Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Capua join Hannibal after the Battle of Cannae?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Hannibal
Hannibal, engraving by John Chapman, 1800.
Following the Battle of Cannae in 216 BCE, the city of Capua declared its loyalty to Hannibal primarily because the crushing Roman defeat gave the south Italian peoples the courage to secede from Rome.12
As the second most important city in Italy at the time, Capua likely defected with the aspiration of being elevated to a status equal to that of Rome. This shift in allegiance was part of a broader trend where many regions began to break away from the Roman-led Italic confederacy following Hannibal's decisive victory.12