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Battle of Cynocephalae

197 BC

Rome vs. Philip V of Macedon Philip allied himself with Hannibal after Cannae; Rome

found out.

Post 2nd Punic War Rome controlled: Italy from the Alps to the heel.

Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Eastern Spain, Southern Gaul,Northern Africa to Egypt

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The Roman Commander

Titus Flaminius invaded Thessaly with two

legions (Cannae veterans away from home

for 14 years now) as vengeance for Philipsallegiance with Hannibal.

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Disposition of Forces

8,400 infantry and

10,000 Italian allies;

4,000 phalangitesand

2,000 peltasts fromthe Aetolian league;

a total of some 2,600cavalry (including400 Aetolian); and

around 20 elephants.

16,000 phalangites,

1,500 mercenaries, 4,000 peltasts,

2,000 light armedThracians and

2,000 Illyrians, and about 2,000 cavalry

total

Roman Philip V

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Battle Itself

Happened near Cynocephalae Dogs Heads

hilly, rocky ridges in Greece.

Starts small by accident, both sides throw

all their main forces in.

The Roman reserve (the Triarii, about 2,000

men), led by a Tribune, attack theMacedonian phalanx in the rear.

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The Macedonian Left falls back when Flaminius

orders his Right to attack with elephants

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Significance of Cynocephalae

Mobility of the Roman legions (small, independent units

working as a whole) outperform Macedonian phalanx

(supreme military formation since 350-197 BC).

The Macedonians raise theirsarissa as a sign of surrender,

but the Romans dont (or wont understand).

Losses:Macedonian, 7-8,000 killed; 4-5,000 captured

Roman, 1,000 killed

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Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, now 53, dies in

183 BC, a political outcast in Rome.

Hannibal Barca, now 63 and labeled an outlaw,

takes poison while in Libyssa the same year.

14 years later