Battle of Piacenza (217 BC)

The Battle of Piacenza, also known as the Battle of Trebia, was a battle fought in 217 BC during the Second Punic War between the Carthaginian army of Hannibal and a Roman army commanded by Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus. The battle took place near the Roman colony of Placentia (modern Piacenza), in Cisalpine Gaul (modern northern Italy).

Hannibal, having crossed the Alps with his army, had been operating in northern Italy. Sempronius Longus, eager to engage Hannibal and gain a quick victory, against the advice of his colleague Publius Cornelius Scipio (who was recovering from a previous engagement), forced a battle.

Sempronius deployed his legions against Hannibal's combined force of infantry and cavalry. The Carthaginian cavalry, significantly superior in numbers and quality to the Roman cavalry, quickly routed the Roman horsemen. Hannibal also employed a flanking maneuver with a hidden detachment of troops led by his brother Mago, further destabilizing the Roman lines.

Despite the initial Roman infantry advantage, the combined effects of the Carthaginian cavalry superiority, the ambush by Mago, and the harsh winter conditions (which hampered the Roman soldiers who had been forced to cross the freezing Trebia river) resulted in a crushing defeat for the Romans. Sempronius himself barely escaped with his life.

The Battle of Piacenza was a significant victory for Hannibal, bolstering his position in Italy and demonstrating the effectiveness of his tactical brilliance. It also served as a stark warning to the Romans of the threat Hannibal posed and contributed to the overall strategic advantage the Carthaginians held in the early stages of the Second Punic War. The battle significantly lowered Roman morale and provided Gauls in the region with further incentive to join Hannibal's cause. Following the battle, the Romans were forced to withdraw and regroup, allowing Hannibal to continue his campaign southward into Italy.