The Second Battle of Cannae took place in 1018 between the Byzantines under the catepan of Italy Basil Boiannes and the Lombards under Melus of Bari. The Lombards had also hired some Norman mercenaries under their leader Gilbert. The battle was fought on the same spot were Hannibal of Carthage had destroyed the Roman army in 216 BC. The battle was disasterous for the Lombards, who were routed. Melus managed to escape to the Papal States and eventually to the court of Emperor Henry II at Bamberg. The Normans lost their leader and most of their group. But this group of Normans was the first of many to to go to southern Italy and by the end of the century most of southern Italy was under Norman control. Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Basil III, called Boiannes in Greek and Bugiano in Italian, was the Byzantine catepan of Italy (1018-1028) and one of the greatest Byzantine generals of his time. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Melus (also Milus or Meles) (d. ... Norman may refer to: the Normans, the Norman people. ... Mercenary (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Hannibal (disambiguation). ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... Roman or Romans may refer to: History Ancient Rome Roman Kingdom (753 BC to 509 BC) Roman Republic (509 BC to 44 BC) Roman Empire (44 BC to AD 476) Roman citizen Byzantine Empire (330 to 1453), also known as the Eastern Roman Empire Romioi, a name for the Greeks... Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... Events The Baths of Caracalla in Britain is divided into Britannia Superior and Britannia Inferior. ... The Papal States (Gli Stati della Chiesa or Stati Pontificii, States of the Church) was one of the major historical states of Italy before the boot-shaped peninsula was unified under the Piedmontese crown of Savoy (later a republic). ... Henry II of Germany (972 - 13 July 1024), was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. ... Southern Italy, often referred to in Italian as the Mezzogiorno (a term first used in 19th century in comparison with French Midi ) encompasses six of the countrys 20 regions: Basilicata Campania Calabria Puglia Sicilia Sardinia Sicilia although it is geographically and administratively included in Insular Italy, it has a...