Trasimene

Trasimene, or the Battle of Lake Trasimene, was fought on 24 June 217 BCE during the Second Punic War between Carthage and the Roman Republic. It took place on the western shore of Lake Trasimeno in Umbria, near present-day Tuoro sul Trasimeno. The Carthaginian army, commanded by Hannibal, lured and surrounded a large Roman force led by consul Gaius Flaminius.

Hannibal had troops hidden in the hills and woodlands around the lake while Roman forces advanced along a narrow lakeside road. As the Romans pressed forward, they found themselves in a shallow valley with limited room to maneuver; Carthaginian forces emerged and attacked from multiple directions, trapping the Romans against the lake.

Flaminius was killed early in the engagement; the Roman legions were routed with heavy casualties, and thousands of Romans were killed or captured. The Carthaginians sustained far lighter losses, and the victory secured Hannibal's position in northern Italy for some time.

In the aftermath, Rome appointed Quintus Fabius Maximus as dictator and later adopted the Fabian strategy to avoid large-scale confrontations until more favorable conditions could be found. The battle had a profound effect on Roman military and political decision-making and is remembered as one of history's largest and most significant ambushes.