The Trebia

December [?], 218 BC

Strategic Context
In 218 BC, Hannibal Barca negates Roman control of the seas by leading the
Carthaginians through Spain to attack Roman territory, igniting the Second Punic War.

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Hannibal defeats one Roman army under Scipio Africanus at the Ticinus River while
another under Tiberius Sempronius departs Sicily to combine forces. The combined
Roman army camps opposite the Carthaginian army across the Trebia River. Hannibal

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sends his cavalry to provoke the impulsive Sempronius and succeeds: the Romans
wade across the frigid Trebia River to attack while the Carthaginians warm by the fire.

Stakes
+ A Carthaginian victory would shake
Roman confidence and summon No Image
disgruntled Roman allies to the
Carthaginian cause. Available
+ A Roman victory would deny the
Carthaginians a secure base in Italy.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 The Trebia, 218 BC
Strength

 Carthaginians  Romans

 Hannibal  Tiberius Sempronius Longus

 20,000 infantry  36,000 infantry

 10,000  4,000 cavalry
2 war elephants
cavalry
 Well  Severely cold

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Mediterranean c. 218 BC
The battlefield consists of a flat, snowy plain surrounded by rough terrain to the west and north in the form of rugged hills. The Po River to the
north also restricts movement in that direction, with the much shallower, narrower Trebia river running north-south, bisecting the battlefield. The
weather is cold and snowy however, making even the chest-deep Trebia River a significant obstacle.
0 500m 1 km Carthaginians
(Hannibal)
N

Po River
Trebia River

Romans
(Sempronius)
Sempronius
Sempronius
Hannibal
Hannibal deploys
transfers
becomes hispreoccupied
sends his
his veteran legionnaire
infantry
elephants forward
to his
within infantry
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reducing in the
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and attacks;
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Roman
trapped steadyby his
cavalry
Roman and Gallic
are allied
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byorder. nowand
andThey
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Roman deploys
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but
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Roman
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frominfantrythen
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backwards.
and behind
escape a cavalry
Meanwhile,
the Roman
along with forcetounder
Hannibal
rear
Sempronius Mago to
complete remain
counterattacks
himself. the
The unseen in
encirclement.
the Roman
remaining
a ravine near
cavalry
Meanwhile,withthe hisRoman
the Roman
own and left and to desperately
infantry
succeeds only
in reveal
bending his position
batter
back the at the most
theopposing
Roman lineopportune
Carthaginian time.
by the flanks.infantry.
Roman units are annihilated fighting or drowned trying to escape.
0 500m 1 km Carthaginians
(Hannibal)
N

Hannibal

Carthaginians Romans
Infantry Infantry
Cavalry Cavalry
Mago War elephant
Camp Camp

Carthaginians
(Hannibal Barca)
Romans
20,000 infantry
(Tiberius Sempronius Longus)
Symbol guide 10,000 cavalry
36,000 infantry
Romans
(Sempronius)
4,000 cavalry 2 war elephants
 The Trebia, 218 BC
Casualties & Aftermath
Carthaginians: Romans:

5,000 30,000
or or
16% 75%

Both sides quietly retreated to winter quarters to rest, Sempronius only telling the
Roman Senate that he had entered battle but did not achieve victory due to poor
weather. By spring the next year, Sempronius and Scipio were replaced as consuls.
Their successors fared no better at the Battle of Lake Trasimene in 217 BC as
Hannibal continued to ravage each Roman force sent against him. Only in 202 BC
did Hannibal meet his match, being decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus (the
Younger) at the Battle of Zama.
By Jonathan Webb, 2009
 The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009