1. Battle of Cannae (216 BCE)
In 216 BCE, during the Second Punic War, the Roman Republic faced one of its most devastating defeats at the Battle of Cannae. Carthaginian general Hannibal employed a brilliant double envelopment tactic, leading to the annihilation of a Roman army approximately twice the size of his own. This catastrophic loss, with estimates of up to 70,000 Roman soldiers killed, had profound effects on Rome’s military strategy and morale. (history.com)
