Second Punic Wars (Battle of Cannae)

The Second Punic Wars started because of Carthage's failed first attempt into taking control of Rome during the First Punic Wars through the sea. Therefore, they decided to try again but this time by land. The number of soldiers in each side told by historical references are unreliable, but it is certain that the Romans far outnumbered the Carthaginians. The Battle of Cannae was a very important battle during the Second Punic War because it is a battle in which military strategy has been used to achieve victory against the overwhelming Roman army.

In the Battle of Cannae, the Carthaginian commander, Hannibal, created a plan to maximize the ability of his soldiers. He rearranged the troop formation so that the weaker soldiers are placed in the middle while the stronger ones occupy the sides. This would cause the enemy soldiers to push forward through the middle while Hannibal's troops would be pushed back. However, since the sides of his formation are made up of the stronger soldiers, they would be able to push from the sides and cause them to surround the opponent's troops. This strategy is called the Pincer because of how the troops would close in on both sides. This strategy basically revolutionized how wars would be fought.

However, despite this overwhelming victory in this battle, the Carthaginians still lost the war because they were unable to break through to Rome due to the lack of man power and siege equipment, and therefore, they were forced to retreat.