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Why did Hannibal march close to Rome in 211 BCE?
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Hannibal
Hannibal, engraving by John Chapman, 1800.
In 211 BCE, Hannibal marched to within 3 miles (5 km) of the walls of Rome as a strategic feint. His objective was to draw the Roman armies away from their siege of Capua, which had declared its loyalty to him.12
The maneuver was ultimately unsuccessful, as the Roman forces besieging Capua refused to be drawn away from their entrenchments. Consequently, Capua was eventually starved into surrender, marking a significant sign that the Roman Republic could successfully uphold its coalition against Hannibal's forces.12