Battle of the Metaurus
From Open Encyclopedia
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Battle of the Metaurus
|partof=the Second Punic War
|image=Image:Battles second punic war.png
|caption=
|date=207 BC
|place=Metaurus River, Marche, Italy
|casus=
|territory=
|result=Roman victory
|combatant1=Carthage
|combatant2=Roman Republic
|commander1=Hasdrubal †
|commander2=Marcus Livius Salinator
Gaius Claudius Nero
|strength1=30,000
|strength2=37,000
|casualties1=about 10,000
|casualties2=unknown
}}
| Second Punic War |
|---|
| Ticinus – Trebia – Lake Trasimene – Cannae – 1st Nola – 2nd Nola – 3rd Nola – 1st Capua – Silarus – 1st Herdonia – Upper Baetis – 2nd Capua – 2nd Herdonia – Numistro – Asculum – Baecula – Grumentum – Metaurus – Ilipa – Crotona – Bagbrades – Zama |
The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle in the ancient conflict between Rome and Carthage, fought in 207 BC near the Metaurus River in Italy.
The Carthaginians were led by Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal, who was supposed to bring the siege equipment and reinforcements for Hannibal to defeat Rome. The Roman armies were led by the consuls Marcus Livius Salinator and Gaius Claudius Nero.
Claudius Nero had just fought Hannibal in Grumentum, some hundreds kilometers south of the Metaurus river, and reached Salinator with a forced march who went unnoticed by both Hannibal and Hasdrubal, so that the Carthaginians suddenly found themselves outnumbered.
Hasdrubal tried to copy the tactics his brother Hannibal had used at the Battle of Cannae, putting his most experienced men at the sides and his fresh recruits in the center, to face the Roman army. However, his center fell before the veteran troops could do anything. Rome won the battle and Hasdrubal died with his soldiers.
This battle can be seen as a main point on which the future of the Mediterranean Sea governance could have shifted to the Carthaginians' hands.
Lord Byron wrote of the battle:
"The consul Nero, who made the unequalled march which deceived Hannibal and deceived Hasdrubal, thereby accomplishing an achievement almost unrivaled in military annals. The first intelligence of his return, to Hannibal, was the sight of Hasdrubal's head thrown into his camp. When Hannibal saw this, he exclaimed, with a sigh, that 'Rome would now be the mistress of the world.' To this victory of Nero's it might be owing that his imperial namesake reigned at all. But the infamy of the one has eclipsed the glory of the other. When the name of Nero is heard, who thinks of the consul? But such are human things."
