In the summer of 216 BC was the great Battle of Cannae. This was Hannibal's finest hour, when he taught Rome a painful lesson. After having crossed the Alps in the winter with his elephants, Hannibal wreaked havoc in Rome and finally made his way to Cannae. Rome was preparing for the battle by sending 30,000 more soldiers than Hannibal's army. They planned to crush the enemy by force. The war was waged, with both sides trying to outmaneuver the other, until Rome's fatal mistake. They marched straight into the crescent of enemy, and then were closed in from all sides. The Romans lost many a soldier that day.
Picture: http://www.hannibalthewarrior.com/images/cannae_map.gif
