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changed gps coordinates according to maps in Goldsworthy (quoted many times in the article) and to maps of the battle in the article itself |
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| width =
| partof = the [[Second Punic War]]
| image = Battle of Trebbia (M. Merian) (cropped).png
| image_size = 300px
| alt =
| caption = [[Matthäus Merian the Elder]], "Battle of Trebbia" (1625)
| date = 22/23 December 218 BC
| place = West bank of the lower [[Trebbia River|Trebia River]], in modern north Italy
| coordinates = {{Coord|
| result = Carthaginian victory
| combatant1 = [[Roman Republic|Rome]]
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| commander1 = [[Tiberius Sempronius Longus (consul 218 BC)|Sempronius Longus]]
| commander2 = [[Hannibal]]
| strength2 = {{ubl|40,000 men|• 21,000 African or Iberian infantry|• 8,000 Gallic infantry|• 11,000 cavalry|• ~30 war elephants}}
| strength1 = {{ubl|40,000 men|• 16,000 Roman infantry|• 20,000 Italian allied infantry|• 4,000 cavalry}}
| casualties1 = {{ubl|20,000 killed|Many captured}}
| casualties2 = {{ubl|
| map_type = Italy North
| map_relief = 1
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}}
The '''
War broke out between Carthage and Rome in 218 BC. The leading Carthaginian general, Hannibal, responded by leading a large army out of [[Iberian Peninsula|Iberia]] (modern Spain and Portugal), through [[Gaul]], [[Hannibal's crossing of the Alps|across the Alps]] and into [[Cisalpine Gaul]] (in northern Italy). The Romans went on the attack against the reduced force which had survived the rigours of the march, and [[Publius Cornelius Scipio (consul 218 BC)|Publius Scipio]] personally led the cavalry and [[light infantry]] of the army he commanded against the Carthaginian cavalry at the [[Battle of Ticinus]]. The Romans were soundly beaten and Scipio was wounded. The Romans retreated to near Placentia, fortified their [[Military camp|camp]] and awaited reinforcement. The Roman army in [[Sicily]] under Sempronius was redeployed to the north and joined with Scipio's force. After a day of heavy skirmishing in which the Romans gained the upper hand, Sempronius was eager for a battle.
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[[File:Helmet typ Montefortino 01.jpg|thumb|right|upright=0.75|alt= a photograph of an inverted, polished, slightly tarnished, battered bronze hemisphere |{{center|The bowl of a [[Montefortino helmet|Montefortino-type helmet]], which was used by Roman infantry between c. 300 BC and 100 AD. The cheek guards are missing.}}]]
Most male Roman citizens were liable for military service and would serve as infantry, with a [[equites|better-off minority]] providing a cavalry component. Traditionally, when at war the Romans would raise two [[Roman legion|legions]], each of 4,200 infantry{{#tag:ref|This could be increased to 5,000 in some circumstances,{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|p=23}} or, rarely, even more.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=287}}|group=note}} and 300 cavalry. Approximately 1,200 of the infantry{{snd}}poorer or younger men unable to afford the armour and equipment of a standard [[legionary]]{{snd}}served as javelin-armed [[skirmisher]]s known as {{lang|la|velites}}; they each carried several javelins, which would be thrown from a distance, a short sword and a {{convert|90|cm|ft|0|adj=on}} circular shield.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=48}} The balance were equipped as [[heavy infantry]], with [[Body armor|body armour]], a large [[Scutum (shield)|shield]] and [[Gladius|short thrusting swords]]. They were divided into three ranks, of which the front rank, known as {{lang|la|[[hastati]]}}, also carried two javelins
A consular army was usually formed by combining a Roman legion with a similarly sized and equipped legion provided by their [[Socii|Latin allies]]; allied legions usually had a larger attached complement of cavalry than Roman ones.{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|pp=22–25}}{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=50}} In 218 BC each consul was leading a larger army of four legions, two Roman and two provided by its allies, for a total of approximately 20,000 men.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|pp=50, 227}}
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The next morning, either 22 or 23 December, was cold and snowy. Shortly before daybreak Hannibal sent his Numidian cavalry across the river to force back the Roman [[Picket (military)|pickets]] and provoke a fight. Meanwhile, the rest of his army ate an early breakfast and prepared for battle. When the Numidians appeared Sempronius ordered out all of his cavalry to chase them off. Polybius writes "the Numidians easily scattered and retreated, but afterwards wheeled round and attacked with great daring—these being their peculiar tactics."{{sfn|Koon|2015|pp=86–87}} The confrontation broke down into a wheeling mass of cavalry, but with the Numidians refusing to withdraw, Sempronius promptly ordered out first his 6,000 {{lang|la|velites}} and then his whole army; he was so eager to give battle that few, if any, of the Romans had eaten breakfast. The Numidians withdrew slowly and Sempronius pushed his whole army after them, in three columns, each {{convert|4|km|mi|sigfig=2}} long, through the icy waters of the Trebia, which was running chest-high. The Romans were met by the Carthaginian light infantry; behind them the entire Carthaginian army was forming up for battle. The Romans also organised themselves in battle formation and advanced.{{sfn|Lazenby|1996|pp=56–57}}{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=177}}
The cavalry of both sides fell back to their positions on the wings. The large number of light infantry in each army{{snd}}entirely javelin-men for the Romans, a mixture of javelin-men and [[Balearic slinger|slingers from the Balearics]] for the Carthaginians{{snd}}skirmished between the main armies. The Roman {{lang|la|velites}} had used many of their javelins against the Carthaginian cavalry, while the Carthaginian skirmishers were fully supplied, and the slingers among the Carthaginians outranged the {{lang|la|velites}} by some distance. As opposed to their opponents, the {{lang|la|velites}} were unfed, and also tired and cold from having forded the Trebia. For these reasons the Carthaginians got the better of the initial skirmishing and drove the {{lang|la|velites}} back through the gaps in their supporting heavy infantry. The Carthaginian light infantry then moved towards the flanks of their army and harassed the Roman cavalry with their missiles, before finally falling back behind their own cavalry as the gap between the armies closed.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|pp=178–179}}{{sfn|Carey|2007|p=53}}
=== Formations ===
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=== Casualties ===
There is debate among modern historians as to the Roman losses. Dexter Hoyos states that the only Roman survivors were the infantry who broke through the Carthaginian centre.{{sfn|Hoyos|2005|p=114}} Richard Miles says that "many" not in this group were killed;{{sfn|Miles|2011|p=270}} Nigel Bagnall writes that only a minority of the Roman cavalry survived.{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|p=176}} Goldsworthy states that the Romans "suffered heavily", but that "numbers of soldiers" straggled into Placentia or one of their camps in addition to the formed group of 10,000,{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=180}} while John Lazenby argues that outside of the
Carthaginian losses are generally agreed to have been several thousand of the Gallic infantry in the centre, a smaller number of their other infantry and of their cavalry; and several elephants.{{sfn|Lazenby|1996|p=57}}{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|p=176}}{{sfn|Hoyos|2005|p=114}} Many of the African infantry were re-equipped with captured Roman armour and weapons.{{sfn|Sabin|1996|p=74}}
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[[Category:218 BC|Trebia]]
[[Category:210s BC conflicts|Trebia]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Battles involving the Roman Republic]]
[[Category:Battles of the Second Punic War|Trebia]]
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