All language subtitles for Battles BC s01e01 Hannibal The Annihilator
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1
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Hannibal battles his way across the
frozen Alps,
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bloodies the ground with tens of
thousands of Rome's
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00:00:11,300 --> 00:00:16,940
fiercest warriors, and makes military
history on a battlefield where he
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00:00:16,940 --> 00:00:19,640
slaughters 70 ,000 men in one day.
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00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:23,200
Hannibal is a killer.
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00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,440
Hannibal is a conqueror.
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00:00:32,400 --> 00:00:34,480
Hannibal is the annihilator.
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The year, 219 BC.
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The man, Hannibal Barca of Carthage. One
of history's greatest... and deadly as
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generals.
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00:01:03,180 --> 00:01:07,800
Hannibal burns the Roman town of
Saguntum to the ground. These smoldering
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are just the initial sparks of the
raging inferno that will soon engulf
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as Hannibal the Annihilator launches a
bloody reign of vengeance aimed to crush
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00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,000
mighty Rome.
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Hannibal's home of Carthage is a
commercial beacon on the northern coast
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Africa. Their trade and military
influence reverberates throughout the
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Mediterranean.
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They traded far and wide, as far off to
the eastern Mediterranean. There's even
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some evidence that they traded as far
west through the Straits of Gibraltar to
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England.
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400 short miles from Carthage is Rome.
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Though not yet the colossal empire they
will become, their military might
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threaten Carthaginian commercial
dominance in the region.
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The Romans are very much a warlike
imperial people.
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They're not an empire yet, but you could
definitely see this republic.
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starting to expand its borders.
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It was only a matter of time before Rome
and Carthage bumped into one another.
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Hannibal's personal and brutal
destruction of Saguntum is a bloody
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hand -delivered to Rome, inviting them
to join his deadly game of butchery and
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annihilation. The siege of Saguntum
lasted eight months as far as we know.
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pretty much lacking in detail from a
historical perspective. What we do know,
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however, is that once the walls were
breached and Carthaginian troops went
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they went house to house and hunted down
almost all of the Roman families,
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killed the Roman males, and sold the
women and children into slavery.
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Through the smoke and stench of scorched
earth and torched Roman corpses comes
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Rome's response, capture Hannibal and
crucify him.
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It's a very famous scene by the Greek
historian Polybius where the Roman
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ambassador grabs his toga, a fold in
each hand, and says, Rome offers you
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or war.
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Choose. It matters not to Rome.
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Hannibal and the Carthaginians gladly
choose to fight.
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It is war, the seeds of which were
planted nearly half a century earlier.
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Then... Carthage and Rome bloodied the
Mediterranean Sea in what is called the
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First Punic War, named for the Latin
term for Carthage, Punica.
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400 ,000 casualties, almost 15 % of the
military manpower of the entire country
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of Italy was lost in that war. It was a
terribly bloody war.
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The war eventually ends in a military
draw, but for Carthage, the peace treaty
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is especially costly.
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Part of the deal they make with Rome is
that Carthage will limit their navy to a
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hundred ships. This is pretty crippling
to an empire that was a naval and
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commercial trading power.
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With most of their commercial fleet gone
and their pockets empty, Carthage uses
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its military power to exploit the riches
of Spain.
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00:04:03,310 --> 00:04:08,410
Turns out that Spain's got vast silver
mines, and the Carthaginians quickly
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a hold on them and amass a fortune.
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They decided to build up their land
defenses instead of their navy, which
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been pretty much depleted in the First
Punic War.
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Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca, one
of Carthage's most accomplished and
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battle -hardened men, lead the army into
Spain.
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Now, Hamilcar Barca is the founder of a
great military dynasty in Carthage
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called the Barsids, after the name
Barca. And he really hated the Romans.
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Young Hannibal is immersed in a violent
and bloody world as he watches his
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father, teacher, and role model engage
in fiercely brutal combat.
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Hannibal is only nine when Hamilcar
takes over Spain, so he essentially
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00:04:54,390 --> 00:04:55,390
on the battlefield.
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Hamilcar provides young Hannibal with a
hands -on education in brutality and
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00:05:00,470 --> 00:05:02,850
warfare. By the time he's 19...
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00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,700
His whole life has been in a military
camp, and here he watches his father and
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00:05:07,700 --> 00:05:10,760
other general officers and learns how to
command men.
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00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:15,920
Hannibal learns that to build an army of
loyal fighters willing to march by his
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00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,620
side into the horrors of war, he must
sometimes punish his own.
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00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:25,860
If a Carthaginian officer fails in
battle, he is crucified in the public
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Carthaginian rule in Spain is downright
cruel.
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00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,540
It's based on fire, sword, and
crucifixion.
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But Hannibal also motivates his men by
sleeping where they sleep, eating what
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they eat, and fighting where they fight.
They obediently follow his words, his
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sword, and his deep -seated desire for
revenge against Rome, which he inherits
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from his father.
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But Hamilcar will never taste revenge.
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In 228 BC, he dies suddenly. Some say
assassinated.
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His place is taken by his son -in -law,
called Hasdrubrul the Splendid, who
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continues on again for about another six
years, building Carthaginian power,
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increasing its scope.
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And then finally he's assassinated too.
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And there's some question historically
of whether or not Hannibal had a hand in
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this.
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It is finally Hannibal's hour. He is
only 26 years old, but commands the
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Carthaginian army.
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But he is fierce, battle -tested, and
driven.
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Legend has it that Hamilcar made the
young Hannibal swear an oath on the
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of Baal that he would spend his life in
opposing and then ultimately destroying
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Rome.
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In 219 BC, with his father's hunger for
revenge burning inside him, and with
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Saguntum aflame, Hannibal launches his
attack against Rome.
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The Second Punic War is on.
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Hannibal amasses a strike force of about
50 ,000 soldiers.
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00:07:03,650 --> 00:07:08,050
But because he has no navy, he's got to
invade Italy by land.
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Hannibal's on the move. From Spain, he
leads his fighting force of about 50
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north along the Mediterranean coast
toward Rome.
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A grueling two and a half months later,
an exhausted but battle -ready Hannibal
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reaches the Rhone River.
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But Hannibal is shocked to discover the
Romans had caught wind of the advance
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and launched a strike force to
intercept.
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The Romans had caught wind of Hannibal's
movements in Spain, but instead of
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heading directly to Spain, they were
smart. They looked at a map, figured out
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where Hannibal was going to march, and
tried to block the land route to the
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Italian peninsula on the coast of the
Mediterranean.
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It is the great military Roman general
Publius Cornelius Scipio who leads the
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attack against Hannibal.
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Scipio's force, 10 ,000 men strong, is
in Massilia, a Roman ally on the
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Mediterranean coast.
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Hannibal's force, five times as large,
has crossed the Rhone River.
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Scipio sends 300 of his cavalry up the
Rhone to find Hannibal.
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Hannibal orders 500 cavalry to scout the
Roman advance.
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The two reconnaissance units collide.
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War between Rome and Carthage rages once
again.
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This is a small skirmish between
scouting parties. In this particular
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Hannibal's forces take the brunt of the
attack and then retreat.
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Scipio orders his entire force to
follow.
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Hannibal knows Scipio is only a few
days' march away, and Scipio is a
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commander. He should be able to give
Hannibal a run for his money.
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But when Scipio arrives at the location
where Hannibal's army should be, They're
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gone. It's as if Hannibal's whole army
has vanished into thin air.
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Scipio forced Hannibal to change his
plan.
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Now, instead of marching along the
Mediterranean coast to Rome, Hannibal's
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attack will come from the north through
the Alps. The reason why Hannibal came
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by land through Spain and over the Alps
was not because it was a great strategic
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choice. It was, in fact, the route that
was forced upon him by, essentially,
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Roman events, by the situation he
confronted at the time.
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Hannibal reaches the Alps in autumn of
218 BC.
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At this altitude, he and his 50 ,000
soldiers face freezing temperatures and
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treacherous ice on a narrow rocky
terrain.
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The men are hungry, their supplies are
limited, and he's leading more than just
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infantry. He's also leading 9 ,000
cavalry and 37 elephants.
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All the major armies had a few elephants
in them. When the Greeks fought
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Carthage in one of their little
skirmishes, the Carthaginians used to
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chariots, and they were driven from the
battlefield by the elephants, at which
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point they said, let's get rid of the
chariots and replace them with
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And so as a consequence, by the time of
the Punic War, Carthage has in her home,
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just in her home base, she has 300
trained elephants living in the walls of
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city of Carthage.
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So that's how you get... elephant
introduced in warfare.
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The crossing of the Alps with such a
large force is a difficult military
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For Hannibal and his army, it has
horrific consequences.
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Men freeze. Men starve.
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At one point, a landslide completely
blocks their way.
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It's absolutely hellish.
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Supplies are even running low, and
they're not even to the most difficult
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of the crossing yet.
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Well, They happen upon this Gallic
village where the Gauls offer provisions
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supplies.
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Hannibal accepts the help, but he
definitely is suspicious of their
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because he knows that sometimes the
Gauls are friendly and sometimes they
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not.
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Hannibal doesn't fully trust the Gauls,
but eventually accepts their help.
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The Gauls direct Hannibal to a narrow
path which leads to a gorge.
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Hannibal's original suspicions were
right on.
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The guide, Thunley Bolt.
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It's a trap.
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218 BC.
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Hannibal leads his Carthaginian army
over the treacherous Alps to invade
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Along the way, marauding Gauls ambush
Hannibal with a barrage of boulders and
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arrow fire.
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Hannibal encountered different tribes
throughout his campaign.
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They were mainly Gauls. This is a tribal
people who lived in what's now modern
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-day France.
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They're not a unified people and usually
don't ally themselves against a common
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enemy.
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Sometimes they'll join his war on Rome,
and other times they'll attack him.
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In this case, the Gauls are out for
blood. The gorge turns into a gauntlet
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death.
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Gauls block both ends of the gorge, but
Hannibal's troops fight their way out,
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leaving the butchered enemy in their
wake.
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After some 30 grueling days... Hannibal
and his men emerge from the Alps. When
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they finally arrive on the northern
plains of Italy, nearly a third of
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Hannibal's army has perished.
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They lose about 18 ,000 infantry, about
a third of the cavalry, which would be
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maybe 4 ,000 horse.
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00:12:41,670 --> 00:12:46,810
And, you know, you arrive with, say, 27
elephants, you lose a third of the
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elephants.
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But Hannibal has always known the
crossing would be costly.
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From the very beginning of the war, he's
had a plan to replenish his forces.
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A plan that relied on his elephant.
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Part of Hannibal's strategy in crossing
the Alps was that he understood that he
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didn't have enough manpower to fight the
Romans. Therefore, he would have to
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acquire it once he got into Italy. How
was he going to do that? He was going to
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00:13:10,350 --> 00:13:15,710
do that by attracting to his standard
the Gauls, the Celts and Gauls, who
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the Romans because they'd been fighting
one another for 500 years, and hopefully
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00:13:18,690 --> 00:13:21,670
as well get some Roman allied states to
defect.
190
00:13:22,150 --> 00:13:27,510
So the reason for bringing the 37
elephants over the Alps was really to
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00:13:27,790 --> 00:13:32,150
in a political sense, Both the Gauls and
the Allied states that this was a
192
00:13:32,150 --> 00:13:33,150
serious army.
193
00:13:33,830 --> 00:13:38,230
Hannibal's elephants thunder into
northern Italy. They successfully lure
194
00:13:38,230 --> 00:13:39,810
tribes to the Carthaginian side.
195
00:13:40,590 --> 00:13:45,870
By November 218 BC, Hannibal's numbers
swell to nearly 40 ,000.
196
00:13:46,830 --> 00:13:50,950
Rome answers with 40 ,000 of its own
soldiers to face Hannibal's threat.
197
00:13:52,910 --> 00:13:57,050
Both armies are now on a collision
course that will rock the ancient world
198
00:13:57,050 --> 00:13:58,350
rewrite military history.
199
00:14:00,410 --> 00:14:03,170
The armies of Carthage and Rome couldn't
be more different.
200
00:14:03,510 --> 00:14:06,270
Hannibal's men are mercenary soldiers
from all over the map.
201
00:14:07,890 --> 00:14:11,730
Hannibal's army is from different parts
of the region. Many of the mercenaries,
202
00:14:11,910 --> 00:14:14,350
drawn to his legendary leadership in
battle.
203
00:14:15,970 --> 00:14:17,810
The light infantry are from Libya.
204
00:14:18,110 --> 00:14:21,350
These men carry a small round shield and
fight.
205
00:14:21,770 --> 00:14:23,030
small sword or gavel.
206
00:14:26,550 --> 00:14:31,210
Heavy infantry are warriors from Gaul,
men who run into battle naked,
207
00:14:31,410 --> 00:14:35,150
intimidating their enemies with their
deadly two -handed broadswords.
208
00:14:36,330 --> 00:14:39,390
Heavy cavalry is from Spain and northern
Europe.
209
00:14:39,810 --> 00:14:45,070
Their weapon of choice is either a bowed
sword called a falcata or a deadly
210
00:14:45,070 --> 00:14:46,070
longsword.
211
00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:50,520
Hannibal's ability to orchestrate these
different types of forces in a
212
00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,300
coordinated attack is what makes him
truly a remarkable general.
213
00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,440
The Roman army is much different than
Hannibal's forces.
214
00:14:58,740 --> 00:15:04,020
Where the Carthaginians are very
diverse, the Romans are quite uniform.
215
00:15:05,460 --> 00:15:08,020
Roman soldiers are ablaze in armor.
216
00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,020
Bronze helmets protect their heads.
217
00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,100
Chain mail or brass breastplates defend
their bodies.
218
00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:20,260
Each soldier carries one of history's
deadliest throwing spear, the pilum.
219
00:15:23,220 --> 00:15:28,160
That long metal rod was made of soft
metal with a hook. When it went through
220
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:32,540
shield, the weight of the wooden body
would bend it. You couldn't take the
221
00:15:32,540 --> 00:15:34,200
pilum. out of the shield.
222
00:15:34,460 --> 00:15:38,700
Now the enemy had a choice of fighting
with a shield with a spear stuck into
223
00:15:38,740 --> 00:15:41,920
or what they foolishly did very often is
simply throw the shield away.
224
00:15:42,460 --> 00:15:44,740
Not a good move against Roman infantry.
225
00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:50,740
Slaughter also comes in the form of a
straight sword forged of iron, ideal for
226
00:15:50,740 --> 00:15:52,180
up -close and personal combat.
227
00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:00,640
Their scutum shield provides almost
complete protection from missile attack.
228
00:16:03,290 --> 00:16:07,490
While Hannibal's army is cobbled
together, his opponent is a much more
229
00:16:07,490 --> 00:16:08,490
fighting force.
230
00:16:09,070 --> 00:16:12,970
The Roman army was a true national army.
They all spoke the same language, they
231
00:16:12,970 --> 00:16:16,310
all had the same equipment, and they
were all trained to the same tactic.
232
00:16:16,850 --> 00:16:20,190
But the most significant difference is
their style of battle.
233
00:16:21,030 --> 00:16:24,890
So you have this Roman force of highly
disciplined citizen soldiers equipped
234
00:16:24,890 --> 00:16:29,010
trained to go straight at the enemy
against a group of professionals that
235
00:16:29,010 --> 00:16:30,410
hit you in any number of ways.
236
00:16:31,310 --> 00:16:35,530
At the Tychonis River, these radically
different fighting styles clash in a
237
00:16:35,530 --> 00:16:36,530
hurricane of violence.
238
00:16:41,210 --> 00:16:43,430
Headless -like cavalry surround the
Romans.
239
00:16:44,290 --> 00:16:47,710
Slash at the Roman cavalry, then back
off, then reattach.
240
00:16:50,450 --> 00:16:53,970
It's chaos and confusion, not what the
Romans are used to.
241
00:16:54,710 --> 00:17:00,010
The blood of 2 ,000 slain Roman soldiers
drenches the ground. It is a shocking
242
00:17:00,010 --> 00:17:01,010
defeat.
243
00:17:02,030 --> 00:17:07,430
The key point about the little skirmish
at the Tithonus River was that Publius
244
00:17:07,430 --> 00:17:09,410
Scipio was wounded.
245
00:17:10,010 --> 00:17:15,550
The Romans replaced Scipio with General
Sempronius Longus, a strong leader with
246
00:17:15,550 --> 00:17:16,609
an even stronger temper.
247
00:17:17,569 --> 00:17:19,069
Sempronius is a hothead.
248
00:17:19,410 --> 00:17:24,490
He's desperate for glory, and his one
-year term as army commander is almost
249
00:17:24,690 --> 00:17:29,870
He's champing at the bit to fight, and
Hannibal knows it. Some evidence of
250
00:17:29,870 --> 00:17:34,550
Hannibal's brilliance as a military
commander, was the fact that he studied
251
00:17:34,550 --> 00:17:35,650
adversaries closely.
252
00:17:35,910 --> 00:17:38,070
Now, where he got this information isn't
clear.
253
00:17:38,630 --> 00:17:43,190
Surely, the number of Roman commanders
was relatively small, and so they would
254
00:17:43,190 --> 00:17:47,830
have been well -known. But also, my
guess is that the truly excellent
255
00:17:47,830 --> 00:17:51,650
Carthaginian intelligence may have been
at work here, so that whenever he was
256
00:17:51,650 --> 00:17:55,110
prepared for battle, he knew who was in
command on the other side, and he
257
00:17:55,110 --> 00:17:57,430
studied them closely, knew for strengths
and weaknesses.
258
00:17:57,770 --> 00:18:01,210
And in the case of Sempronius, he knew
Sempronius well.
259
00:18:01,410 --> 00:18:04,450
He knew he was a hothead, and he played
him like a fiddle.
260
00:18:04,870 --> 00:18:09,810
The two enemy armies camp on opposite
sides of the Trebia River, about 70
261
00:18:09,810 --> 00:18:10,810
yards apart.
262
00:18:11,250 --> 00:18:16,310
It's not much of an obstacle in a
physical sense, but it can become an
263
00:18:16,310 --> 00:18:20,970
when you realize that if you have to
cross it, it's November, it's gray, and
264
00:18:20,970 --> 00:18:25,450
it's snowing. And so that's going to be
any army that tries to cross that river
265
00:18:25,450 --> 00:18:27,450
under those conditions is going to
suffer somewhat.
266
00:18:28,510 --> 00:18:29,510
Hannibal's strategy?
267
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:34,160
Take advantage of the frigid
temperatures, the Roman commander's
268
00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,160
and use the element of surprise.
269
00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:43,980
He sends 2 ,000 or 3 ,000 cavalry in the
early morning dawn across the river
270
00:18:43,980 --> 00:18:45,820
to attack the Roman camp.
271
00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:50,820
Romans are shocked awake.
272
00:18:51,120 --> 00:18:56,180
They stumble around the cold with no
food. The Roman general Sempronius is
273
00:18:56,180 --> 00:18:59,640
furious. He orders the men to cross the
river and attack.
274
00:18:59,980 --> 00:19:05,060
So they plunge into the icy water to
chase Hannibal's men. Not the best way
275
00:19:05,060 --> 00:19:06,060
start your day.
276
00:19:06,620 --> 00:19:10,800
40 ,000 Roman infantry and 4 ,000
cavalry cross the river.
277
00:19:11,300 --> 00:19:15,600
They line up for battle in a formation
called a legio, made up of several
278
00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:16,600
maniples.
279
00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,640
Maniple literally means a handful of
men.
280
00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:24,360
Each maniple consists of about 120
soldiers.
281
00:19:25,979 --> 00:19:29,240
The Romans arranged themselves in a
checkerboard configuration.
282
00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:34,320
This is a force specifically designed to
move forward and crush its enemy.
283
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:40,800
But Hannibal has his own crushing
machines, pachyderms, the heavy tanks of
284
00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:41,800
Carthaginian army.
285
00:19:42,020 --> 00:19:44,660
They charge at the flanks of the Roman
cavalry.
286
00:19:46,090 --> 00:19:51,210
Nearly impervious to Spears, the
elephant's earth -shaking assault
287
00:19:51,210 --> 00:19:52,930
Allied horsemen in sheer terror.
288
00:19:53,270 --> 00:19:57,490
Hannibal's cavalry, 10 ,000 strong, far
outnumbers the Romans.
289
00:19:58,650 --> 00:20:02,710
His Numidian cavalry is so fast and
agile that they appear to be everywhere
290
00:20:02,710 --> 00:20:08,530
once. Hannibal's heavy Spanish and
Celtic cavalry slam with such force,
291
00:20:08,530 --> 00:20:10,610
demolish what's left of the Roman
cavalry.
292
00:20:12,150 --> 00:20:16,630
Hannibal's Carthaginian cavalry turns
inward and smashes the Roman flanks.
293
00:20:17,070 --> 00:20:21,490
Hannibal surrounds the Romans on three
sides, but he is not done yet.
294
00:20:27,110 --> 00:20:31,450
Hannibal has just crossed the Trebia
River and has a bloody surprise for the
295
00:20:31,450 --> 00:20:32,450
Roman army.
296
00:20:33,810 --> 00:20:38,330
Using specially trained horses, Hannibal
has successfully hidden cavalry in a
297
00:20:38,330 --> 00:20:39,330
tall grass.
298
00:20:40,740 --> 00:20:45,320
Trumpet blasts and an elite Carthaginian
cavalry force charges from the swamp.
299
00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,560
The Romans turn around to see 2 ,000
horses storm up from behind. It must
300
00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:50,840
been absolutely terrifying.
301
00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:02,700
The Carthaginian cavalry blindsides the
Romans, who are then pushed back toward
302
00:21:02,700 --> 00:21:05,120
the river and cut down mercilessly.
303
00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:14,480
Of the 40 ,000 men, Roman and allies
that took the field that day, 30 ,000
304
00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:15,480
died.
305
00:21:15,740 --> 00:21:19,420
30 ,000 met their deaths on the bank of
the Trebia River.
306
00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:25,540
It was the worst defeat that the Romans
had suffered since the defeat against
307
00:21:25,540 --> 00:21:27,920
the Gauls 125 years earlier.
308
00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:33,660
The Battle of the Trebia is an
absolutely classic example of how to use
309
00:21:33,660 --> 00:21:38,780
surprise at a key moment in the battle.
The result was complete slaughter.
310
00:21:40,140 --> 00:21:44,580
Hannibal does suffer losses at Trebia.
All but one of his elephants die of
311
00:21:44,580 --> 00:21:45,920
starvation or exhaustion.
312
00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,060
He rides the lone survivor named Sirius.
313
00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:57,860
The horror of Trebia spurs the Roman
Senate to raise four new legions, 20
314
00:21:57,860 --> 00:22:03,040
men. Rome also appoints two new councils
to lead the men into battle, Gnaeus
315
00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,660
Servilius Geminus and Gaius Flaminius.
316
00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:07,700
Their target, Hannibal.
317
00:22:07,900 --> 00:22:08,900
Their mission.
318
00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:10,400
seek and destroy.
319
00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:17,340
In the spring of 217 BC, the Romans
decide that the best way to block
320
00:22:17,340 --> 00:22:19,720
advance southward is to divide their
forces.
321
00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,860
Geminus travels northeast to coastal
Ariminus.
322
00:22:24,900 --> 00:22:29,640
Flaminius heads northwest to Auretium,
but they leave a southern route open
323
00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:33,220
through the marshes of the lower Arno
River Valley.
324
00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:41,980
Now, the Arno marshes were an enormously
large, swampy area created
325
00:22:41,980 --> 00:22:46,200
by the Arno River. I mean, it's full of
muck, insects, snakes.
326
00:22:46,580 --> 00:22:51,120
It is a terrible natural barrier, so
much so that neither of the Roman
327
00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:54,700
commanders blocking the roads on either
side thought anyone would be crazy
328
00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:59,920
enough to try to march through these
marshes. Well, Hannibal is known for
329
00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:04,640
the unexpected, and don't you know, he
tries to penetrate these marshes.
330
00:23:04,910 --> 00:23:08,370
The surprise maneuver does prove costly
for Hannibal.
331
00:23:09,850 --> 00:23:15,450
While riding atop Sirius, his last
remaining elephant, Hannibal is
332
00:23:15,450 --> 00:23:17,470
stung in the eye by an insect.
333
00:23:18,150 --> 00:23:21,770
He gets infected, and he becomes blind
at that eye.
334
00:23:27,510 --> 00:23:29,650
But Hannibal remains unstoppable.
335
00:23:30,150 --> 00:23:34,110
He slips through the two Roman forces
and arrives at Tuscany.
336
00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,140
a Roman ally, and tortures the
landscape.
337
00:23:38,340 --> 00:23:41,960
Hannibal starts burning the Tuscan
plain.
338
00:23:42,180 --> 00:23:46,760
Houses, towns, slaughtering animals,
chopping down trees.
339
00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:48,480
Hannibal's plan?
340
00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:53,660
Destroy the area and infuriate the Roman
general Flaminius, who watches the
341
00:23:53,660 --> 00:23:55,960
devastation from the city walls of
Iridium.
342
00:23:56,460 --> 00:24:01,340
And Flaminius is just horrified by it.
He's horrified not only so much that
343
00:24:01,340 --> 00:24:04,220
area is being destroyed, but he knows
what Hannibal is doing.
344
00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:10,260
Instead of attacking Flaminius inside
the city walls, Hannibal is sending a
345
00:24:10,260 --> 00:24:11,800
message to other Roman allies.
346
00:24:12,820 --> 00:24:17,000
And what Hannibal is saying to that ally
is, if you stay with Rome, this is what
347
00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:17,899
you can expect.
348
00:24:17,900 --> 00:24:20,000
He's trying to woo that ally away.
349
00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:26,340
And Flaminius also knows that it's a
sign of Roman weakness that you cannot
350
00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:31,360
this. Hannibal knows his enemy well and
wants to lure Flaminius onto the
351
00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:32,360
battlefield.
352
00:24:32,660 --> 00:24:37,490
Why? That's his plan. Destroy as many
Roman armies, kill as many Romans as you
353
00:24:37,490 --> 00:24:42,490
can until the Roman Senate tires of war
and sues for peace. You can't do that
354
00:24:42,490 --> 00:24:45,650
with siege warfare. You've got to draw
the enemy out into battle.
355
00:24:46,290 --> 00:24:50,750
Hannibal continues to taunt Flaminius by
marching his army right past the walls
356
00:24:50,750 --> 00:24:53,470
of Iridium, flaunting his courage and
power.
357
00:24:53,950 --> 00:24:58,970
Hannibal is just far enough away to
tease Flaminius. He's really saying,
358
00:24:58,970 --> 00:25:03,260
on. If you've got any courage, you'll
leave your little protective fort and
359
00:25:03,260 --> 00:25:04,340
and fight like a man.
360
00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:07,680
Finally, Flaminius takes the bait.
361
00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:13,960
Hannibal leads Flaminius on a wild chase
across Tuscany. He stays a day or two
362
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:18,980
ahead, which allows him to survey the
terrain and pick the most advantageous
363
00:25:18,980 --> 00:25:19,980
place to fight.
364
00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:26,060
Moving quickly, Hannibal and his 30 ,000
men race past the small village of
365
00:25:26,060 --> 00:25:29,180
Pazignano into a hilly forest along Lake
Tresemene.
366
00:25:30,340 --> 00:25:31,780
Flaminius is in hot pursuit.
367
00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,560
The road leads Hannibal, now on
horseback, through what's known as the
368
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:40,660
narrow passage between the mountains and
the lake's shoreline.
369
00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:43,920
By now, all of Hannibal's elephants are
dead.
370
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,780
And as he marches into this defile, this
narrow passage between the cliffs and
371
00:25:48,780 --> 00:25:53,540
the lake, he becomes immediately aware
of the landscape's tactical advantages.
372
00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:58,940
Hannibal has discovered the perfect
location for his next battle. It comes
373
00:25:58,940 --> 00:26:00,200
its own natural advantage.
374
00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:05,260
In the morning, a thick fog comes off
the lake and obscures the entire valley.
375
00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:06,840
It's made -order camouflage.
376
00:26:08,810 --> 00:26:12,770
Hannibal orders some of his men to camp
at the far end of the valley, in plain
377
00:26:12,770 --> 00:26:14,910
view of all who pass through the defile.
378
00:26:15,830 --> 00:26:20,450
We're told that Hannibal sends scouts
far ahead into the hills to light
379
00:26:20,450 --> 00:26:25,490
campfires. He wants to convince the
Romans that he's farther away than he
380
00:26:25,490 --> 00:26:26,490
actually is.
381
00:26:27,130 --> 00:26:31,890
Still chasing Hannibal, Flaminius
reaches Pazignano and sends a
382
00:26:31,890 --> 00:26:33,250
team into the defile.
383
00:26:34,170 --> 00:26:36,130
They come back, and it's too narrow.
384
00:26:36,390 --> 00:26:38,730
There can't be any possibility of
ambush.
385
00:26:39,070 --> 00:26:44,870
The next day, around dawn, the Roman
army begins to move through the defile.
386
00:26:45,290 --> 00:26:50,070
As Flaminius reaches the valley, the
eerie lake fog rolls in once again.
387
00:26:51,190 --> 00:26:55,750
In the distance, Flaminius can see the
fires of Hannibal's camp on the hill.
388
00:26:56,830 --> 00:27:01,310
Flaminius thinks, I finally got him.
I've got Hannibal trapped, and it's time
389
00:27:01,310 --> 00:27:02,310
tear him apart.
390
00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,600
Flaminius orders 6 ,000 Roman soldiers
to rush up the hill and attack Hannibal.
391
00:27:08,580 --> 00:27:12,780
The legion double times gets out there,
climbs the hill, and smashes into
392
00:27:12,780 --> 00:27:13,780
Hannibal's camp.
393
00:27:14,740 --> 00:27:19,040
The Romans hack at Hannibal's rearguard
infantry in wild combat.
394
00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:24,640
Suddenly, Hannibal's men turn and run,
enticing the Roman soldiers to pursue.
395
00:27:26,060 --> 00:27:30,180
Hannibal then springs one of the
deadliest traps in military history.
396
00:27:34,060 --> 00:27:38,400
Hannibal Barca of Carthage is about to
spring one of military history's
397
00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:39,400
traps.
398
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:45,880
30 ,000 Carthaginian infantry and
cavalry rise out of the morning fog and
399
00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:47,520
into the stunned Roman fort.
400
00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:49,980
The bloodbath begins.
401
00:27:51,740 --> 00:27:55,840
The battle rages along the shores of
Lake Tresemene in northwest Italy.
402
00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:01,420
Hannibal's Spanish and African heavy
infantry hit the Roman front.
403
00:28:06,060 --> 00:28:08,920
Wild Celtic tribesmen strike the center.
404
00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,820
Numidian -like cavalry crush the Romans
from the rear.
405
00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,140
Romans are trapped, and it is terrible.
406
00:28:23,460 --> 00:28:27,180
They're in line of march. They're not
even set for combat formation.
407
00:28:27,420 --> 00:28:32,520
Their weapons aren't out, and they're
taken right in the flank by this large
408
00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,240
army, and it just slaughters them.
409
00:28:34,620 --> 00:28:35,840
It slaughtered some of them.
410
00:28:43,340 --> 00:28:46,300
Hannibal makes two big gambles at
Tresemene.
411
00:28:46,860 --> 00:28:51,640
First is that the fog will return to
hide the 30 ,000 men in the hills.
412
00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:55,600
Second, that Flaminius will jump at his
decoy camp.
413
00:28:56,060 --> 00:28:57,540
And he wins both bets.
414
00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,380
Out of 20 ,000 men, 15 ,000 die in about
three hours.
415
00:29:03,900 --> 00:29:05,180
including Flaminius himself.
416
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:09,220
Hannibal's losses?
417
00:29:09,620 --> 00:29:10,620
1 ,500.
418
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,260
That's a kill ratio of 10 to 1.
419
00:29:13,660 --> 00:29:18,580
In one of the most successful ambushes
in history, another Roman army has been
420
00:29:18,580 --> 00:29:19,399
wiped out.
421
00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:24,060
At age 27, Hannibal is already a
legendary military tactician.
422
00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:30,800
In less than two years, Hannibal has
handed Rome three catastrophic defeats.
423
00:29:33,870 --> 00:29:39,070
30 ,000 at Trebia, and now 15 ,000 more
at Trasimene.
424
00:29:39,630 --> 00:29:43,790
Rome had never seen such a series of
defeats in its history.
425
00:29:44,250 --> 00:29:48,750
In the face of this defeat, the Roman
Senate makes a bold, perhaps desperate
426
00:29:48,750 --> 00:29:53,890
decision. They vote to appoint a
temporary dictator over the military to
427
00:29:53,890 --> 00:29:55,470
end to Hannibal's reign of terror.
428
00:29:55,670 --> 00:29:58,510
He is Quintus Fabius Maximus.
429
00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:03,440
Electing a dictator is extremely rare in
Roman history. They highly value their
430
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,640
republic, and so the idea of handing
absolute power to one man isn't taken
431
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,500
lightly. In fact, the position came with
an automatic time limit of six months.
432
00:30:13,420 --> 00:30:18,000
Fabius raises an army of 90 ,000 men,
the largest yet in Roman history.
433
00:30:18,580 --> 00:30:21,700
But he isn't going to use them in direct
combat against Hannibal.
434
00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:27,160
Fabius is an excellent strategic
thinker. He takes one look around, looks
435
00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:33,360
Roman manpower, naval resources, food
resources, the geography, and then
436
00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,840
compares them with Hannibal's small
army, way from home, can't resupply, no
437
00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:42,900
navy. He concludes quite correctly that
Hannibal can't win, that essentially
438
00:30:42,900 --> 00:30:46,700
there's no point to continue to try to
defeat Hannibal in the field.
439
00:30:47,390 --> 00:30:49,650
And this becomes the famous Fabian
strategy.
440
00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:53,090
Do not engage the enemy in head -to
-head battle.
441
00:30:53,350 --> 00:30:58,590
Harass him. When he sends foraging teams
to look for food, kill them. If anybody
442
00:30:58,590 --> 00:31:02,050
provides sanctuary in a small town, burn
the place down.
443
00:31:02,510 --> 00:31:06,250
Fabius' strategy leaves Hannibal and his
men hungry and tired.
444
00:31:06,490 --> 00:31:10,690
They are constantly hunted and harassed
and never able to resupply.
445
00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:14,750
Fabius' strategies were not only good,
446
00:31:15,470 --> 00:31:19,310
They were exactly the strategy that Rome
needed to stop a man like Hannibal,
447
00:31:19,390 --> 00:31:24,570
whose whole tactical and strategic
vision was based on fighting battles. To
448
00:31:24,570 --> 00:31:29,010
a strategy that's battle -centric, you
have to have an enemy who obliges. By
449
00:31:29,010 --> 00:31:34,050
refusing to give battle, Fabius denied
Hannibal to fight the war that he wanted
450
00:31:34,050 --> 00:31:35,050
to fight.
451
00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,140
This is a strategy that would work, but
the problem is, like all strategy, it
452
00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:43,200
depends on political will. It depends on
the political will of the Senate to
453
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,620
essentially continue the Fabian strategy
perhaps for three, four, five years.
454
00:31:46,940 --> 00:31:50,060
Well, what happens is, this is not the
Roman way.
455
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:56,060
Despite the strategy's success so far,
the impatient Roman Senate forces Fabius
456
00:31:56,060 --> 00:31:57,480
to resign after six months.
457
00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:02,700
They return to their more typical mode
of government with the election of two
458
00:32:02,700 --> 00:32:03,900
civilian co -consuls.
459
00:32:04,730 --> 00:32:08,870
Paulus and Varro are chosen and directed
to defeat Hannibal as quickly as
460
00:32:08,870 --> 00:32:09,870
possible.
461
00:32:10,630 --> 00:32:13,230
Varro wants to fight Hannibal in an all
-out war.
462
00:32:14,210 --> 00:32:16,890
Paulus, however, does not want to be
lured into battle.
463
00:32:17,810 --> 00:32:21,730
This is problematic because there's a
combination of two Roman armies.
464
00:32:21,970 --> 00:32:27,910
The two co -consuls, Paulus and Varro,
trade off command every other day. It
465
00:32:27,910 --> 00:32:32,350
sound insane, but one day Paulus was the
supreme commander, the next day Varro.
466
00:32:32,810 --> 00:32:36,390
Hannibal is well aware of this and knows
who he'd rather fight.
467
00:32:38,010 --> 00:32:42,090
Hannibal's strength is in face -to -face
combat, and he wants to fight Varro's
468
00:32:42,090 --> 00:32:43,090
war.
469
00:32:46,370 --> 00:32:51,150
Hannibal gathers his intelligence, lies
in wait, then sends in a strike team
470
00:32:51,150 --> 00:32:52,450
just as Varro takes command.
471
00:32:54,850 --> 00:33:00,450
On cue, Varro roars into action and
sends a fighting force to meet Hannibal
472
00:33:00,450 --> 00:33:01,450
Cannae, Italy.
473
00:33:04,300 --> 00:33:09,000
Varro's colossal army is made up of more
than 80 ,000 Roman and Allied foot
474
00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:10,960
soldiers and 6 ,000 cavalry.
475
00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,680
It is the most massive Roman fighting
force ever to take the field at one
476
00:33:16,940 --> 00:33:21,640
Varro arranges his soldiers in a typical
Roman manacle formation, but adds a new
477
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:23,060
twist to the old formula.
478
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,980
What they do is they pack themselves a
little tighter than before so that the
479
00:33:27,980 --> 00:33:30,900
front is shorter, but the depth is
thicker.
480
00:33:31,630 --> 00:33:37,810
Only 300 feet away, Hannibal deploys his
own infantry force of 35 ,000, but in a
481
00:33:37,810 --> 00:33:41,510
unique configuration never before used
on any Western battlefield.
482
00:33:43,490 --> 00:33:46,690
Normally, an infantry line would be
deployed straight.
483
00:33:47,470 --> 00:33:53,470
He deploys it in a concave bow with the
belly of the bow facing closest to the
484
00:33:53,470 --> 00:33:55,810
Roman lines in a kind of semicircle.
485
00:33:58,380 --> 00:34:02,220
Hannibal himself leads the infantry
force from the middle of the line.
486
00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:07,280
The battle of annihilation begins.
487
00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:28,100
The infantry battle is furious.
488
00:34:32,139 --> 00:34:36,420
But it's the Carthaginian cavalry that
scores the first punishing blow.
489
00:34:38,980 --> 00:34:44,620
Heavy cavalry smashes into the Roman
cavalry with such incredible force that
490
00:34:44,620 --> 00:34:47,920
shatters it. I mean, between the dead
and the wounded and the dead horses.
491
00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:49,460
The rest just take flight.
492
00:34:49,980 --> 00:34:54,540
Trying to outrun this tidal wave of
death, the Romans are chopped down in
493
00:34:54,540 --> 00:34:55,540
stride.
494
00:34:55,860 --> 00:34:59,520
It is the beginning of one of the
greatest battles of all time.
495
00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,260
It's the Second Punic War between
Carthage and Rome.
496
00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:17,500
Two great armies slaughter each other on
the plains of Cannae.
497
00:35:18,220 --> 00:35:21,920
Battling over who will control the
entire Mediterranean region.
498
00:35:37,020 --> 00:35:40,660
Hannibal has configured his army in a
unique semicircle.
499
00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:42,420
On the flanks.
500
00:35:42,700 --> 00:35:46,820
the Carthaginian cavalry commander
detaches part of its force to help the
501
00:35:46,820 --> 00:35:49,540
Numidian -like cavalry on the opposite
side of the battlefield.
502
00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:57,000
With a nearly four -to -one advantage,
the Carthaginian cavalry makes short
503
00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,300
of the Roman cavalry on at the flanks.
504
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:04,100
In the center, the Roman infantry drives
Hannibal back.
505
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:06,060
But it's a ruse.
506
00:36:06,540 --> 00:36:08,680
Hannibal is giving ground on purpose.
507
00:36:10,030 --> 00:36:13,410
And this is why Hannibal originally
assembled his men in a semicircle.
508
00:36:13,810 --> 00:36:17,850
He knew that the center would give
ground, and he knew his flanks would
509
00:36:18,450 --> 00:36:22,630
Slowly the center collapses, and the
Romans would think they're winning and
510
00:36:22,630 --> 00:36:23,990
commit more troops in the center.
511
00:36:24,930 --> 00:36:29,250
The original bow shape of the
Carthaginian line now resembles a V.
512
00:36:30,550 --> 00:36:37,490
As Hannibal's infantry flexes inward,
the Roman units are drawn deeper and
513
00:36:37,490 --> 00:36:39,510
deeper into a V -shaped line.
514
00:36:40,030 --> 00:36:43,350
And as they go further, they get
completely packed together.
515
00:36:44,830 --> 00:36:49,970
Pressed into this V, the Roman infantry
can only move in one direction, straight
516
00:36:49,970 --> 00:36:50,970
ahead.
517
00:36:51,990 --> 00:36:55,710
Libby, one of the Roman historians,
tells us the pressure was so great that
518
00:36:55,710 --> 00:37:00,150
Roman soldiers' arms were forced against
their bodies. They could not lift their
519
00:37:00,150 --> 00:37:01,150
swords.
520
00:37:10,670 --> 00:37:15,770
On Hannibal's signal, the African
phalanxes turn in toward the middle and
521
00:37:15,770 --> 00:37:16,950
the Romans from the side.
522
00:37:30,790 --> 00:37:32,250
Hannibal blocks in front.
523
00:37:32,770 --> 00:37:35,490
The African infantry squeezes the side.
524
00:37:37,100 --> 00:37:41,240
Hannibal's older brother, Hasdrubal,
uses cavalry to flash from behind.
525
00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:45,120
The Romans are jammed into a kill box.
526
00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:52,620
Hasdrubal the Brilliant now rides around
in back of the Romans, hits them in the
527
00:37:52,620 --> 00:37:57,180
rear. This is the famous double
envelopment. It had never been done in
528
00:37:57,180 --> 00:37:58,660
history of warfare before.
529
00:37:58,900 --> 00:38:01,060
Never. And it's a brilliant maneuver.
530
00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:03,440
What Hannibal realized...
531
00:38:03,670 --> 00:38:08,270
is that while the Roman army is nearly
unstoppable as it attacks straight
532
00:38:08,970 --> 00:38:12,670
its maniples can only move forward and
back.
533
00:38:13,130 --> 00:38:15,570
They cannot turn and they cannot
envelop.
534
00:38:16,110 --> 00:38:21,530
And if you know exactly how your enemy
is going to fight, it's not that hard to
535
00:38:21,530 --> 00:38:22,810
figure out how to defeat it.
536
00:39:12,780 --> 00:39:17,300
By the time the sun sets, Hannibal has
slaughtered an unbelievable number of
537
00:39:17,300 --> 00:39:18,300
Romans.
538
00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:28,000
The Battle of Cannae was so full of
death that it gave rise to
539
00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,320
a new term in military terminology.
540
00:39:30,620 --> 00:39:32,700
It's called the Battle of Annihilation.
541
00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:37,440
The Battle of Annihilation. The enemy
wasn't defeated, it was annihilated.
542
00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:43,220
Cannae ranks as one of the deadliest and
most brutal battles in history. More
543
00:39:43,220 --> 00:39:46,540
than 70 ,000 Romans are butchered in a
single day.
544
00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:53,140
70 ,000 dead, killed in an area only
twice the size of Central Park.
545
00:39:53,740 --> 00:39:57,220
Ask yourself, this is an age before
mechanical weapons.
546
00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:04,980
How long does it take to kill 70 ,000
human beings with swords
547
00:40:04,980 --> 00:40:08,260
and spears, one at a time?
548
00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,080
The answer seems to be about six hours.
549
00:40:12,660 --> 00:40:16,100
Hannibal is on the verge of realizing
his dream of Rome's destruction.
550
00:40:17,060 --> 00:40:20,780
But the victory at Cannae will actually
mark the end of Hannibal's military
551
00:40:20,780 --> 00:40:22,600
success on the Italian peninsula.
552
00:40:23,660 --> 00:40:28,340
After the battle, the commander of the
Numidian cavalry, Maharbal, urges
553
00:40:28,340 --> 00:40:30,120
Hannibal to march immediately on Rome.
554
00:40:30,520 --> 00:40:31,820
But Hannibal refuses.
555
00:40:32,620 --> 00:40:36,760
This leads Maharbal to exclaim,
Hannibal, you know how to conquer.
556
00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:39,760
but you do not know how to use your
victory.
557
00:40:40,540 --> 00:40:45,160
Hannibal might believe that Rome will
finally bow before him and surrender
558
00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:46,260
their devastating defeat.
559
00:40:46,540 --> 00:40:50,580
Or maybe he realizes a siege of Rome
will be impossible to maintain without
560
00:40:50,580 --> 00:40:52,240
reinforcements and supplies.
561
00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:58,740
Cannae is about 260 miles away from
Rome, so he gets close, but not close
562
00:40:58,740 --> 00:40:59,740
enough.
563
00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:02,300
Whatever the reason.
564
00:41:02,650 --> 00:41:06,390
The destruction at Cannae is the closest
Hannibal ever gets to fulfilling the
565
00:41:06,390 --> 00:41:08,450
blood oath of revenge he made to his
father.
566
00:41:10,230 --> 00:41:15,390
Hannibal does try to negotiate a peace
deal with the Romans after Cannae, but
567
00:41:15,390 --> 00:41:16,390
the Romans refuse.
568
00:41:16,590 --> 00:41:20,630
In fact, the Romans actually outlaw the
word peace.
569
00:41:21,210 --> 00:41:24,530
No citizen could ever consider it
outlawed.
570
00:41:25,790 --> 00:41:30,050
Ultimately, the Romans decide to return
to the Fabian strategy of containment.
571
00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:34,540
Instead of trying to beat Hannibal on
the battlefield, they will try to
572
00:41:34,540 --> 00:41:35,540
him.
573
00:41:36,220 --> 00:41:41,260
Think about this for a minute. Rome,
with all their imperial destructive
574
00:41:41,340 --> 00:41:43,720
says, you know what? We can't beat this
guy.
575
00:41:43,980 --> 00:41:47,280
We can only harass him. We can only
contain him.
576
00:41:48,200 --> 00:41:51,660
Hannibal was able to get many of the
southern Italian towns to defect to him.
577
00:41:51,920 --> 00:41:53,600
So he was able to live off the land.
578
00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:58,800
But try as he might, he can never
fulfill his oath to his father. He never
579
00:41:58,800 --> 00:41:59,800
Rome to the ground.
580
00:42:00,590 --> 00:42:05,090
For all his triumphs on the battlefield,
Hannibal's campaign must be seen as a
581
00:42:05,090 --> 00:42:10,230
failure. He eventually abandons his
quest to destroy Rome and sails back to
582
00:42:10,230 --> 00:42:11,230
Carthage.
583
00:42:12,110 --> 00:42:15,870
If you want to think about a more modern
example, you could look at Robert E.
584
00:42:15,890 --> 00:42:21,630
Lee. During the American Civil War, Lee
won nearly every one of his battles, but
585
00:42:21,630 --> 00:42:26,400
ultimately... lost the war. No matter
how many battles you win, the ultimate
586
00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,320
goal of a battle is a means to an end,
to win the war strategically.
587
00:42:29,760 --> 00:42:33,180
From that perspective, Hannibal's
campaigns were a failure. The individual
588
00:42:33,180 --> 00:42:39,380
battles were victorious, but the
strategy of bringing Rome to heel and
589
00:42:39,380 --> 00:42:40,440
sign a peace treaty failed.
590
00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:45,300
You don't get any points in warfare for
trying.
591
00:42:46,570 --> 00:42:50,830
The greatest irony of Hannibal's
invasion is that it sets in motion the
592
00:42:50,830 --> 00:42:54,750
that will turn the Republic of Rome into
an empire that will conquer the ancient
593
00:42:54,750 --> 00:43:00,730
world. Had there been no Hannibal, had
there been no Second Punic War, there's
594
00:43:00,730 --> 00:43:05,330
no reason to suspect that Rome would
ever have expanded to the degree that it
595
00:43:05,330 --> 00:43:06,330
did.
596
00:43:06,390 --> 00:43:11,790
Hannibal's tactics and stealth, his
bloodlust and determination, his
597
00:43:11,790 --> 00:43:12,790
and genius.
598
00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:16,120
are all taught to modern military
commanders throughout the world.
599
00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:20,680
But the greatest lesson might be that
while Hannibal could annihilate the
600
00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,660
of Rome, he could not ultimately destroy
Rome.
54458
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