Page:General History of Europe 1921.djvu/193

 Rome and Carthage 133 siege and so preferred to wait for another victory in the hope that the allies of Rome might be induced to desert her and help him besiege the city. 208. Battle of Cannae (216 B.C.). The Romans now appointed a Dictator, a prudent old citizen named Fabius. He so irritated the Roman people by his caution that he was known as the "hesitator," and we still speak of a policy of delay as a Fabian policy. Nothing of importance happened for a year, when in 216 B.C. the newly elected Roman consuls collected an army of nearly seventy thousand men and marched southward, where Hannibal and his army were operating. At Cannae the Romans met one of the most terrible reverses in their history. Hannibal managed skillfully to surround their army, and what ensued was simply a slaughter of the doomed Romans. When night came the Roman army was annihilated. Ex-consuls, senators, and thousands of the best citizens of Rome had fallen in this frightful battle. Every family in Rome was in mourning. Of the gold rings worn by Roman knights as an indi- cation of their rank Hannibal is reported to have sent a bushel to Carthage. 209. Hannibal's Statesmanship versus Roman Power. Thus this masterful young Carthaginian, within two years after his arrival in Italy and before he was thirty years of age, had defeated his mighty antagonist. Within a few years southern Italy, in- cluding the Greek cities and even Syracuse in Sicily, forsook Rome and joined Hannibal. But opposing him was the dogged resolu- tion and the seemingly inexhaustible numbers of the Romans. It was a battle of giants for mastery, for the victor in this struggle would without any question become the greatest power in the Mediterranean. In spite of Hannibal's successes, the steadiness and fine leadership of the Roman Senate held central Italy loyal to Rome. The Romans were finally compelled to include slaves and mere boys in the new armies which were formed. With these forces the Romans proceeded to besiege and capture, one after another, the allied cities which had revolted against Rome and joined Hannibal.