Following Q. Fabius Maximus — the Second Punic War

Q. Fabius Maximus (c. 275 – 203 BC), Rome. The Delayer. Dictator after Trasimene, he refused Hannibal the battle he wanted and taught Rome to survive; five times consul, princeps senatus, and the last voice against Scipio’s African plan.

Dictator; Consul (suffect); Consul; Consul; Princeps senatus.

Died in 203 BC, in extreme old age, the year Hannibal left Italy.

Died August 203 BC. Livy 30.26.7: died in 203, the month unrecorded — placed mid-year.

The itinerary — 18 stops, Summer 217 BC to Summer 203 BC

  1. Rome — Summer 217 BC: Named dictator by the people after Trasimene. (Livy 22.8–9)
  2. Near Aecae — Summer 217 BC: Camps six miles from Hannibal and declines battle — the strategy begins. (Livy 22.12)
  3. The Callicula pass — Autumn 217 BC: Hannibal boxed in the Falernian plain; the night of the oxen with burning horns. (Livy 22.15–17)
  4. Near Larinum — Autumn 217 BC: Facing Hannibal’s winter base at Gerunium. (Livy 22.18)
  5. Rome — Autumn 217 BC: Recalled to Rome for sacrifices; Minucius left in command. (Livy 22.18)
  6. Near Larinum — Autumn 217 BC: Returns to rescue Minucius, who has been given equal command and walked into a trap. (Livy 22.28–30)
  7. Rome — Winter 217 BC: Lays down the dictatorship; after Cannae, the senate’s steadying hand. (Livy 22.31; 22.55)
  8. Cales — Spring 215 BC: Consul in Marcellus’ place; the Campanian campaign from Cales. (Livy 23.31–32; 23.39)
  9. Castra Claudiana above Suessula — Autumn 215 BC (Livy 23.39)
  10. Rome — Autumn 215 BC: Re-elected consul for 214 after his own intervention at the poll. (Livy 24.7–9)
  11. Casilinum — Spring 214 BC: Retakes Casilinum with Marcellus. (Livy 24.19)
  12. Telesia and the Samnite towns — Summer 214 BC: Compulteria, Telesia, Compsa and others recovered. (Livy 24.20)
  13. Rome — Autumn 214 BC: His son consul for 213. (Livy 24.43–44)
  14. Arpi — Summer 213 BC: Serves as legate under his own son; Arpi recovered by a night escalade in the rain. (Livy 24.45–47)
  15. Rome — Summer 213 BC: Princeps senatus through the years of Capua and Syracuse. (Livy 25–27)
  16. Manduria — Spring 209 BC: Taken on the march to Tarentum. (Livy 27.15)
  17. Tarentum — Summer 209 BC: Tarentum retaken by treachery and sacked; “let the Tarentines keep their angry gods.” (Livy 27.15–16; Plutarch, Fabius 21–23)
  18. Rome — Summer 209 BC: Opposes Scipio’s African expedition in 205; dies in 203. (Livy 28.40–45; 30.26)

Battles fought

  • Escape from the Ager Falernus — Autumn 217 BC — defeat
  • Battle of Geronium — Autumn 217 BC — inconclusive
  • Recapture of Tarentum — Summer 209 BC — victory