BATTLE OF THE METAURUS
207 BC
 

The Battle of the Metaurus was part of the Second Punic War.

The lower valley of today's Metauro River in central Italy, between Rimini and Ancona, was the ancient Metaurus. In 207 BC, the Romans defeated the Carthaginians here.

The Romans were led by Marcus Livius Salinator and Caius Claudius Nero. The Carthaginians were led by Hasdrubal, who was the brother of famous Hannibal, who by the way was marching on Rome at the time. Hannibal was counting on his brother's success in this battle because he badly needed his army's support.

It didn't work out.

Hasdrubal fell in the battle of Metaurus and Hannibal didn't get the military aid he had hoped for. Instead, all he got was Hasdrubal's head, which was thrown into his camp by the Romans.

Hannibal had to withdraw and eventually abandon his invasion of Italy.