Battle of Lake Trasimene

After several failed attempts to lure the Roman army under Flaminius to the battlefield, Hannibal devised a new strategy and had his men march around the enemy's flanks to cut them off from Rome. Later on the shores of lake Trasimene, he prepared himself for an enemy ambush. It was a complete success. The battle, known as the battle of lake Trasimene, saw an effective Carthaginian attack against the Roman consul Flaminius and his army of some 25,000 men between the hills of Cortona and lake Trasimene. This battle deserves to be on the list of the biggest events of the Second Punic War.

The battle of lake Trasimene took place on the north shore of lake Trasimene, to the east of Cortona, and led to a heavy defeat for the Romans. Hannibal dealt a major blow when he annihilated most of the Roman army with minimal losses on his side. The Roman general Flaminius was also killed in battle. Some 6,000 infantry who were able to escape the battlefield were captured by Numidian and forced to surrender. This defeat had a huge psychological effect on the Romans as it caused waves of panic throughout Rome, and they began to doubt the very future of their city.

• Time: 217 BC