Explanation: During the Second Punic War, the brilliant Carthaginian (“Punic”) general Hannibal Barca destroyed several Roman armies in rapid succession. The Roman people, in their desperation, appointed as dictator Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, who quickly became unpopular by his (wise) refusal to engage Hannibal in open battle. The up-and-coming Roman politician Varro advocated for an immediate confrontation, which was a popular position at the time. Fabius refused.

When Fabius’s term as dictator was over, Varro was elected Consul (one of the two heads of the Roman government), and, with his co-consul, combined their armies (an unusual move) to create a massive ~80,000 strong force with which to BOLDLY CONFRONT Hannibal!

… they lost. Horribly. Legendarily. The resulting Battle of Cannae is still used as an example of total annihilation to this day.

Rome, contrite, then appointed Fabius as dictator again, and resumed its policy of hemming in Hannibal and not attempting to confront the military genius on the military genius’s own terms.

That was Jack Whites greatest role. It’s helped fund his first couple of albums.