This hypothetical battle takes place in the Second Punic War. Hannibal has successfully evaded the Roman general Quintus Fabius, moved down the Italian peninsula to the isthmus of Bruttium and crossed the Straits of Messina to Sicily. He hopes the presence of a large Carthaginian army will cause the inhabitants of the province to renounce Rome, and embrace the sphere of influence of Carthage.

Following the disastrous Battle of Cannae, the Roman Senate elected to follow a policy of . Hannibal and his army were to be bottled up in the toe of Italy. His sudden appearance on the strategically important island of Sicily threatened their long-time trading alliances around the Mediterranean. The Senate was obliged to take more aggressive action: the Carthaginian empire would not be allowed to expand at Rome’s expense.

The Senate immediately recalled Gnaeus Scipio and his legions from Spain, where he was preparing to campaign against Mago, Hannibal’s brother. Scipio was ordered to Sicily to Rome’s wavering allies, punish anyone embracing the ‘new-world order’ and to defeat Hannibal in the field. The expectations of Scipio were very clear: Rome would not tolerate another Cannae.

confidant Scipio landed in Sicily with four legions and looked to bring the Carthaginians to an early battle. The bait was to be the citadel of Lecter. Lecter was the first town to go over to the Carthaginian cause, and was represented as a beacon of ‘enlightened’ Carthaginian governance. Hannibal would be obliged, by his government at home in Carthage, to support the town and its garrison against any aggressive Roman moves.

Scipio has besieged the citadel of Lecter, hoping to draw Hannibal to battle. Hannibal, reinforced from Carthage, has force-marched to Lecter, where the Romans are encamped outside the stronghold. The Roman army has been caught off-guard by the sudden appearance of the Carthaginian vanguard. Both armies hurriedly deploy on the plain in front of the citadel.

The future of Rome as the Mediterranean superpower is at stake. Will this be another Cannae?

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