Battle of Numistro

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Battle of Numistro
Part of the Second Punic War
Date 210 BC Location Numistro, Lucania Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Carthage	Roman Republic
Commanders and leaders
Hannibal	Marcus Claudius Marcellus

The Battle of Numistro was fought in 210 BC between Hannibal's army and the Roman consular army led by consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Just after Hannibal defeated proconsul Cneus Fulvius Centumalus in the 2nd battle of Herdonia, Marcellus informed the Senate he would intercept and gave battle against the punic general to restore the roman honour. His, was the only full strength roman army in the south of Italy at the moment (there was another half army in Capua), so the consequences of a new defeat could be disastrous for the roman arms and the insurrection of that part of the country. Anyway, Marcellus moved from Samnium and found the punic army in Numistro, a town placed in the northeast of Lucania. According to Livy, the battle lasted one day and after a hard fight, the result was inconclusive, since it ended due to nightfall, with Hannibal retreating to Apulia the next day, and Marcellus leaving his injured soldiers at the town to recover and following Hannibal to hunt him in that territory, having little engagements until the end of that year's campaign. Frontinus tells that the battle was won by Hannibal thanks to the surrounding terrain.

Both generals met again in battle the following year Asculum.

Sources

Livy "Ad Urbe Condita" XXVII,2

Frontinus "Stratagems" II,II,6

Coordinates: 38°58′32″N 16°19′11″E / 38.9755968°N 16.3197908°E / 38.9755968; 16.3197908

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