A serious assault could not be thought of by Hannibal; he could foresee that his advance would soon draw the other Roman armies after him to Campania, if even before their arrival the scarcity of supplies in a region so systematically foraged did not drive him away.

Nothing could be done in that quarter.
Hannibal Marches toward Rome Hannibal tried a further expedient, the last which occurred to his inventive genius, to save the important city.

After giving the Campanians information of his intention and exhorting them to hold out, he started with the relieving army from Capua and took the road for Rome.

With the same dexterous boldness which he had shown in his first Italian campaigns, he threw himself with a weak army between the armies and fortresses of the enemy, and led his troops through Samnium and along the Valerian Way past Tibur to the bridge over the Anio, which he passed and encamped on the opposite bank, five miles from the city.

The children's children of the Romans still shuddered, when they were told of "Hannibal at the gate"; real danger there was none.
The country houses and fields in the neighbourhood of the city were laid waste by the enemy; the two legions in the city, who went forth against them, prevented the investment of the walls.