Gerunium 217

GERUNIUM 217 B.C.

Tegen het einde van het jaar wordt Fabius teruggeroepen naar Rome. Er is grote onvrede onder de bevolking en die is ontstaan door zijn afwachtende houding. Vooral de ontsnapping uit de Caudijnse passen heeft Fabius veel ‘goodwill’ gekost. In afwezigheid van Fabius, neemt de bevelhebber van de Romeinse ruiterij zijn kansen waar en treedt wat agressiever op tegen de Numidische plunderaars. De tactiek van Hannibal, waarbij 1/3 van zijn leger in Gerunium de wacht houdt en 2/3 van zijn leger de omgeving afstroopt, gaat niet meer op, wanneer Marcus Minucius een legerkamp optrekt in het dichtbij gelegen Larinatische gebied.

In een paar gelukkig afgelopen ruiter- en voorpostengevechten komt Minucius nu als de grote man bij de Romeinen over. Municius wordt prompt als co-dictator aangesteld en Fabius en Municius gaan ieder hun eigen weg met een eigen leger. Dat werkt bijna catastrofaal, wanneer Hannibal de al te ijverig volgende Municius dreigt in te sluiten. Een geforceerde mars van Fabius kan erger voorkomen. Daarmee is het laatste wapenfeit dat jaar in Italië tot het verleden gaan behoren en de legers zoeken zo langzamerhand hun winterkwartieren op.

GERUNIUM 217 B.C.

Sometimes Hannibal had to fight with two Roman armies. Such an event took place by the end of the year 217 B.C.

By the end of that year dictator Fabius (the cunctator) is called back to Rome. There is great discontent among the population caused by his cautious attitude. Especially the escape from the Caudinian mountains by Hannibal has cost Fabius much goodwill. In the absence of Fabius, the commander of the Roman cavalry (Minucius) takes his chances and he undertakes more aggressive actions against the Numidian looters. The tactics of Hannibal, in which 1/3 of its army in Gerunium keeps watch and 2/3 of his army roaming the area, no longer applies when Marcus Minucius clears an army camp in the nearby area Larinatische.

In a few lucky last outpost riding and fighting is Minucius now the hero with the Romans. Municius promptly is appointed as co-dictator. Fabius and Municius go their own way with their own army. That works almost catastrophic, when Hannibal threatened to close in the uncautious Municius. Municius encamp a few kilometers away to Larinum. Hannibal had originally deployed two-thirds of his army to forage, but by the presence of proximity by Municius that can now only be done by a third of the army, and that hinders the provisioning very much. Between the two camps lies a hill that keeps Hannibal occupied. Municius knows, however, that hill to conquer and he also knows how to intercept the provisionors of Hannibal's army some time. Only when Hannibal has put his entire army together again, he may proceed to the counter-attack.

Somewhat later Hannibal set up a trap for Municius. He hides some departments of his army in ambush in the valleys between the hills and one department openly shows himself as decoys. Municius comes with his army recklessly forward with the intention to consume this Carthaginian army division, but Municius is then suddenly attacked by the other hidden drawn Carthaginian army divisions and his army suffered heavy losses. He can only withdraw from the fight with the help of Fabius. A forced march of Fabius can prevent worse. This is the latest achievement that year in Italy and the armies seek gradually to their winter quarters.

(Maps are from Kromayer/Veith).