The Cannae Problem

The Cannae Problem It's August 2, 216 BCE. The Roman army stands in formation under the blistering Italian sun. Eight legions strong—the largest force Rome has ever fielded—nearly 80,000 men await the order to advance. Across the plain at Cannae stands Hannibal's army, outnumbered almost two-to-one. The Roman commanders, Consuls Varro and Paullus, feel confident. How could they not? They've assembled the greatest concentration of Roman military might in history specifically to crush this Carthaginian invader who has plagued Italy for two years. By sunset, 50,000-70,000 Romans lie dead or captured. The remaining survivors flee in disarray. It is the worst defeat Rome will ever suffer. What happened? The Romans fell victim to "The Cannae Problem"—when an organization's conventional wisdom, its tried-and-true methodologies, its fundamental understanding of how the world works—becomes the very thing that destroys it. The Romans knew how to win battles. They had a system. It had worke ... Read full article.