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Where did Hannibal win his first major battle against Roman forces in Italy?
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Hannibal
Hannibal, engraving by John Chapman, 1800.
Hannibal won his first major battle against Roman forces in Italy on the banks of the Trebbia River in December 218 BCE.12
Following a preliminary cavalry skirmish at the Ticino River, Hannibal successfully provoked the Roman consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus into open combat. By exploiting the Roman commander's rash nature and utilizing an ambush force led by his brother Mago, Hannibal soundly defeated the Roman army. This victory was significant as it secured his position in northern Italy and encouraged many local Celts to support the Carthaginian cause.12