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Ancient Rome, a state engaged in intense territorial expansion, fought countless wars over the centuries. Well-trained and equipped Roman troops, led by outstanding strategists, were capable of defeating even much larger opposing armies. However, there were also painful defeats, such as the defeat at Cannae and the catastrophe in the Teutoburg Forest.
Rome confirmed its military might as early as the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, defeating the Macedonian army at Cynoscephalae in Thessaly in 197 BCE. Seven years later, at Magnesia in Asia Minor, Roman legions defeated the Seleucid forces – one of the greatest powers of the Hellenistic world – proving themselves to be the superior army in the region. The crisis of Roman military power began to become apparent in the 3rd century CE; As a consequence, the process of “Germanization” of the army and the decline in its combat value contributed to the decline of both the army and the Roman state itself.
(198 BCE)
Battle of Aoi Stena gorge (198 BCE) is another clash characteristic of the wars in the Hellenistic East. After defeating Carthage, the Romans immediately turned their eyes to the Hellenistic East. The immediate cause of the intervention was an appeal from Rhodes and Pergamon, fearing Macedonian influence. Roman troops pushed Macedonian troops out of the gorge and forced them to withdraw.
(19 October 202 BCE)
Battle of Zama (202 BCE) was the great victory of Scipio Africanus over Hannibal, which resulted in the defeat of Carthage in the Second Punic War. The Roman commander used a brilliant tactic that allowed him to exclude from the fight Hannibal's most dangerous weapon - war elephants.
(203 BCE)
The fighting of the Second Punic War had been going on for over a decade. The scales of victory were tipping to the Roman side. In Italy, after his first victories, Hannibal became entangled in arduous fights which he could not win. In Spain and Sicily, the Romans defeated the Punians. To successfully end the war, the Sons of the Wolf had to attack Carthage on its territory.
(206 BCE)
In 206 BCE on the fields of south-eastern Spain, near the present-day town of Alcalá del Río, located 14 km north of Seville, the most brilliantly maneuverable battle of the Second Punic War took place - battle of Ilipa.
(22 June 207 BCE)
Battle of the Metaurus River (207 BCE) was a turning point in the Second Punic War in Italy. After the pogrom of Hasdrubal's army, Hannibal had to give up further fighting in the Apennine Peninsula.
