21 Jul 210 Jahr v. Chr. - Battle of Numistro, Italy

Beschreibung:

Battle between Hannibal and Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus that ended in a stalemate

According to Livy, the fight started early in the morning. Marcellus put his "I Legion" and "Right Alae Sociorum" in the front line.[4] During the combat both units were relieved by the "III Legion" and "Left Alae". Punic forces described by Livy included balearic slingers and Spanish infantry, as well as elephants. The battle lasted one day but after a hard fight the result was inconclusive, since it ended due to nightfall,[5] with Hannibal retreating to Apulia the next day. Marcellus left his injured soldiers at the town to recover and followed Hannibal to hunt him in that territory, having minor engagements until the end of that year's campaign. Frontinus tells that the battle was won by Hannibal thanks to the surrounding terrain.[6]

Both generals met again in battle the following year in Canusium. Numistro and Canusium were probably separated in time by no more than six months, as the former happened during the last period of the 210 BC consulship while the latter was in the early months of 209 BC.