An earthquake shook the ground on which the terrible fight was going on; but not for a moment did it interrupt the struggle.

For three hours the Romans, although suffering terribly, still fought on; then Flaminius was killed, and from that time they thought only of escape.
But this was next to impossible.

Six thousand only cut their way out.
Fifteen thousand fell, and nine thousand were taken prisoners.
As soon as the battle was over Hannibal despatched Maharbal with his division of the army in pursuit of the six thousand who had escaped, and, overtaking them next morning at Perugia, Maharbal forced them to surrender.

At the same time he detached a strong force against the four thousand horsemen, whom Servilius had despatched from Rimini to aid his colleague, and the whole of these were surrounded and taken prisoners.
Thus of the Roman army, thirty-six thousand strong, not a single man escaped.
In all history there is no record of so great and successful a surprise.
Hannibal retained as prisoners the Roman citizens and Latins, but released the rest of the captives, telling them that, far from being their enemy, he had invaded Italy for the purpose of liberating its helpless people from the tyranny of the Roman domination.

The loss to the Carthaginians in the battle of Lake Trasimene was only fifteen hundred men.
Hannibal has been blamed for not advancing against Rome after the battle of Lake Trasimene; but he knew that he could not hope to subdue that city so long as she was surrounded by faithful allies.