Chapters 1-3 Summary and Analysis

Robert L. O'Connell describes how Hannibal wiped out the majority of the Roman army in a single battle, the battle at Cannae, in "The Ghosts of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic" in approximately 200 years B.C.

Chapter 1 - Traces of War

Polybius of Megalopolis was crossing the Italian Alps, viewing a scene Hannibal had looked upon 73 years prior. His goal was to write books for his fellow Greeks showing how the obscure city-state had come to dominate. Rome fought hard, constantly rebounding after being knocked down. Polybius recalled the horrible battle at Cannae on August 2, 216 B.C. In a knife-fight battle 120,000 men fought each other, resulting in the death of 48,000 Romans. However, one important survivor remained, Publius Cornelius Scipio. Also known as Africanus, Scipio would one day rise up to help Rome defeat Hannibal...