Battle of Geronium 217 BC
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Recorded location from Wikidata; battle sites are often approximate.
Key facts
| Year | 217 BC | Wikidata P585 (point in time) |
|---|---|---|
| Era | Ancient (before 500) | derived from year |
| Location | Italy | Natural Earth (modern borders) |
| Continent | Europe | Natural Earth |
| War / conflict | Second Punic War | Wikidata P361 |
| Coordinates | 41.7618, 14.7334 | Wikidata P625 |
About the battle
The Battle of Geronium (also spelled Gerunium) was a significant engagement fought between the forces of Carthage and the Roman Republic during the summer and autumn of 217 BC, amid the broader context of the Second Punic War. The confrontation resulted in a tactical victory for the Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca, consolidating his position in southern Italy and further undermining Roman morale.
Following his successful maneuvering in the Battle of Ager Falernus, Hannibal led his army northward before turning east toward Molise, passing through the rugged terrain of Samnium. Throughout this movement, he was shadowed by Roman forces under the command of Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, who continued to implement his strategy of attrition—later known as the Fabian strategy—deliberately avoiding pitched battle with Hannibal's superior tactical forces.
Fabius's cautious approach, while militarily prudent, was politically unpopular in Rome. Facing criticism, he temporarily returned to the city under the pretense of performing religious duties, leaving his second-in-command, Marcus Minucius Rufus, in operational control.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Battle of Geronium (revision 1370441475), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: excerpted from the article lead section; shortened by selecting paragraphs and trimming at a sentence boundary; formatting and citations removed. No text added.
Nearby battles
- Battle of Bovianum 305 BC · 38 km
- Battle of Civitate 1053 · 44 km
- Battle of Castel di Sangro 1815 · 52 km
- Battle of Ager Falernus 217 BC · 66 km
- Battle of Benevento 1266 · 70 km
- Battle of Beneventum (275 BC) 275 BC · 70 km
Other battles of the Second Punic War
- Battle of Lilybaeum 218 BC
- Battle of Ticinus 218 BC
- Battle of the Rhône Crossing 218 BC
- Battle of the Trebia 218 BC
- Siege of Mutina (218 BC) 218 BC
- Battle of Ager Falernus 217 BC
- Battle of Ebro River 217 BC
- Battle of Lake Trasimene 217 BC
- Battle of Cannae 216 BC
- Battle of Nola (216 BC) 216 BC
All 50 battles of the Second Punic War →
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