What battle tactics of Hannibal led to his victory over the Roman army at Cannae?

Answer 1

In the famous historical battle of Cannae in 216 BC BCE, Hannibal met the Roman armies of Varo. The Romans wanted to rid Italy of Hannibal for once & for all. This was not to be.

Varo had assembled 87,000 troops to overwhelm the Carthaginians. Hannibal's forces numbered approximately 50,000 troops and were in a defensive mode as Varo unleashed his forces.

The massive frontal attack began to push the front lines of Carthage backwards, and Hannibal's tactics have been recorded and studied by military analysts to this day. Here is a summary:

1. With the Roman push forward, Hannibal was in trouble as his troops were falling back while continuing to fight, it was not a retreat;

2. Hannibal sent his crack cavalry troops to successfully outflank the Romans on both sides;

3. Hannibal did have more in number of cavalry then did Varo and analysts agree that Hannibal's cavalry were better horsemen;

4. Hannibal began to complete what is now called the "double sealed envelope" tactic;

5. This was the ability of Hannibal's cavalry to attack the Roman army from behind, while successfully outflanking Varo on two sides;

6. It was a cardinal sin to ever let one's army be attacked from behind unless it was an ambush. This was not an ambush;

7. Varo's troops were sealed on four sides; and

8. Approximately 60,000 Roman troops were lost in a battle that was one of its worst defeats on the Italian peninsula.