A Second Disaster in Etruria
About the same time as the battle of Thrasymene,
note
the Consul Gnaeus Servilius, who had been
stationed on duty at Ariminum,—which
is on the coast of the Adriatic, where the
plains of Cis-Alpine Gaul join the rest of Italy, not far from
the mouths of the Padus,—having heard that Hannibal had
entered Etruria and was encamped near Flaminius, designed
to join the latter with his whole army. But finding himself
hampered by the difficulty of transporting so heavy a force, he
sent Gaius Centenius forward in haste with four thousand
horse, intending that he should be there before himself in case
of need. But Hannibal, getting early intelligence after the
battle of Thrasymene of this reinforcement of the enemy, sent
Maharbal with his light-armed troops, and a detachment of
cavalry, who falling in with Gaius, killed nearly half his men
at the first encounter; and having pursued the remainder to a
certain hill, on the very next day took them all prisoners.
The news of the battle of Thrasymene was three days' old at
Rome, and the sorrow caused by it was, so to speak, at its
hottest, when this further disaster was announced. The consternation caused by it was no longer confined to the people.
The Senate now fully shared in it; and it was resolved that the
usual annual arrangements for the election of magistrates
should be suspended, and a more radical remedy be sought
for the present dangers; for they came to the conclusion that
their affairs were in such a state, as to require a commander
with absolute powers.
Feeling now entirely confident of success, Hannibal rejected
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the idea of approaching Rome for the present; but traversed
the country plundering it without resistance, and
directing his march towards the coast of the
Adriatic. note Having passed through Umbria and
Picenum, he came upon the coast after a ten days' march
with such enormous booty, that the army could neither
drive nor carry all the wealth which they had taken, and
after killing a large number of people on his road. For
the order was given, usual in the storming of cities, to kill
all adults who came in their way; an order which Hannibal was
prompted to give now by his deep-seated hatred of Rome. note
