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s a response to the Carthaginian threat, The Romans intensified their attacks on the foraging
Rome appointed Quintus Fabius Maximus parties. As his aggressive tactics seemed to be paying
Verrucosus as dictator for one year. In his off, Minucius decided to risk storming the newly built
adopted strategy (called the ‘Fabian strat- fort with the all the forces he had available.
egy’), the Roman army would shadow the
enemy and harass them, cutting off supply lines, and Hannibal found himself with only a fraction of his
win by a war of attrition. Rome would only engage forces (some out foraging and some in Geronium) and
the Carthaginians when the terms were favourable. facing the Roman army. Some historians say he sallied
forth to meet the attackers, but Polybius states he de-
At Ager Falernus, Fabius successfully surrounded Han- fended the fort (the most likely option).
nibal’s army and fortified all the passes and bridges out
of the area. Cut off from their supply lines, it would only Despite the Roman losses (approximately 5000 dead to
be a matter of time before the Carthaginians’ provisions 6000 enemies), Minucius’ attack was seen as a great vic-
would run out and they would starve. However, Fabius tory. Hannibal abandoned the fort and retreated to Gero-
hadn’t allowed for the ingenuity of the Carthaginian nium. The Senate of Rome elevated Minucius to the equal
general. Hannibal attacked one of the outposts guarding rank of dictator (much to Fabius’ probable annoyance).
a pass at night, using stampeding oxen with firebrands
lashed to their tails. These, supported by the Carthagin- Fabius offered Minucius a choice: either control the
ian infantry, broke the Roman guards and took the pass. army on alternate days (as was the Roman custom) or
Fearing further ambushes at night, Fabius waited until take control of half the Roman army. Minucius chose
dawn before following after the Carthaginians. the latter and camped his half of the army separately
from Fabius, closer to Geronium. Watching these devel-
Fabius’ strategy, however, became unpopular in Rome, opments closely and learning from prisoners of the rift
and he was recalled to defend his actions, leaving his sec- in the Roman command structure and of Minucius’ am-
ond-in-command Marcus Minucius Rufus in command. bition, Hannibal saw an opportunity. If he could trick
Meanwhile, Hannibal had taken the city of Geronium, Minucius into attacking, he could surround his army
intending to spend the winter there. Disobeying orders, and defeat it. But it would take skill to entice the Ro-
Minucius moved his camp closer to the city and sought to man general into attacking…
actively engage the enemy. When some of the Carthagin-
ians left the city to forage, he saw an opportunity to harass THE BATTLE OF GERONIUM
and harry them. At this point Hannibal’s greatest asset, his Initially, the Carthaginians had been facing a Roman
numerically superior cavalry, were being rested and thus force that outnumbered them. With the rift in the Ro-
they were mostly absent from the coming battles. man camp, the force facing them had been halved.
THE FIRST SKIRMISHES Hannibal’s plan was simple: lure the Romans into a skir-
Initially, Hannibal built a camp overlooking the Roman mish battle and then slowly increase the forces involved,
position, guarded by 2000 Numidian spearmen, but this forcing the Romans to commit even more forces and
was stormed by the Romans. A second Carthaginian eventually the Legions to try and win the fight. When
camp was built outside the town to defend and support the legions were in the heat of battle, Hannibal would
the foraging effort, giving safe refuge from Roman attack. unleash his hidden flanking force and surround them.