When Rome acted blindly or impulsively, this invariably led to defeat. When fact informed their actions, it resulted in their greatest successes. Notably, during the Second Punic War, messengers were captured whilst travelling south to Hannibal who informed the Republic that his brother, Hasdrubal, had arrived from Iberia and was attempting to reinforce the Carthaginian army on the Italian peninsula. Rome was able to swiftly mobilise two armies in response, which went on to intercept and defeat Hasdrubal's relief force. Although in their first encounter the Carthaginians were able to elude total destruction, the remains of Hasdrubal's army were soon pinned down once again by the pursuing Roman Legions and, this time, decisively defeated at the Metaurus in 207BC. This greatly weakened Hannibal's war effort as well as being a great blow to his personal morale. Hasdrubal himself was killed in action on the battlefield; his severed head was sent to Hannibal by the victorious Romans - a completely different kind of message to the one he was expecting.
