Battle of Beneventum

Overview

The Battle of Beneventum was fought in 214 BC near modern Benevento during the Second Punic War. Roman legions under Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus defeated Hanno's Carthaginian forces, denying Hannibal reinforcements. Livy gives a brief description of the battle, which was part of the Roman campaign to subdue the southern Italian city-states that had joined Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Beneventum was fought near modern Benevento during the Second Punic War as part of Rome's effort to reassert control over the southern Italian city-states that had defected to Hannibal following the Roman catastrophe at Cannae. Roman forces under Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus defeated Hanno's Carthaginian army, inflicting casualties recorded at some 16,200 against a Roman loss of approximately 2,000. The scale of the disparity indicates a decisive engagement. The battle's principal strategic consequence was denying Hannibal a reinforcement that Hanno's force represented, limiting Carthage's ability to consolidate its position in southern Italy. Coming in the period when Rome was working to reverse the diplomatic and military damage caused by Cannae, the victory at Beneventum formed part of the broader Roman campaign to isolate Hannibal from local allied support and Carthaginian resupply.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)