Battle of the Trebia
218 BCE · Italy
The Battle of the Trebia was fought in 218 BCE in Italy between Carthage vs the Roman Republic; decisive Carthaginian victory; Hannibal's first major battle in Italy.
Battle of the Trebia: quick facts
- Date
- 218 BCE
- Location
- Italy
- Belligerents
- Carthage vs the Roman Republic
- Commanders
- Hannibal vs Tiberius Sempronius Longus
- Result
- decisive Carthaginian victory; Hannibal's first major battle in Italy.
- Era
- 🏺 Ancient Greece & Rome
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of the Trebia?
Hannibal lured the impetuous Roman consul Sempronius into crossing the freezing Trebia River at dawn, forcing the Romans to fight cold, wet, and hungry. While his infantry held the Roman center, Hannibal's brother Mago sprang from concealment with 2,000 soldiers and attacked the Roman rear. The Roman army was virtually destroyed, marking Hannibal's first great victory on Italian soil after his famous crossing of the Alps.
Did you know?
At the Trebia, Hannibal had his brother Mago and 2,000 men hide in a ravine overnight. They were so well concealed that the Romans marched right past them before the trap was sprung.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of the Trebia on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.