In Rome’s wars with Greek king Pyrrhus this formation worked well and although he was victorious at the Battle of Asculum in 279 BC, he lost so many men he couldn’t continue to fight the war, hence ...

His latest book is The Ghosts of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest ... s most flagrant example of winning all the battles but losing the war – a sort of military oxymoron that often leaves ...