Expert: Maria - 7/13/2009

Question
First, how did Hannibal win at the Battle of the Trebia?
and, would Hannibal have won at Zama if he had the same troops use at Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae?

Answer
Hello,

Firstly this question refers to military history which is not my field of expertise, indeed!

Anyway, just to tell you briefly what happened  in the battle of the Trebia River (Dec. 218 BC.)in northern Italy, I can say that Hannibal, the great Carthaginian commander, defeated the Romans  as he  used the element of surprise and took advantage of  poor astuteness of the Roman commander Tiberius Sempronius Longus who was  caught in a snare, as you can read in Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe condita), book 21, chapter 54-55 ff.

“After sending Mago with his 1000 infantry and 1000 cavalry to take up his position, Hannibal gave orders for the Numidian cavalry to cross the Trebia in the early dawn and ride up to the gates of the Roman camp; then they were to discharge their missiles on the outposts and so goad the enemy on to battle. When the fighting had once started they were gradually to give ground and draw their pursuers to their own side of the river. These were the instructions to the Numidians; the other commanders, both infantry and cavalry, were ordered to see that all their men had breakfast, after which they were to wait for the signal, the men fully armed, the horses saddled and ready.  
Eager for battle, and having already made up his mind to fight, Sempronius led out the whole of his cavalry to meet the Numidian attack, for it was in his cavalry that he placed most confidence; these were followed by 6000 infantry and at last the whole of his force marched on to the field.
It happened to be the season of winter, a snowstorm was raging, and the district, situated between the Alps and the Apennines, was rendered especially cold by the vicinity of rivers and marshes.  
To make matters worse, men and horses alike had been hurriedly sent forward, without any food, without any protection against the cold, so they had no heat in them and the chilling blasts from the river made the cold still more severe as they approached it in their pursuit of the Numidians.
But when they entered the water which had been swollen by the night's rain and was then breast high, their limbs became stiff with cold, and when they emerged on the other side they had hardly strength to hold their weapons; they began to grow faint from fatigue and as the day wore on, from hunger.
Chapter 55- Hannibal's men, meanwhile, had made fires in front of their tents, oil had been distributed amongst the maniples for them to make their joints and limbs supple and they had time for an ample repast. When it was announced that the enemy had crossed the river they took their arms, feeling alert and active in mind and body, and marched to battle…...…”.

As for your second question, i.e.  “Would Hannibal have won at Zama if he had the same troops used at Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae?”, actually this is a superficial question since we cannot say how history would be like if ……....

What we can say briefly  is that Hannibal knew how to gain a victory, but not how to use it, just like  Maharbal, Hannibal's cavalry commander during the Second Punic War, said to him after the Battle of Cannae, when Maharbal expressed interest on marching to Rome immediately, whereas Hannibal did not follow his advice.
(See Livy, book 22, chapter 51,4:” Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis”).

Regards,
Maria