Battle of Capua

Saguntum - Lilybaeum II - Rhone - Ticinus - Trebia - Cissa - Lake Trasimeno - Ager Falernus - Geronium - Cannae - I Nola - Nola II - Ibera - Cornus - Nola III - Beneventum I - Syracuse - Tarentum I - Capua I - Beneventum II - Silarus - Herdonia I - Upper Baetis - Capua II - Herdonia II - Numistro - Asculum - Tarentum II - New Carthage - Baecula - Grumentum - Metaurus - Ilipa - Crotona - Large fields - Cirta - Zama

The First Battle of Capua was a battle between the Romans and Carthaginians by 212 BC during the Second Punic War. Hannibal won the battle.

Prehistory

The Roman Empire had now made ​​all sorts of efforts to become the Carthaginian threat Lord. They raised four new legions and stationed them in the vulnerable city of Capua ( Hannibal's camp was only a few miles from Capua ). In addition, four legions were stationed from allies in central Italy. The surrounding area of the city had since been destroyed by the Carthaginian pillage the extent that the fields no longer yielded enough food for the large force. The consuls Quintus Fulvius Flaccus stationed there and Appius Claudius Pulcher decided the armies encamped outside the city in more fertile regions; they never left the city environment, however, very far. Hannibal had been informed of this strategic location in 212 BC. His plan was to distract the Roman legions, and to face with the main army fast enough between the city and the Roman camp before a joint attack of the allies could be done with the legionnaires.

The Battle

So in 2000 Numidian horsemen attacked, and could in skirmishes of the garrison of the weakly fortified Roman camp cause significant harm. The legions swallowed the bait and began the Numidians to pursue. Meanwhile, Hannibal was able to move his infantry into the plain before the city, and thereby cut off the supply of Romans from the city. Hannibal marched now at camp and so was the legionnaires in the back. Marriage of one of the Roman generals could react, the cavalry had turned kesselte and then measure the Romans. Claudius Pulcher lost his nerve and fled with his bodyguard, which weakened the morale of the Romans. Meanwhile, the allies had come from the city and were now trying to break through the Carthaginian lines. The encircled legions but had already lost heart and fled from the battlefield. After a brief struggle and the allies army was defeated. The fugitives were cut down by the Numidians. Only a few reached the city gates and were to gain admission. But this was now the Carthaginians open the city. They stormed Capua and the remains of the garrison surrendered without a fight, while the people out flowed the Conqueror. Capua was thus in the hands of Hannibal.

Follow

Central Italy was abandoned by almost all Roman warriors, they marched back to Rome. Hannibal was now able to recruit new soldiers and thus increase his army in the newly won city. Claudius Pulcher and Fulvius Flaccus had been humiliated in Rome, and a vendetta with the reconquest of the city of Capua they succeeded only after a long siege in 211 BC