.

The place which Hannibal chose for his battle was close to lake
Thrasymene, a reedy basin in the mountains not far from the city of
Cortona. At this spot a narrow valley ran down to the lake, with lines
of hills on both sides, and a very steep mountain at the opposite end of
the lake. At the lake end the hills came so close together that there
was only a small track through which a few men could pass at a time.

Making sure that his enemy was following in his footsteps, Hannibal
placed his steady heavy armed Spaniards and Libyans on the hill at the
end of the valley opposite the lake, in full view of anyone who might
approach them. His Balearic slingers and archers, and light-armed
troops, were hidden behind the rocks of the hills on the right, and the
Gauls and cavalry were posted in gorges on the left, close to the
entrance of the defile, but concealed by folds in the ground. Next day
Flaminius arrived at the lake, and, as Hannibal intended, perceived the
camp on the hill opposite. It was too late to attack that night, but the
next morning, in a thick mist, the consul gave orders for the advance
through the pass. Grimly smiling at the success of his scheme, Hannibal
waited till the Romans were quite close to him, and then gave the
signal for the assault from all three sides at once.

Never in the whole of history was a rout more sudden and more complete.
Flaminius' army was enclosed in a basin, and in the thick fog could get
no idea from which direction the enemy was coming. The soldiers seemed
to have sprung right out of the earth, and to be attacking on every
quarter. All that the Romans could do was to fight, and fight they did
with desperation. But there was no one to lead them, for their generals,
like themselves, were bewildered, and Flaminius speedily met with the
fate his folly deserved. Fifteen thousand Romans fell that day in the
fierce battle, during which even an earthquake passed unheeded.
Multitudes were pushed back into the lake and were dragged down to the
bottom by the weight of their armour. Some fled to the hills and
surrendered on the promise of their lives being spared, and a few
thousands found their way back to Rome.

The victory being won, Hannibal charged the soldiers to seek for the
body of Flaminius, so that he might give it honourable burial, by which
nations in ancient times set special store. But, search as they might,
they could not find it, nor was it ever known what became of him