StarCraft 218 BC: A Real Life Space Odyssey

.:: Cunctator | (Chapter 4) ::. So far, in terms of military tactics, there has been a notable rise in hit-and-run guerrilla tactics. Hamilcar was the first on the scene, showing great success with few resources but ultimately loses due to factional politics many miles south. Publius Cornelius Scipio then advised Longus Sempronius to stall, refuse to commit to direct engagements with Hannibal. His advise was scoffed at with bloody results. Politics, it seems, is playing as much as or more of a role than military efficacy. This is important and, unfortunately, is oft-repeated in history all the way into modern times.

When Fabius Maximus becomes dictator he institutes a new policy of engaging the enemy. Today, this is known as “Fabian tactics” after its well-executed employment to defend Rome during this period. He chooses his position carefully, relying more on terrain than raw military numbers like previous commanders. He shadows Hannibal’s troops, maintaining the high ground and refusing to fall into any of his enemy’s traps.

Hannibal has a strong army but a weak supply line. Reinforcing by sea is nigh impossible and the mountainous terrain and hostile territory limited land-based shipments as well. His troops survive on the spoils of war: raids on farms or caravans and supplies left behind by defeated Roman legions amidst hasty retreat. Failing that, the Carthaginians could forage off the land. These foraging parties are then targeted by Fabius, further crippling Hannibal’s supply lines. This did not win him many fans in Rome where he is publicly jeered in the street, for Romans like clear and glorious battles with little patience for a subtle war of attrition.

And so, somehow aware of attitudes in Rome regarding Fabian’s “cowardly” tactics, Hannibal continues ravaging the countryside but now leaves untouched any properties belonging to Fabius. People in Rome begin to whisper about the possibility of Fabius having some kind of secret deal with Hannibal. Hannibal seeks to turn the people against Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus. The people insult him in the street, naming him Cunctator, Delayer. Fabius, however, is biding time for the perfect moment.

That moment comes when Hannibal enters Ager Falernus. There are only eight ways in or out of this terrain for an army the size of Hannibal's. Five are blocked by a river, impossible to defend; two held by Rome in fortified positions: and the other three Fabius is rapidly plugging with surplus troops, leaving Hannibal nowhere to retreat. Eventually they must starve and therefore Fabian has no reason to force the engagement on anything but perfect ground.

One night, Roman sentries spot a number of torches heading towards one of the exits. Hannibal is clearly trying to escape as the rest of the world sleeps. These sentries, despite Fabius’ orders to hold position, rush to engage the army of torches in a decisive victory on their own terms in traditional Roman fashion. But when they arrive, they find a number of oxen with torches attached to their horns. Meanwhile, Hannibal slips away under cover of night.

This was not the will of Fabius, those men had acted without orders, but it occurred under his supervision and was thus his responsibility. The people of Rome, highly dissatisfied with what they see as Fabius’ cowardly tactics, now elect the Master of Horse Marcus Minutius Rufus as co-dictator. The great power of dictator exists in the lack of accountability and bureaucracy. Two consuls are elected during normal Roman rule to balance the other. These two are also accountable to the Senate. Yet in times of war two consuls create potentially problematic circumstances, such as that faced by Publius Cornelius Scipio and Longus Sempronius. To elect a co-dictator when the position of dictator has been created to circumvent the red tape entanglements of co-consuls undermines everything the office once stood for, and has disastrous results. This has never been done before and serves only to show how much the Roman people loathe a year without a convincing victory against Hannibal.

Minucius takes his half of the Roman army and charges, like every other Roman general before him and, like every other general, is immediately out-maneuvered. His legion is nearly-wiped out and would have been had Fabian not jumped in to save the day. Minucius realizes his mistakes, resigns as co-dictator and resumes his subservient role, humbled by defeat, with a newfound respect for Fabius’ tactics. Unfortunately other Romans still have not.

The people of Rome throw Fabius out of office by the end of 217 BC, electing as consuls Gaius Terentius Varro and Lucius Aemilius Paullus. Gaius hails from a family noted for its corruption and martial ineptitude; Lucius from the patrician-aristocratic Aemelii Paulii who disband within a generation, ironically being adopted into the two families who save Rome. These are humiliating ends for the Houses of these soon-to-be-humiliated consuls, for both have run on platforms of traditional Roman values: force is defeated by greater force. These new consuls raise a substantial army during the winter of 217-216 BC. They will not have to wait long, for it has been a hard winter for Hannibal and his troops are hungry. He seizes a Roman supply depot at Cannae and between them, Varro and Paullus lead 80,000 troops against this position. Hannibal has 40,000 Carthaginian mercenaries, Gaul recruits and Numidian cavalry.

If you like this content, please support Shaft by following him on Twitter (@TheOnlyShaft) and subscribing on YouTube.