7. The Double Envelopment: Tactical Genius
At Cannae, Hannibal unveiled the legendary double envelopment—a maneuver that stunned the ancient world. As the Romans pressed forward, Hannibal’s center gradually gave ground while his flanks, anchored by elite African infantry, curled inward. This “pincer” movement trapped the Roman legions on all sides, creating a deadly killing zone. Rarely attempted so effectively before, this tactic became a model for encirclement in later battles—from Frederick the Great at Leuthen to the German army at Tannenberg.
