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`General' knowledge

In the Lives of Noble Romans and Greeks, Plutarch writes that when Hannibal (247-183 B.C.), the Carthaginian general, was faced with a vastly larger Roman army, his troops and generals were sombre. Hannibal took his generals to a hillock to observe the e nemy. One of his generals, Gisco, commented that the numbers of the Romans were astounding. Hannibal replied, ``There is one thing, Gisco, yet more astonishing, which you take no notice of.'' When asked what that was, he replied, ``In all those great num bers before us, there is not one man called Gisco.'' This lightened the mood and everybody started joking and pulling Gisco's leg. They came down the hillock still laughing and joking and their troops concluded that they didn't think too much of the enem y and were reassured.

Hannibal's tactic was to lighten the mood. He knew that subordinates always anxiously scan the faces of their bosses. If they see signs of nervousness and tension, they begin to lose hope and courage.

In the same battle, Hannibal so arranged his men that a strong wind was at their back which would blow dust in the face of the attacking Romans and disturb them. He was applying the strategy of using the environment. Further, he placed the weakest part o f his force in the centre and the strongest in the wings (sides). When the Romans attacked, his centre gave way as expected and his army formed into a `U' shape. At this point the strong wings closed in and, in a pincer movement, encircled the Romans. Th e Roman army was completely routed. Here, Hannibal used the strategy of attacking strengths but in a more subtle form. He induced the Romans to attack his weaknesses and his strengths were left untouched.

P.P.M.