 | |
| 79 | |
| 81 | |
Africans | 84 |
Spaniards | 95 |
Gauls | 101 |
The Face of Battle | 156 |
The physical circumstances of battle | 166 |
Infantry skirmishing | 172 |
Cavalry against cavalry | 178 |
Line infantry against line infantry | 184 |
Encirclement | 191 |
The will to fight | 199 |
Aftermath | 201 |
Conclusion | 203 |
Notes | 205 |
Bibliography | 236 |
Index | 245 |
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Expressions et termes fréquents
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Fréquemment cités
Page 63 - They do not desire them so much to be men who will initiate attacks and open the battle, but men who will hold their ground when worsted and hardpressed and be ready to die at their posts.
Page 157 - BC 2i« and marshalled their battle-line as follows : on the right wing — -the one nearer the river — they placed the Roman cavalry, and next them the Roman foot ; the left wing had on the outside the cavalry of the allies ; and nearer the centre, in contact with the Roman legions, the infantry of the allies. The slingers and other light-armed auxiliaries were formed up in front. The consuls had charge of the wings...
Page 68 - ... break sooner than become detached, although its thickness at the bottom where it comes in contact with the wood is a finger's breadth and a half ; such great care do they take about attaching it firmly. Finally they wear as an ornament a circle of feathers with three upright purple or black feathers about a cubit in height, the addition of which on the head surmounting their other arms is to make every man look twice his real height, and to give him a fine appearance, such as will strike terror...
Page 74 - ... undergarments, the result of which was that they were able to dismount and mount again at once with great dexterity and facility, but were exposed to great danger in close combat, as they were nearly naked. Their lances too were unserviceable in two respects. In the first place they made them so slender and pliant that it was impossible to take a steady aim, and before they could fix the head in anything, the shaking due to the mere motion of the horse caused most of them to break. Next, as they...
Page 53 - ... the second day they had to polish up, repair, and examine their arms ; the third day they rested ; and the fourth day they carried out weapon training, " some of them swordfighting with wooden swords covered with leather and with a button on the point, while others practised javelin throwing, the javelins also having a button on the point " ; on the fifth day they began the course again, and continued during their stay at Cartagena. " The rowers and marines, pushing out to sea when the weather...
Page 74 - ... and mount again at once with great dexterity and facility, but were exposed to great danger in close combat, as they were nearly naked. Their lances too were unserviceable in two respects. In the first place they made them so slender and pliant that it was impossible to take a steady aim, and before they could fix the head in anything, the shaking due to the mere motion of the horse caused most of them to break. Next, as they did not fit the butt-ends with spikes, they could only deliver the...
