Ancient World
Hannibal Crossing the Alps (218 BC): Elephants Into Italy
Hannibal reached northern Italy with about 26,000 men and a few dozen elephants, opening the Italian campaign of the Second Punic War.
Region
Europe
Ancient World
Second Punic War (218-201 BC): Hannibal Against Rome
Roman victory; Carthage lost Spain and its navy, paid 10,000 talents, and Rome became the dominant power of the western Mediterranean.
Ancient World
Fabian Strategy (217 BC): Fabius Maximus, the Delayer
Rome avoided further disaster in 217 BC; the strategy was dropped in 216, then readopted after Cannae and helped Rome outlast Hannibal in Italy.
Ancient World
Battle of Lake Trasimene (217 BC): The Great Roman Ambush
Decisive Carthaginian victory; Flaminius and about 15,000 Romans were killed and a similar number captured, and Rome appointed Fabius Maximus dictator.
Ancient World
Battle of Cannae (216 BC): Hannibal's Masterpiece of Encirclement
Decisive Carthaginian victory; most of the Roman army was killed or captured, and Capua and much of southern Italy went over to Hannibal.
Ancient World
Battle of the Metaurus (207 BC): Hasdrubal's Defeat in Italy
Decisive Roman victory; Hasdrubal was killed and his army destroyed, leaving Hannibal isolated in southern Italy.
Ancient World
Battle of Ilipa (206 BC): Scipio Wins Spain From Carthage
Decisive Roman victory; the Carthaginian field army in Spain was destroyed and Carthage lost the Iberian Peninsula.
Ancient World
Roman Concrete: How Opus Caementicium Built an Empire
Concrete allowed Romans to build vaults, domes and sea harbours on a new scale, and many structures still stand after two thousand years.
Ancient World
Battle of Cynoscephalae (197 BC): Legion Against Phalanx
Decisive Roman victory; Philip V accepted peace, gave up his Greek possessions and paid an indemnity.
Ancient World
Repeal of the Lex Oppia (195 BC): Roman Women's Protest
The Lex Oppia was repealed after a public demonstration by Roman women, over the objections of the consul Cato.
Ancient World
Bacchanalia Affair (186 BC): Rome's Crackdown on a Cult
The Senate banned unauthorised Bacchic gatherings throughout Italy; thousands were arrested and many executed.
Ancient World
Pergamon Altar (c. 170 BC): Masterpiece of the Attalid Kingdom
The altar became the masterpiece of Hellenistic sculpture; Pergamon passed to Rome in 133 BC and the frieze was moved to Berlin in the 1870s–1880s.