216 BC
Battle of Cannae
Hannibal encircles and destroys a much larger Roman army.
- Time period
- 216 BC
- Region
- Italy (Apulia)
- Theme
- Military
- Civilization
- Carthage and Rome
On 2 August 216 BCE, Hannibal's Carthaginian army encircled and annihilated a larger Roman force at Cannae. It is one of the costliest defeats in Roman history. The double envelopment is still studied in military academies.