Page "Hannibal" Paragraph 22

The other Roman consular army was rushed to the Po Valley.

Even before news of the defeat at Ticinus had reached Rome, the Senate had ordered the Consul Sempronius Longus to bring his army back from Sicily to meet Scipio and face Hannibal.

Hannibal, by skillful maneuvers, was in position to head him off, for he lay on the direct road between Placentia and Arminum, by which Sempronius would have to march to reinforce Scipio.

He then captured Clastidium, from which he drew large amounts of supplies for his men.

But this gain was not without its loss, as Sempronius avoided Hannibal's watchfulness, slipped around his flank, and joined his colleague in his camp near the Trebia River near Placentia.

There, in December of the same year, Hannibal had an opportunity to show his masterful military skill at Trebia ; where after wearing down the superior Roman infantry he then cut it to pieces with a surprise attack and ambush from the flanks.