Battle of the Silarus

Battle of the Silarus
Part of the Second Punic War
Date 212 BC Location near Silarus River (modern Sele River, Campania), Italy Result Carthaginian victory
Belligerents
Carthage	Roman Republic
Commanders and leaders
Hannibal	Marcus Centenius Penula
Casualties and losses
moderate	entire army destroyed

The Battle of the Silarus was fought in 212 BC between Hannibal's army and a Roman force led by praetor Marcus Centenius Penula. The Carthaginians were victorious, destroying the entire Roman army.

Marcus Centenius was ambushed by Hannibal and completely routed. The Roman cause was made worse by the fact their Estrucan allies fled creating panic. Hannibal surrounded the remaining Romans and hacked them down. He then took Marcus's ring from his finger and tried to use it in Marcus's name but to no avail. Once again the Romans showed their persistence by refusal to surrender to Hannibal. Nevertheless Hannibal was still unbeaten on Italian soil.