Roman army of the mid-Republic placed unprecedented strains on Roman manpower, not least on the Order of Knights and the First Class of commoners which provided the cavalry. During Hannibal's apocalyptic march through Italy (218–216 BC), thousands of Roman cavalrymen were killed in the field. The losses were especially serious for the equestrian order, which also provided the army's senior officers. Livy relates how, after Cannae, gold rings (a badge of knightly rank), recovered from the corpses of Roman knights formed a pile one "modius" (about 9 litres) large. In the succeeding years 214–203 BC, the Romans kept at least 21 legions in the field
Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC) with Gaius Terentius Varro. He shared the command of the army with Varro at the Battle of Cannae. Varro led out the troops against the advice of Paullus and the battle became a crushing defeat for the Romans. Paullus died in the battle, while Varro managed to escape. Paullus was the father of Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus and his daughter, Aemilia Tertia, married Scipio Africanus. Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC) Lucius Aemilius Paullus (died August 2, 216 BC) was a Roman consul twice, in 219 and 216 BC. Paullus served his first consulship with Marcus Livius Salinator. During this