The lower valley of today's Metauro
River in central Italy, between Rimini and Ancona, was the ancient Metaurus.
In 207 BC, the
Romans defeated the Carthaginians here.
The Romans were led by Marcus Livius
Salinator and Caius Claudius Nero.
The Carthaginians were led
who was the brother of famous
Hannibal, who by the
way was marching on Rome at the time. Hannibal was counting on his
brother's success in this battle because he badly needed his army's
It didn't work out.
Hasdrubal fell in the battle of Metaurus
and Hannibal didn't get the military aid he had hoped for. Instead,
all he got was Hasdrubal's head, which was thrown into his camp by
had to withdraw and eventually abandon his invasion of Italy.