The Winter of Rome

The battle was an unmitigated disaster for rome. The only thing that allowed them to even salvage their dignity was the unquestioned superiority of the legions as a fighting force. About ten thousand managed to break through the carthaginian line and make for placentia, but the rest of the army was destroyed. Sempronius longus escaped with his life, but left his reputation lying dead on the battle field. Rome was now in a complete panic. According to the frantic rumors, the cart aginians would come pouring into the city in a matter of days and nothing could stop them.