Explanation: Of the military systems of Ancient Rome, the Mid-Republic takes the cake for sheer, bloody-minded stubbornness. During the First and Second Punic Wars, the Romans suffered massive defeats at the hands of their enemies, to the tune of six-digit casualties - something which even modern states with massive, post-industrial revolution populations would struggle to sustain.

The Mid-Republic, though? Ban mourning. Reinforce penalties for evading conscription. Tax everyone’s jewelry. Free volunteer slaves. Do WHATEVER is needed to raise those troops and AVENGE THE REPUBLIC’S HONOR!

At times it seems they pulled extra troops out of their ass - something which at least one ancient historian noted (in reference to their wars against the Greek invader Pyrrhus of Epirus) as being like ‘water gushing forth from a fountain’.

There is also magic in Hannibal not receiving resources to finish the Romans right after the battle.*

* not an expert opinion