The Romans had been waiting for a chance to strike at Capua, the capital of Campania in southern Italy, after it revolted against them following their defeat by the Carthaginian Hannibal at Cannae in 216 BC.

He took effectual means for the defence of the city and sent some of the possible malcontents to Rome to serve as hostages for the good behaviour of the rest of the population.

A conspiracy was formed by a group of young aristocrats led by two Tarentines called Philemenus and Nico (Nikon in Greek).

[2] Marcus Livius, the governor general of the city, was a good soldier but is said to be a man of indolent and luxurious habits.

On the night appointed by Hannibal for the attack he was feasting with friends and retired to rest, heavy with food and wine.

In the middle of the night he was awakened when the conspirators blew the alarm on some Roman trumpets and found Hannibal and 10,000 of his soldiers already within the city.

Marcus Livius and his surviving troops managed to hold onto the citadel where they held off the Carthaginians for the duration of the war.

The Romans responded by sending the entire garrison of Metapontum to reinforce the defenders of citadel of Tarentum, shipping them there by sea.

In the following years, Scipio Africanus rose to prominence in Rome's military campaigns, and by copying Hannibal's tactics, eventually gained victory over Carthage.