Death Of Marcellus

[pompeius magnus]

With the death of Marcellus as a result of an infamous ambush by Hannibal, Rome lost their best general, outside of Fabius, so far in the war. What was the impact of this on the war, could the war have been won sooner, or was it for the most part unimportant in the speed and outcome of the war.

[Lacertus]

Really, Marcus Claudius Marcellus has made so much for a victory above Hannibal. His death was tragically and at the same time nonsensicall. He has got in an ambush together with the not numerous group during reconnaissance of place and has been killed. Why such talented commander has shown similar unconcern? Especially the enemy was about and Marcellus should know about it. (He specially tried to set up camp as closer as possible to camp Hannibal to limit forage the enemy.)

Probably, unconcern has appeared together with confidence of his forces. Marcellus was confident the chosen strategy and the future victory. Yes, it is possible his death put off the end of war, but I think, that not much more. There would be no victory at Zama in 202BC; there would be other victory in 203 or 204. The death of Marcellus has put off a victory no more than for 1-2 years. It is difficult to answer such questions unambiguously.

All right, this my opinion only.

[P.Clodius]

M. Claudius Marcellus was a sore loss for the Romans and a coup for Hannibal. But by the time of his death, the Cartheginians had lost the initiative, never to regain it. What should have been Hannibal's finest hour after Cannae was squandered. Marcellus was 6 times Consul, last Roman general to win the Spoila Optima, the conquerer of Syracuse and an avid hellenophile. A great commander whose determination was the antithesis of Fabienism.