Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War [Hardcover]

Gregory Daly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0415261473 | ISBN-13: 978-0415261470 | Edition: 1

On a hot and dusty summer's day in 216 BC, the forces of the Carthaginian general Hannibal faced the Roman army in a dramatic encounter at Cannae. Massively outnumbered, the Carthaginians nevertheless won an astonishing victory - one that left more than 50,000 men dead.
Gregory Daly's enthralling study considers the reasons that led the two armies to the field of battle, and why each followed the course that they did when they got there. It explores in detail the composition of the armies, and the tactics and leadership methods of the opposing generals. Finally, by focusing on the experiences of those who fought, Daly gives an unparalleled portrait of the true horror and chaos of ancient warfare.
This striking and vivid account is the fullest yet of the bloodiest battle in ancient history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Cannae, the most detailed analysis of the battle that this writer has seen, will be of immense interest to any student of warfare in Classical Antiquity." –The NYMAS Review

About the Author

Gregory Daly is a senior tutor at the University College Dublin.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (March 22, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415261473
• ISBN-13: 978-0415261470
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,742,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent study of an ancient battle, January 11, 2004

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War (Hardcover)

Battle of Cannae was one of the most complete victories ever won over the famed Roman legions by any of her many opponents. Fought during the Second Punic War, Hannibal who won this great tactical victory will be forever be remembered by it. This battle set the standard of what we would regard as a total tactical victory on the battlefield. Gregory Daly's book goes into considerable details on how this event took places, forces and commanders involved and lay-out of the battle, location, formations and conditions. Daly's put considerable effort into his research and what we have here is a very definitive book on the battle of Cannae. Its also helped that I thought Gregory Daly wrote pretty well, nicely paced and clearly written. Anyone with a slightest interest in this time period should buy this book.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Read!!, October 15, 2005

By 

Mario E. Valdes-lora - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down. Although the available references for this battle are rather limited (primarily Polybius and Livy) Daly does a masterful job of combing the ancient sources for evidence of what the experience of combat must have been like for the Carthaginians and Romans on that hot day. He uses much of what Victor Hanson has written regarding ancient warfare, John Keegan's analytical framework and considerable thought and insight to weave a "face of battle" picture of the event. The work has great information on the composition and tactics of the armies and a wonderful description of the manipular legion at work. A must read if you are even remotely interested in ancient warfare.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive Treaty on the Epic Battle, May 30, 2009

By 

Ronin - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Cannae: The Experience of Battle in the Second Punic War (Hardcover)

If you are a student of ancient warfare, this is a must read. Together with Livy & Polybius (who are widely quoted throughout the book), this is an essential reference book for a detailed study of one of the greatest battles in antiquity.

The book includes 7-maps and 10-figures that help visualize geography and troop dispositions, however I would have liked a few more of the latter. The Osprey books "Roman Battle Tactics" and "Cannae" can help make up for this. There is excellent coverage of the maniple system as it was in 216, and a decent figure is included here.

The book begins with a general description of Rome and Carthage during this age, followed by a chapter outlining the events that led to the battle. Chapters are dedicated to detailed study of both armies and their command. The final chapter is particularly well done, where Daly takes us into the midst of the battle and delivers a high quality perspective on the experience of both the commanders, and the massive number of troops who fought and died on this terrible day.

While this is essentially a text book, it kept me turning the pages and wanting more. Enjoy.