Battle Of Lake Trasimene Case Analysis

The Battle of Lake Trasimene is reviewed and analyzed to extract military lessons learned for use by military commanders when planning operations. The scenario preceding the battle are identified and the battle itself is outlined in chronological order. The successes and failures of Hannibal Barca and Consul Gaius-Flaminius are deconstructed and evaluated. The identification of cause-effect in relation to each step of the battle is exploited to develop consistent relevant lessons pertaining to war. An alternate outcome for the battle is proposed and analyzed by conducting scenario-driven backwards analysis. The hypothesis of the validity of the alternate outcome is tested against facts and reasonable assumptions which provide parameters

This statement can apply from making a personal decision about buying a house, to deciding whether or not to go to war. While the exact same situation may not occur, history provides a solid case study as to what happened, why it happened, what decisions were made, and what were the results of those decisions. In the case of military commanders, analysis of historical events can lead to better decision making which can save lives, alter battles, and win wars. When leaders make faulty decisions it can result in the failure of a mission and the loss of lives. The Roman army was powerful and had seasoned commanders and soldiers serving throughout its ranks. They had fought and won countless battles, but even with all this experience, even one fault can result in defeat. One such example is that of the Roman army in its skirmishes and battles with the Carthaginian army during the Second Punic War. The Roman army suffered defeat during several battles throughout this war. One instance of this was the Battle of Lake Trasimene (Cottrell, 1992). While several factors contributed to the victory by the Carthaginians and the defeat of the Roman army, there is one cause that served as a basis for their failure. Had the Roman army effectively employed intelligence and reconnaissance assets, it would have won the Battle of Lake Trasimene, and ended the Second Punic War. The Battle of Lake Trasimene took place in late June of 217 BC along the north side of what is today known as Lago Trasimeno in the Province of Perugia, Italy. This battle consisted of two major armies, the Roman army led by the Roman consul Gaius-Flaminius, and the Punic Carthaginian army and its allies led by Hannibal Barca (Grundy,