What is Battle of Cannae?
The '''Battle of Cannae''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|n|i}} or {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|n|eɪ}}) was a major [[battle]] of the [[Second Punic War]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Iggulden |first1=Hal |last2=Iggulden |first2=Conn |title=The Dangerous Book for Boys |date=2007 |publisher=HarperCollins |location=New York |isbn=978-0061243585 |pages=54–56 |chapter=Famous Battles – Part One: 2. Cannae 216 BC}}</ref> It took place on 2 August 216 BC in [[Cannae]], [[Apulia]], in southeastern [[Italia (Roman province)|Italy]]. The [[army]] of [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]], under [[Hannibal|Hannibal Barca]], [[wikt:defeat|defeated]] a larger [[Roman Republic|Roman]] army. The Romans were led by the [[Roman consul|consuls]] Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Terentius Varro.<ref name=Steinby133>Christa Steinby, ''Rome Versus Carthage: The War at Sea'' (Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2014), p. 133</ref> Hannibal's [[victory]] was one the greatest [[military tactics|tactical]] feats in [[military history]] and also one of the worst defeats in Roman history although they were outnumbered by the Carthaginians. After recovering from their losses at [[Battle of the Trebia|Trebia]] (218 BC) and Lake Trasimene (217 BC), the Romans decided to fight Hannibal at Cannae. The Roman army had about 70,000 [[soldier]]s.<ref name=Hanson99>Victor Hanson, ''Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power'' (New York: Anchor, 2007), p. 99</ref> The Romans massed their heavy [[infantry]] in a deeper [[wikt:formation|formation]] than as usual. Hannibal [[attack|attacked]] by using a [[pincer movement|double-envelopment]] tactic.<ref name=Healey7>Mark Healy, ''Cannae 216 BC: Hannibal Smashes Rome's Army'' (London: Osprey Publishing, 2002), p. 7</ref> That was so successful that the Roman army was [[wikt:destroy|destroyed]] as a fighting force by a Carthaginian army half its size.<ref name=Hanson99/> About 45,500 Roman and allied soldiers were killed.<ref name=Steinby133/> Also killed were 2,700 Roman [[cavalry]].<ref name=Steinby133/> About 17,000 wer