Original subtitles

Narrator: HANNIBAL--

\h\h\h\h\hONE OF HISTORY’S MOST BRILLIANT LEADERS...

COMMANDER OF A LEGENDARY ARMY.

\h\hMan: HANNIBAL WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST GENERALS OF ANTIQUITY,

AND IN FACT ONE OF THE GREATEST GENERALS WHO EVER LIVED.

Narrator: BUT WE KNOW LITTLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hABOUT THE MAN.

HOW DID HANNIBAL ASSEMBLE \h\h\h\hAND HOLD TOGETHER

AN ARMY OF 90,000 MEN AND 37 WAR ELEPHANTS?

WHAT DID IT TAKE TO GET THAT ARMY

\h\hOVER ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST TREACHEROUS RIVERS?

Woman: FOR AN ANCIENT ARMY, \h\h\hTO CROSS A LARGE RIVER

WAS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS \h\h\h\h\hTHINGS IT COULD DO.

Narrator: AND HOW DID HE ACHIEVE

WHAT NO OTHER GENERAL \h\hHAD DONE BEFORE--

LEAD THAT ARMY ACROSS THE ALPS TO STRIKE AT ROME’S HEARTLAND?

Woman: THEY SAW IT BASICALLY \h\h\hAS A SUICIDE MISSION.

Narrator: NOW, NEW DISCOVERIES \h\h\h\hAND MODERN TECHNOLOGY

ARE CUTTING THROUGH \h\h\hTHE LEGEND...

TO REVEAL THE TRUTH.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hEric Adler: HANNIBAL’S REMEMBERED

\hAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MILITARY MEN IN HISTORY.

HE WAS A GENIUS.

HE WAS A STRATEGIC GENIUS,

HE WAS A LOGISTICAL GENIUS, \h\h\hHE WAS A GREAT LEADER,

AND HE CAME CLOSEST \hTO DESTROYING ROME

IN ITS REPUBLICAN PRIME.

Narrator: EVEN 2,000 YEARS \h\h\h\h\hAFTER HIS DEATH,

HANNIBAL IS STILL A ROLE MODEL.

Sarah Brown Ferrario: \h\h\h\h\hWAR COLLEGES

AND EVEN PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS \h\h\h\hOF THE MILITARY TODAY

STILL STUDY HANNIBAL’S \h\h\h\hGREAT BATTLES

FOR THEIR IMAGINATIVE TACTICS,

THEIR QUICK RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCE,

AND THEIR UNIQUE ABILITY \h\h\hTO TAKE ADVANTAGE

OF THE WEAKNESSES OF HIS OPPONENTS.

HANNIBAL WAS THE ROMANS’ \h\h\h\hWORST NIGHTMARE.

Narrator: BUT WE ONLY KNOW \h\h\h\h\hHANNIBAL’S STORY

FROM HIS ENEMY’S PERSPECTIVE.

\hKelcy Sagstetter: ONE OF OUR PROBLEMS

IN ASSESSING THE RELIABILITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE SOURCES

IS THAT ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE PRO ROMAN.

AND IT’S A CASE OF THE VICTORS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWRITING HISTORY.

BUT THE SOURCES SHOW A SORT \h\hOF RELUCTANT ADMIRATION

FOR HANNIBAL,

\hBECAUSE, LET’S FACE IT, HE WAS A MILITARY GENIUS,

AND YOU CAN’T HIDE THAT \h\h\h\h\h\hIN HISTORY.

Narrator: HANNIBAL’S STORY \h\hBEGINS IN CARTHAGE...

A CITY ALL BUT FORGOTTEN TODAY, BUT A SUPERPOWER IN 270 B.C.

\hEric: CARTHAGE WAS THE WEALTHIEST POWER

IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

AS A RESULT OF THEIR GREAT \h\h\h\hSUCCESSES IN TRADE

\h\hTHAT GOES BACK CENTURIES, REALLY.

\h\hBUT THIS ALSO MEANS THAT THEY ARE VERY GOOD

AT CONTROLLING THE SEA.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AND IT REAPS HUGE PROFITS FROM BOAT BUILDING

\hAND ITS CONTROL OF SHIPPING ROUTES

ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

\h\h\hSarah: THIS WAS A FULLY SOPHISTICATED

MEDITERRANEAN SOCIETY

WITH A HIGHLY, HIGHLY DEVELOPED

AND EXTREMELY WEALTHY \h\h\h\hCIVILIZATION.

Narrator: CARTHAGE HAS AMBITIONS

\h\h\h\h\h\hOF SEIZING CONTROL OF THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN.

\h\h\hBUT AS CARTHAGE EXPANDS, SO DOES ANOTHER RISING POWER--

ROME.

AND ROME IS RESTLESS.

ONCE A TINY VILLAGE,

\h\h\hIT’S NOW A THRIVING CITY THAT CONTROLS MOST OF ITALY--

\h\h\h\h\h\hA POSITION GAINED THROUGH ITS POWERFUL MILITARY.

Sarah: THE ROMAN REPUBLIC \hBY THE THIRD CENTURY BC

\h\hWAS LARGELY DOMINATED BY THE INFLUENCE OF PATRICIAN FAMILIES

WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED TO ROMAN POLITICAL AND MILITARY LIFE

FOR MANY GENERATIONS.

Narrator: EVERY ROMAN CITIZEN IS EXPECTED TO SERVE IN THE ARMY...

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY ARE THE PREEMINENT LAND POWER.

Kelcy: ROME HAD BEEN EXPANDING

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHROUGHOUT THE ITALIAN PENINSULA,

CONQUERING ALL OF THE TRIBES \h\h\hAND FORMING ALLIANCES,

\h\hAND CARTHAGE WAS THE GREAT SEA POWER.

THE MEDITERRANEAN WASN’T BIG ENOUGH

TO HOLD BOTH ROME AND CARTHAGE.

Eric: THE GROWING POWER OF CARTHAGE AND OF ROME

IN THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN

WERE ULTIMATELY GOING TO LEAD TO WHAT IS CALLED THE PUNIC WARS.

Narrator: FOR CARTHAGE,

THE FIRST PUNIC WAR ENDS IN A HUMILIATING DEFEAT.

\hCARTHAGE, FOR NOW, MUST BOW TO ROME...

PAY A HUGE TRIBUTE... AND DREAM OF REVENGE.

THE DEFEATED CARTHAGINIAN \h\h\h\hLEADER, HAMILCAR,

SWEARS TO ONE DAY \hDESTROY HIS FOE.

HE DEDICATES HIS LIFE-- \h\h\h\hAND HIS SON’S--

TO ROME’S DESTRUCTION.

THAT BOY IS HANNIBAL.

\h\hHIS FATHER’S HATRED OF ROME SHAPES YOUNG HANNIBAL’S DESTINY.

\h\h\hSarah: WHEN HANNIBAL WAS A YOUNG BOY, ABOUT 9 YEARS OLD

AND ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR SPAIN \hWITH HIS FATHER, HAMILCAR,

THE STORY IS TOLD THAT HAMILCAR CALLED HANNIBAL TO HIS SIDE

AND ASKED THE YOUNG BOY TO SWEAR THAT HE WOULD REMAIN

\h\h\h\h\hTHROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AN ENEMY TO THE ROMAN PEOPLE.

Kelcy: WHETHER OR NOT THIS OATH EVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED,

\hTHE ROMANS WANTED TO PORTRAY HANNIBAL

AS ALMOST A PREDESTINED ENEMY.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WANTED TO SHOW THAT THIS ENMITY WITH HANNIBAL

\h\h\h\h\hWAS ALMOST PREORDAINED IN AN ALMOST MYTHOLOGICAL SENSE.

♪

Narrator: TO REBUILD THE WEALTH AND STATUS OF CARTHAGE,

\h\h\hHAMILCAR INVADES THE IBERIAN PENINSULA,

KNOWN TODAY AS SPAIN.

HAMILCAR’S GAMBLE \hPAYS OFF RICHLY.

\h\h\h\h\hKelcy: SPAIN WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE PROSPECT

FOR THE CARTHAGINIANS

BECAUSE IT POSSESSED \h\hFABULOUS WEALTH

IN SILVER MINES ESPECIALLY.

BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE TIMBER \h\h\h\hAND FURS AND AMBER.

\h\h\hNarrator: BUT HAMILCAR HAS TO CONQUER LOCAL TRIBES.

HE ASSEMBLES A FEARSOME ARMY...

AND WIELDS THE ANCIENT WORLD’S \h\hVERSION OF BATTLE TANKS--

WAR ELEPHANTS.

\h\hEric: ELEPHANTS WERE TYPICALLY USED

CHIEFLY TO FRIGHTEN THE ENEMY.

SOLDIERS WHO HAVEN’T \h\hSEEN ELEPHANTS,

AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, \h\hPANIC AS A RESULT,

AND ANIMALS THAT HAVEN’T SEEN \h\h\hELEPHANTS BEFORE PANIC.

\hAND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE UNPREDICTABLE

AND THEY WERE CAPABLE \hOF TRAMPLING PEOPLE,

THEY COULD CAUSE GREAT FEAR \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN AN ENEMY.

Narrator: HANNIBAL LEARNS \h\h\hHOW TO LEAD AN ARMY

AND HANDLE ELEPHANTS \h\hFROM HIS FATHER.

AND FROM HIS GREEK TUTOR, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOSYLUS,

HE LEARNS THE ART AND HISTORY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF WARFARE.

SOSYLUS TEACHES HANNIBAL

\h\h\h\h\h\hABOUT MYTHIC AS WELL AS REAL HEROES--

\h\h\hGENERALS LIKE ALEXANDER THE GREAT,

\hWHO LED HIS ARMY THOUSANDS OF MILES

ACROSS VAST RIVERS \h\hAND MOUNTAINS.

\h\hKelcy: AT AGE 10 HANNIBAL WENT WITH HIS FATHER TO SPAIN,

AND WE HEAR THAT SOSYLUS \h\h\h\hACCOMPANIED HIM,

AND HE STILL WOULD HAVE TAUGHT \h\hHIM ABOUT ANCIENT GREEKS,

BUT FROM 235 ONWARD

HIS FATHER WOULD HAVE APPOINTED HIM A TUTOR

IN THE ARTS OF WAR.

\hHE WOULD HAVE LEARNED SWORDSMANSHIP, ARCHERY,

HORSEBACK RIDING,

AND SINCE HE WAS PARTLY RAISED \h\h\h\h\h\hIN MILITARY CAMPS,

HE PROBABLY TOOK TO THIS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH EASE.

Narrator: HANNIBAL’S EDUCATION

\hWOULD HAVE COVERED ALL ASPECTS OF WAR,

FROM HOW TO HANDLE WEAPONS

TO THE TACTICS AND STRATEGIES \h\h\h\hOF SUCCESSFUL ARMIES.

\h\h\hAND HE WAS CLEARLY A NATURAL-BORN WARRIOR.

Kelcy: THE ROMAN HISTORIAN LIVY

\h\h\hTELLS US THAT HANNIBAL’S ADMIRERS

\hREFERRED TO HIM AS A SECOND MARS,

THE ROMAN GOD OF WAR.

Sarah: FROM THE BEGINNING, \h\h\h\h\hHIS BEING THERE

ACCLIMATED EVERYONE TO THE FACT

THAT HE REALLY WAS SOME KIND \h\h\h\hOF AN HEIR APPARENT,

AND THAT WHEN HE CAME OF AGE

HE WOULD PUT CARTHAGE \h\h\hBACK ON THE MAP

AND HELP RETURN HIS CITY

TO SOME OF ITS FORMER INFLUENCE AND PROSPERITY

BY TAKING THE WAR RIGHT BACK \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE ROMANS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AT 26, AFTER THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER,

\h\h\hHANNIBAL TAKES CHARGE OF THE CARTHAGINIAN FORCES.

HE HAS ONE GOAL IN SIGHT--

\h\hFULFILL THE OATH HE MADE TO HAMILCAR

AND DESTROY ROME.

IN 219 BC, HANNIBAL GATHERS \h\h\h\h\hAN ENORMOUS ARMY--

PERHAPS AS LARGE AS 90,000 MEN \h\h\h\hAND 37 WAR ELEPHANTS--

AND PREPARES FOR WAR WITH ROME.

Eric: HANNIBAL CAUGHT THE ROMANS OFF GUARD.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY DIDN’T REALIZE UNTIL IT WAS A LITTLE TOO LATE

\h\hTHAT HANNIBAL HAD GROWN CARTHAGINIAN POWER IN SPAIN

TO THE DEGREE THAT HE HAD.

Narrator: UNAWARE OF HANNIBAL’S GROWING POWER,

\hROME IS CONFIDENT IN ITS OWN STRENGTH.

ALTHOUGH A REPUBLIC,

ONLY A FEW NOBLE FAMILIES \h\hCONTROL KEY POSITIONS.

CHIEF AMONG THESE-- THE HOUSE OF SCIPIO.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE PATRIARCH-- LUCIUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO--

\hFOUGHT AND BEAT THE CARTHAGINIANS

IN THE EARLIER WAR.

NOW HIS SON, PUBLIUS, \h\h\h\h\hAND GRANDSON

ARE EAGER FOR THEIR CHANCE.

AND THAT CHANCE COMES

WHEN HANNIBAL ATTACKS ROMAN ALLIES IN SPAIN.

THE CITY OF SAGUNTUM IS DEEP

IN CARTHAGINIAN TERRITORY...

A ROMAN ALLY...

AND A THORN IN HANNIBAL’S SIDE.

HANNIBAL LAYS SIEGE TO THE CITY.

\h\h\h\h\hEric: IT IS LIKELY THAT HANNIBAL WAS IRRITATED

BY THE FACT THAT ROME HAD

A KIND OF ALLIANCE OR FRIENDSHIP OR SOMETHING WITH SAGUNTUM,

\h\h\hBECAUSE THIS WAS THE TERRITORY IN SPAIN

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE \h\h\h\h\h\hCARTHAGE’S,

\h\h\hAND SO IT’S LIKELY THAT HE ATTACKS SAGUNTUM

\hIN PART BECAUSE OF HIS IRRITATION

THAT ROME WAS MEDDLING

IN CARTHAGE’S AFFAIRS IN SPAIN.

\h\h\hKelcy: WHEN HANNIBAL TOOK SAGUNTUM AFTER AN 8-MONTH SIEGE,

\h\h\hPOLYBIUS TELLS US THAT HE OFFERED TO SPARE THE POPULATION

IF THEY LEFT THE TOWN \h\h\hWITH NO WEAPONS

AND NO MORE THAN TWO GARMENTS,

AND WHEN THEY REFUSED, HE PUT \h\hALL OF THE MALES TO DEATH

AND SOLD THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN INTO SLAVERY.

Eric: ROME SEEMS TO HAVE EXPECTED

THAT THE SECOND PUNIC WAR

\hWAS GOING TO BE A LOT LIKE THE FIRST PUNIC WAR

IN WHICH ROME WAS LARGELY \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE OFFENSE

AND ATTACKING WHERE IT WANTED,

AND HANNIBAL CAUGHT THEM \hCOMPLETELY OFF GUARD.

Narrator: WHEN NEWS ARRIVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM SPAIN,

IT’S NOT WHAT THE ROMANS EXPECT.

HANNIBAL, THE MESSAGE SAYS, \h\h\h\h\h\hIS ON THE MOVE.

HE PLANS TO BRING THE WAR \h\h\h\h\hTO ROME ITSELF.

ALREADY HE HAS THE ROMANS \h\h\h\hON THE DEFENSIVE.

Kelcy: ONE OF THE REASONS \h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT HANNIBAL

WAS SO SUCCESSFUL AGAINST THE ROMANS

IS THAT HE ALWAYS DID \h\h\hTHE UNEXPECTED.

HE WAS USUALLY ONE STEP AHEAD \hOF THE ROMANS AT EVERY TURN.

Narrator: THE EASIEST ROUTE \h\hWOULD BE THE DIRECT ONE,

BY SHIP.

INSTEAD, HANNIBAL \hWILL GO BY LAND,

\hA ROUTE ROME THINKS IS ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE.

\h\h\hSarah: THE ROMANS CERTAINLY DID NOT EXPECT

THAT NEARLY THE FIRST THING \h\h\h\h\hHANNIBAL WOULD DO

WAS STAGE AN INVASION OF ITALY, MUCH LESS DO IT OVERLAND.

Narrator: FEW IMAGINE THAT HANNIBAL CAN TURN SOLDIERS

FROM DOZENS OF DIFFERENT TRIBES

INTO A SINGLE COHESIVE \h\h\hFIGHTING FORCE.

\hEric: THE CARTHAGINIAN ARMY WAS LARGELY A MERCENARY ARMY,

\h\h\h\hTHAT IS TO SAY, IT’S SOLDIERS FOR HIRE.

NOT ONLY WAS IT GOING TO BE \h\h\h\hDIFFICULT AND COSTLY

TO RUN SUCH AN ARMY,

BUT IT WAS GOING TO BE \hEXTREMELY DIFFICULT

\h\h\h\hTO GET THE KIND OF CAMARADERIE NECESSARY

FOR THE WAR THAT WAS GOING \h\h\h\h\h\hTO TAKE PLACE.

AND THAT SHOWS THAT HANNIBAL \h\hWAS A LEADER OF GENIUS.

Sarah: THIS ARMY WAS NOT \h\hFOLLOWING CARTHAGE;

THIS ARMY WAS FOLLOWING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHANNIBAL.

Narrator: NUMIDIAN CAVALRY \h\h\h\hFROM NORTH AFRICA

ARE THE SHOCK TROOPS.

\h\h\hON THE FRONT LINES, SLINGERS DELIVER A BARRAGE

OF HIGHLY ACCURATE, DEADLY \h\h\h\hLEAD PROJECTILES.

\h\h\h\hTHEY ARE BACKED UP BY HEAVILY ARMORED CAVALRY

FROM SPAIN AND FRANCE.

AND FORMING THE ARMY’S CORE, FOOT SOLDIERS FROM CARTHAGE.

FROM THIS DIVERSE FORCE, \h\h\h\hHANNIBAL CREATES

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL ARMIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

Sarah: HANNIBAL’S INVASION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF ITALY

\hWAS AN ENORMOUSLY COMPLICATED PROJECT.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HANNIBAL, \hWE TEND TO THINK ABOUT DRAMA

AND FURY AND POTENTIALLY \h\h\hTHINGS LIKE ANGER,

BUT HANNIBAL HAS TO HAVE BEEN

A METICULOUS, METICULOUS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hCRAFTSMAN

OF EVERYTHING THAT HE PLANNED

\h\h\hIN ORDER FOR SOMETHING THIS COMPLICATED TO SUCCEED.

Narrator: IN MAY 218 BC,

HANNIBAL MUST SAY GOODBYE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO HIS WIFE

AND LEAVE HIS LIFE \hIN SPAIN BEHIND.

\h\hTHERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN, IF EVER, HE’LL RETURN.

♪

THE ARMY SETS OUT FROM NEW CARTHAGE,

WHAT IS NOW CARTAGENA, SPAIN.

\h\hTO MARCH OVERLAND, HANNIBAL AND HIS ARMY

WILL HAVE TO CROSS

TWO OF EUROPE’S GREATEST \h\h\hNATURAL BARRIERS--

\h\h\hTHE RHONE RIVER AND THE ALPINE MOUNTAIN RANGE.

Eric: HANNIBAL NEEDED \h\h\h\h\hTO MAINTAIN

THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE.

AND SO, IT WAS OF GREAT VALUE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO HANNIBAL

\hTO MAKE SURE HE COULD SHOW UP IN ITALY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

IT WAS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING,

\hONE OF THE GREATEST IN THE ANCIENT WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: END-TO-END ON THE MARCH,

THE ARMY STRETCHES ROUGHLY 25 MILES,

ALMOST TWICE THE LENGTH \h\hOF MANHATTAN ISLAND.

HANNIBAL IS LEADING THEM

MORE THAN A THOUSAND MILES \h\h\h\h\hFROM THEIR HOMES

INTO WHAT MUST HAVE FELT \h\h\hLIKE THE UNKNOWN.

TO MOVE QUICKLY,

HANNIBAL MARCHES WITH AS LITTLE BAGGAGE AS POSSIBLE.

THIS MEANS HANNIBAL MUST TIME \h\h\hHIS ROUTE EXACTLY RIGHT.

Eric: FIRST, HANNIBAL \h\h\hHAS TO MAKE SURE

THAT HE CAN ACTUALLY GET \h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE ALPS

AND THAT HE’S GOING TO HAVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSUFFICIENT

OR POTENTIALLY SUFFICIENT PROVISIONS FOR HIS TROOPS

UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Sarah: HANNIBAL’S DROP DEAD DATE IN EVERY SENSE OF THE TERM

FOR THE COMPLETION OF HIS EXPEDITION

\hWOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONSET OF TRUE WINTER IN THE ALPS.

HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO CALCULATE \h\h\hBACKWARDS FROM THAT TIME

\hTO FIGURE OUT HOW LATE IN THE SEASON HE COULD AFFORD TO LEAVE.

IF HANNIBAL LEFT TOO SOON,

\h\h\hHE WOULD HAVE FOUND THE HARVEST NOT COMPLETED,

THE MARKETS NEARLY EMPTY,

THE GRANARIES OF THE FARMS \h\h\h\h\hNOT YET FILLED.

Narrator: AT LEAST IN SPAIN,

\hHE CAN COUNT ON ALLIES PROVIDING FOR HIS ARMY.

HARDEST OF ALL TO FEED-- \h\h\h\h\hHIS ELEPHANTS.

EACH ELEPHANT CAN CONSUME OVER 300 POUNDS OF FOOD EVERY DAY.

IN 1959, BRITISH RESEARCHERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWANTED TO TEST

HOW WELL ELEPHANTS WOULD FARE

ON A MOUNTAIN CLIMB \h\hLIKE HANNIBAL’S.

Newsreel announcer: THE ELEPHANT CHOSEN BY AN EXPEDITION

FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

TO FIND HOW HANNIBAL \hCROSSED THE ALPS.

Narrator: THEY BORROWED AN ELEPHANT NAMED JUMBO

\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE TURIN ZOO AND HIKED HIM INTO THE ALPS.

Newsreel announcer: \hTHIS WAS THE SCENE

AS THE PARTY LEFT MONTMÉLIAN, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN FRANCE...

\h\h\hNarrator: UNLIKE HANNIBAL, THE RESEARCHERS HAD PAVED ROADS

\h\h\hAND WILLING VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED FOOD AND WATER.

\h\h\h\hNewsreel announcer: THE 12-DAY JOURNEY PROVOKED

TREMENDOUS ENTHUSIASM \hALL ALONG THE ROUTE.

ELEPHANTS ARE EXCITING ANIMALS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEVEN TODAY,

BUT THINK HOW THEY MUST HAVE \h\hSTAGGERED THE ROMAN ARMY

WHEN THEY APPEARED...

\hNarrator: AT THE END OF THEIR TEN-DAY TREK,

\hTHEY’RE CHEERED BY ITALIAN CROWDS.

\h\h\h\hNewsreel announcer: WHETHER THE CAMBRIDGE THEORY

WAS RIGHT OR WRONG...

Narrator: JUMBO MADE THE TRIP...

\h\h\h\hBUT IN JUST 12 DAYS, HE’S LOST 10% OF HIS WEIGHT.

\h\hHANNIBAL’S ROUTE IS MUCH ROUGHER AND LONGER.

IT TAKES ALMOST FOUR MONTHS

TO CROSS NORTHERN SPAIN \h\hAND SOUTHERN FRANCE.

THERE, HE COMES UP AGAINST \h\h\h\hA NATURAL BARRIER

THAT BRINGS HIS MARCH \h\h\h\h\hTO A HALT--

THE RHONE RIVER.

Sarah: FOR AN ANCIENT ARMY \h\hTO CROSS A LARGE RIVER

WAS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS \h\h\h\h\hTHINGS IT COULD DO.

Narrator: TODAY, THE RHONE RIVER LOOKS CALM...

TAMED BY CANALS AND DAMS.

BUT IN 218 BC, IT WAS WILD,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH STRONG, UNPREDICTABLE CURRENTS.

Sarah: NOT ONLY DID HANNIBAL \h\h\h\hNEED TO GET HIS ARMY

ACROSS THE EXCEPTIONALLY \hDANGEROUS RHONE RIVER,

BUT HE NEEDED TO GET \h\h\h\h37 ELEPHANTS

ACROSS THE EXCEPTIONALLY \hDANGEROUS RHONE RIVER.

Narrator: IN THE WILD, ELEPHANTS ARE COMFORTABLE IN THE WATER...

\h\h\h\hBUT HANNIBAL’S ELEPHANTS MAY HAVE BEEN BRED IN CAPTIVITY

AND NEVER LEARNED TO SWIM.

\hHE CAN’T BE SURE HOW THEY’LL REACT

TO THE RHONE’S SWIFT CURRENTS.

\hON THE DANUBE RIVER, HISTORIAN BORIS DREYER

\h\hWANTS TO TEST HOW HANNIBAL WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE HIS FEAT.

HE PLANS TO BUILD A RAFT

THE SAME SIZE AND SHAPE \h\h\h\h\hAS HANNIBAL’S,

\h\hBASED ON THE ACCOUNTS OF THE HISTORIAN POLYBIUS.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Boris Dreyer, translated: YOU CAN STUDY THE ANCIENT SOURCES

AT YOUR DESK,

\h\h\h\h\hFILTER OUT THE DATA AND EVEN FIND THEM CONVINCING,

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO RE-ENACTING IT,

THAT’S QUITE A DIFFERENT MATTER.

\h\h\hNarrator: BUT DREYER’S RECREATION ONLY GOES SO FAR.

\h\h\h\hUNLIKE HANNIBAL, HE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF MODERN GEAR...

LIKE A GRAPPLE CRANE TO LIFT AND PLACE THE HEAVY LOGS...

AS WELL AS CHAINSAWS \h\h\h\hTO CUT THEM.

ALSO, HE’S NOT SURROUNDED \h\hBY HOSTILE TRIBESMEN.

IN FACT, LOCAL BOAT OWNERS AND THE SECURITY SERVICES

COME OUT IN DROVES TO HELP.

WITH A MODERN CONCERN \h\h\h\h\hFOR SAFETY,

DREYER HAS THE FIRE BRIGADE \hAND LIFEGUARDS STANDING BY

IN CASE THERE’S AN EMERGENCY.

IT TAKES ROUGHLY 40 LARGE LOGS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLASHED TOGETHER

\h\h\h\hTO BUILD ONE OF HANNIBAL’S RAFTS.

[CHAINSAWS ROARING]

THE CARTHAGINIANS TOPPED THEIR \hRAFTS WITH BRANCHES AND DIRT

\h\hTO FOOL THE ELEPHANTS INTO THINKING IT WAS SOLID GROUND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDreyer: THE RAFT WE HAVE RECREATED

IS EXACTLY THE SAME SIZE \hAS THOSE OF HANNIBAL.

ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCES, \hHE HAD 16 OF THEM BUILT.

Narrator: HANNIBAL ALSO BUILT \h\h\hPIERS OUT INTO THE RIVER

\hTO GET THE ELEPHANTS OVER PART OF THE WATER AND ONTO THE RAFTS.

\h\hTHE HANDLERS LIKELY LED THE DOMINANT ELEPHANTS FIRST

TO GET THE OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

Eric: THE CROSSING OF THE RHONE WAS GOING TO BE,

\h\h\h\h\hFOR HANNIBAL, A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE.

\h\hHE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD RAFTS

IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET ELEPHANTS ACROSS THE RHONE RIVER,

AND EVEN GETTING ELEPHANTS \hTO STEP FOOT ON A RAFT,

\hAS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING

THAT’S VERY DIFFICULT \h\h\h\hTO ACCOMPLISH.

Narrator: TODAY, DREYER RELIES \h\hON HEAVY MOVING EQUIPMENT

TO EASE THE RAFT INTO THE RIVER.

[CREAKING]

IT WEIGHS 15 TONS BY ITSELF, \h\h\h\h\hAND IT’S NOT CLEAR

\h\h\hIF THE CURRENT WILL PULL IT UNDER.

IT RIDES LOW IN THE WATER, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT FLOATS.

IN HANNIBAL’S TIME, SOLDIERS WOULD HAVE HAD TO CONTROL IT

WITH NOTHING MORE THAN MUSCLE POWER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTODAY, LOCALS, IN THEIR MOTORIZED BOATS,

PUSH IT BACK UP ONTO THE BANK.

WITHOUT AN ELEPHANT HANDY,

DREYER USES 9,000 POUNDS OF SAND AS A SUBSTITUTE.

\h\h\h\hLOW IN THE WATER, THE RAFT IS HARD TO MOVE.

TO REPLICATE HANNIBAL’S \h\h\h\h\hLIKELY METHOD,

\h\h\h\hDREYER AND HIS TEAM TRY TO PUSH IT ACROSS WITH POLES...

AND PULL IT ACROSS \h\hWITH ROWBOATS.

EVEN A GENTLE CURRENT \h\h\h\hIS TOO STRONG,

AND THE POLERS AND ROWERS

\hSTRUGGLE TO KEEP THE RAFT ON TRACK.

♪

IT THREATENS TO SPIN \hOUT OF CONTROL...

\h\h\h\h\hSO THE LIFEGUARDS SNAP TO ATTENTION, READY FOR ACTION.

ACCORDING TO POLYBIUS,

MANY OF HANNIBAL’S TROOPS \hDROWNED IN THE CROSSING.

WHEN AN ELEPHANT SHIFTED ITS WEIGHT, OR PANICKED,

THE WHOLE RAFT WOULD GO OVER.

♪

Dreyer: IT’S VERY EXHAUSTING.

Narrator: THE CURRENT KEEPS PUSHING THE RAFT DOWNSTREAM,

AND FATIGUE STARTS TO SET IN.

THE RAFT REACHES THE FAR BANK,

BUT SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDOWNRIVER

FROM WHERE THEY WANTED TO LAND.

AND DREYER HAS IT EASY

COMPARED TO THE CHALLENGES \h\h\hHANNIBAL DEALT WITH.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Dreyer: WE’VE MADE IT.

WE’VE GOT THE WEIGHT \h\h\hOF AN ELEPHANT

ACROSS TO THE OTHER BANK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT GIVES DREYER INSIGHT

\hINTO WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE COST HANNIBAL TO MAKE THE CROSSING.

\hDreyer: IT TELLS US THAT HANNIBAL ACHIEVED

\h\hA TRULY ENORMOUS ORGANIZATIONAL FEAT,

WITHOUT CHAINSAWS, MOTORBOATS \h\hOR ANYTHING OF THAT KIND.

AND ALL THIS WITH LIVING ELEPHANTS.

Narrator: FOR HANNIBAL, NOT EVERYTHING WENT AS PLANNED.

\h\h\h\hACCORDING TO POLYBIUS, THE CROSSING TOOK SEVEN DAYS.

♪

Dreyer: WE KNOW THAT ALL 37 ELEPHANTS GOT ACROSS ALIVE.

SOME, HOWEVER, LOST HOLD

\h\h\hAND SURVIVED ONLY THANKS TO THEIR TRUNKS,

\hWHICH ALLOWED THEM TO BREATHE UNDERWATER LIKE WITH A SNORKEL.

\hBUT ALL THE MAHOUTS WHO FELL OVERBOARD WITH THEM PERISHED.

Narrator: ACROSS THE RHONE RIVER AT LAST, HANNIBAL’S ARMY

\h\hHAS BEEN ON THE MARCH FOR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS...

AND THE GREATEST BARRIERS \h\h\h\h\hSTILL LIE AHEAD.

ROME PLACES A MASSIVE ARMY \h\h\h\h\hALONG THE COAST,

BLOCKING HANNIBAL’S \h\h\hEASIEST ROUTE.

BUT, AGAIN, HANNIBAL DOES THE UNEXPECTED.

INSTEAD OF WAITING \hFOR THE ROMANS,

HE SETS OUT ON THE MARCH AGAIN.

Eric: THE ROMANS HOPED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE ABLE

\h\hTO STOP HANNIBAL AT THE RHONE RIVER,

\h\h\h\hAND HANNIBAL, ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD,

GAVE THE ROMAN ARMY THE SLIP.

Narrator: LED BY SCIPIO,

\h\h\h\hTHE ROMANS SEARCH FOR HANNIBAL AND HIS ARMY.

THEY’RE DETERMINED TO TRAP \h\h\h\h\hAND DESTROY HIM

BEFORE HE CAN EVEN REACH ITALY.

BUT HANNIBAL ELUDES THEM.

Sarah: THE ROMANS ARE ALREADY \h\h\h\h\h\hON THE DEFENSIVE.

\h\hTHEY KEEP TRYING TO GUESS HANNIBAL’S LIKELY NEXT MOVE...

AND THEY KEEP GUESSING WRONG.

Narrator: ONCE AGAIN, THE ROMAN ARMY UNDERESTIMATES HANNIBAL.

♪

THE MIGHTY ROMAN REPUBLIC \h\h\hIS UP AGAINST A FOE

LIKE NO OTHER IT’S FACED BEFORE.

[HORSE NEIGHS]

♪

IN THE FALL OF 218 BC, HANNIBAL ARRIVES AT THE FOOT OF THE ALPS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hEUROPE’S TALLEST, MOST DAUNTING MOUNTAIN RANGE.

\hSNOW-COVERED PEAKS STRETCH 15,000 FEET

TO THE ROOF OF EUROPE,

CREATING A NATURAL FORTRESS \hPROTECTING ITALY AND ROME.

NO ONE HAS EVER TAKEN \h\h\h\h\hA LARGE ARMY

THROUGH ONE OF ITS \h\hNARROW PASSES.

\hTHE ROMANS THINK IT WOULD BE SUICIDE FOR HANNIBAL TO TRY...

AND HANNIBAL’S OWN TROOPS AGREE.

IN 218 BC, HANNIBAL FACES \h\hTHE GREATEST OBSTACLE

ON HIS MARCH TO ROME-- \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE ALPS.

Sarah: ANCIENT PEOPLES VIEWED \h\h\hTHE ALPS AS A FORTRESS.

THEY FORMED AN ALMOST \h\hIMPENETRABLE WALL.

Eric: NO ARMY IN ANTIQUITY \h\h\hGOT ACROSS THE ALPS,

\h\h\h\h\hAND YET IT SEEMS AS IF HANNIBAL RECOGNIZES

\h\hTHAT HE’S THE GENERAL WHO CAN ACTUALLY DO THIS.

Kelcy: HIS ARMY WAS RELUCTANT \h\h\h\h\h\hTO CROSS THE ALPS

BECAUSE THEY SAW IT BASICALLY \h\h\h\hAS A SUICIDE MISSION.

Narrator: THEY’VE ARRIVED \h\hAT THE EDGE OF WINTER,

WHEN LANDSLIDES OR AVALANCHES

\h\hCOULD TRAP THEM IN A MOUNTAIN PASS.

THERE, THEY COULD FREEZE \h\hOR STARVE TO DEATH.

BUT IF THEY’RE TO REACH ROME, \h\hTHEY MUST SCALE THE ALPS.

[TROOPS CHEERING]

HANNIBAL RALLIES HIS TROOPS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTELLING THEM:

"NO MOUNTAIN IS TOO HIGH \h\hFOR MAN TO CONQUER.

IF A SMALL GROUP CAN CROSS THEM, SO CAN AN ARMY."

BUT HOW HANNIBAL MANAGED TO GET

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND HORSES,

AS WELL AS 37 ELEPHANTS, \h\h\h\hACROSS THE ALPS

IS ONE OF HISTORY’S GREATEST \h\h\h\hUNSOLVED MYSTERIES.

\hNO ONE EVEN KNOWS WHAT ROUTE HE TOOK.

\hTHERE ARE THREE POSSIBLE PASSAGES,

AND MOST HISTORIANS CONSIDER THE NORTHERN TWO THE MOST LIKELY.

\hTHE SOUTHERNMOST, ACROSS THE COL DE LA TRAVERSETTE,

IS THE MOST DIFFICULT.

RISING TO ALMOST 8,000 FEET,

IT’S THE HIGHEST ROUTE

AND CONTAINS NARROW PASSES.

HISTORIANS HAVE GENERALLY \h\h\h\h\h\hRULED IT OUT.

BILL MAHANEY DISAGREES.

HE’S SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS \h\h\hSEARCHING FOR EVIDENCE

\h\h\h\hTHAT HANNIBAL CROSSED AT THE COL DE LA TRAVERSETTE.

MAHANEY IS A GEOMORPHOLOGIST, \h\hWHICH MEANS HE’S AN EXPERT

IN UNDERSTANDING HOW A LANDSCAPE CHANGES OVER TIME.

HE SEARCHES FOR SPOTS \h\h\hALONG THE ROUTE

\hWHERE HE THINKS HANNIBAL MIGHT HAVE RESTED HIS ARMY

MORE THAN 2,000 YEARS AGO.

\h\h\h\hBill Mahaney: I GOT VERY INTERESTED IN THE HANNIBAL STORY

WHEN HISTORIANS WERE TELLING ME

THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED \h\hIN FINDING THE ROUTE--

THAT WAS IT.

BUT FOR ME, IF WE COULD \hNARROW THE ROUTE DOWN,

THEN WE COULD FOCUS ON THE ARCHAEOLOGY.

Narrator: MAHANEY’S HOPING \hTO FIND ENOUGH EVIDENCE

\h\h\hTO PROMPT OTHERS TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

AT THE TRAVERSETTE.

Mahaney: THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS AREN’T COOPERATING TOO MUCH

IN THIS RESPECT.

THEY HAVE FOLLOWED MORE OR LESS THE HISTORIANS,

\hAND THEY REALLY DON’T LIKE THE IDEA OF THE TRAVERSETTE,

THEY THINK IT’S TOO HIGH.

Narrator: IN 2011, MAHANEY TEAMED UP

\hWITH UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST MICROBIOLOGIST CHRIS ALLEN.

TOGETHER, THEY SEARCH \h\h\hFOR ANY BACTERIA

\hOR OTHER CHEMICAL EVIDENCE OF HANNIBAL’S PRESENCE FROM 218 BC.

Chris Allen: I STARTED THINKING AS A MICROBIOLOGIST

WHAT COULD WE LOOK FOR, WHAT DID HANNIBAL HAVE.

\h\hAND I KNEW THAT HE HAD LOTS OF ANIMALS WITH HIM.

AND ANYBODY WHO HAS WORKED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH ANIMALS

KNOWS THAT THEY PRODUCE \h\h\h\h\hLOTS OF FECES.

SO AS A MICROBIOLOGIST

I KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE \h\h\h\h\hBACTERIA THERE,

\hAND THAT THE BACTERIA COULD BE DETECTABLE 2,000 YEARS LATER ON.

AND THAT’S HOW I GOT INVOLVED.

Narrator: IN 2013,

ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE TRAVERSETTE,

\h\hMAHANEY FOUND WHAT HE THINKS MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MOUNTAIN LAKE

2,000 YEARS AGO.

\h\hIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IDEAL RESTING SPOT

AND A WATERING HOLE

FOR THE CARTHAGINIAN ARMY \hAND ITS THIRSTY HORSES.

Mahaney: I STARTED TO FOCUS \h\h\h\h\h\hON DEPRESSIONS,

\h\h\hAND I THOUGHT IN THESE DEPRESSIONS

\h\hYOU MIGHT HAVE HAD WATER AT THE TIME HANNIBAL WENT THROUGH.

SO I THOUGHT THEY WERE \h\h\h\hWORTH CORING,

\h\hJUST TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IMPRESSION THE ANIMALS,

THE MULTIPLE OF ANIMALS, \h\hHAD ON THE SEDIMENT.

Narrator: THEY TAKE SAMPLES, \h\h\h\hLOOKING FOR BACTERIA

THAT’S NOT TYPICALLY FOUND \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THIS SOIL.

ONE FOCUS IS A TYPE OF BACTERIA CALLED CLOSTRIDIA

\h\h\hTHAT LIVES ONLY IN HORSES’ INTESTINES.

LONG AFTER THE CELL HAS DIED,

ONE PART, CALLED AN ENDOSPORE, \h\h\h\hCAN STILL BE DETECTED.

♪

Allen: THAT’S A REALLY NICE ONE.

IT’S GREAT LAYERING.

REALLY LOVELY LAYERS.

\h\h\hIF AN ENDOSPORE FROM THE HORSE’S GUTS

\h\h\hFINDS HIS WAY INTO THIS SOIL HERE,

\hIT IS GOING TO SURVIVE FOR ABOUT 10,000 YEARS.

Narrator: EVEN IF THEY FIND \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAN ENDOSPORE,

THEY NEED A WAY TO PROVE IT CAME FROM A HORSE IN HANNIBAL’S ARMY.

ALLEN WILL TAKE THE SOIL BACK TO HIS LAB IN BELFAST FOR TESTING.

\h\hFOR MAHANEY, THE RESULTS COULD STRENGTHEN HIS THEORY

WITH HARD SCIENCE,

SOMETHING HE THINKS IS LACKING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN OTHERS’ WORK.

Mahaney: THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS \h\h\h\hVIRTUALLY HAVE DONE

\h\hVERY LITTLE TO NOTHING IN TERMS OF THIS QUESTION.

\h\h\hIT’S ALL BEEN WITH THE HISTORIANS.

\h\hTHEY BASICALLY ARGUE OVER THEIR OWN THEORIES.

\h\h\h\hAND MANY OF THEM HAVE SHIFTED DISTANCES,

TIME MOTION HAS BEEN PLAYED WITH

\h\hTO FIT THEIR THEORY OF WHICH PASS WAS USED.

\h\h\h\h\hAND IN MY CASE, THIS IS A FORENSIC THING,

\hA FORENSIC EXERCISE, WHERE I’M USING ENVIRONMENTAL MILESTONES,

\hIF YOU LIKE, TO TRY TO PINPOINT THE ROUTE.

\h\h\hNarrator: IF HANNIBAL DID CHOOSE THE TRAVERSETTE,

\h\h\h\h\hIT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING ROUTE.

HEADING INTO THE MOUNTAINS \h\h\h\h\hIN LATE OCTOBER,

\hTHERE’S THE RISK OF SNOW SHUTTING DOWN THE PASSES.

EVEN IN THE BEST WEATHER,

\hTHE PATHS THROUGH THE ALPS ARE NARROW AND TREACHEROUS.

THE LAND BECOMES MORE BARREN \h\hTHE HIGHER THEY CLIMB...

\h\h\hAND THE ANIMALS WILL BEGIN TO STARVE.

THE ELEPHANTS HAVE TO SQUEEZE THROUGH SOME OF THE PASSAGES.

AND THEY SUFFER MOST \h\h\h\hIN THE COLD.

BELOW FREEZING, THE TIPS OF THEIR EARS AND TAILS

ARE PRONE TO FROSTBITE.

Eric: GETTING ELEPHANTS \h\h\h\hACROSS THE ALPS

\hMUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES

\h\hIN ANTIQUITY, CERTAINLY UNDERTAKEN BY ANY COMMANDER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: HANNIBAL LEADS BY EXAMPLE.

Sarah: HE WAS ABLE TO ENDURE \h\h\h\h\h\hHARSH CONDITIONS

RIGHT ALONGSIDE HIS MEN.

BEING SEEN BY HIS MEN SUFFERING THE SAME THINGS THEY DID,

TRIUMPHING ALONGSIDE THEM WHEN THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL,

WOULD HAVE MADE THEM LOVE HIM,

AND THAT WAS SUPREMELY IMPORTANT TO HIS SUCCESS.

\hNarrator: STILL, HANNIBAL’S GAMBLE

BECOMES A PUNISHING TREK...

AND FOR SOME, IT TURNS \hINTO A DEATH MARCH.

\h\h\hIT’S BELIEVED THAT THOUSANDS DIED,

MAKING THE COL DE LA TRAVERSETTE THEIR ICY GRAVE.

Kelcy: SUPPLIES ARE \h\hALREADY SCARCE,

AND THE WEATHER WAS A VERY REAL THREAT.

\h\h\hAND IN FACT, HANNIBAL LOST NEARLY HALF OF THE 40,000 TROOPS

THAT HE STARTED OUT WITH ON THAT JOURNEY OVER THE MOUNTAINS.

\hNarrator: IT TAKES THEM 15 GRUELING DAYS TO CROSS.

BUT EVEN TODAY, IT’S NOT CLEAR

EXACTLY WHERE HANNIBAL EMERGED \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE ALPS.

IN 2017, CHRIS ALLEN SEARCHED

\h\hTHE EASTERN SIDE OF THE TRAVERSETTE,

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.

AGAIN, HE FOCUSED ON AN AREA

THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ALPINE \h\h\hLAKE IN HANNIBAL’S TIME.

TODAY IT’S A SWAMPY AREA \h\h\h\hKNOWN AS A MIRE.

Allen: ON PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY

\h\h\h\h\hA VERY LARGE MIRE ON THE ITALIAN SIDE OF THE ALPS.

THE THEORY THAT WE NOW HAVE

\h\h\h\hIS THAT IF THIS EVENT REALLY OCCURRED AT THE SITES,

THEN THESE HORSES SHOULD BE \hBASICALLY THE SAME HORSES.

SO IF WE CAN LOOK AT THE CLOSTRIDIA

IN EQUINE GUT BACTERIA,

OR FROM EQUINE GUT BACTERIA \h\h\h\h\hIN THE TWO SITES,

\h\h\hTHEY SHOULD BE VERY, VERY SIMILAR.

SO, IN 2017 WE BASICALLY \h\hSTARTED THAT PROCESS

ON THE ITALIAN SIDE OF THE ALPS.

Narrator: IF HANNIBAL’S ARMY, WITH ITS THOUSANDS OF HORSES,

CROSSED OVER THE TRAVERSETTE,

\h\hALLEN THINKS THE SAMPLES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE PASS

SHOULD MATCH.

ALLEN TAKES THE SOIL SAMPLES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO HIS LAB

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BELFAST.

HE’S LOOKING FOR KEY MARKERS.

\h\h\hAllen: SO, TO NOW, WE’RE JUST STARTING THE PROCESS NOW

OF DNA EXTRACTIONS.

Narrator: ALLEN FACES LONG ODDS.

HIS TESTS HAVE TO REVEAL \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE PRESENCE

OF A TYPE OF CLOSTRIDIA \hFOUND ONLY IN HORSES.

THEN HE HAS TO MATCH THE SAMPLES

\h\hFROM BOTH SIDES OF THE TRAVERSETTE.

AND THEN HE HAS TO PROVE

\hTHE BACTERIA ARE FROM THE CORRECT TIME PERIOD.

Allen: THE BIGGEST SURPRISE \h\hFROM OUR INITIAL STUDIES

WAS JUST THE SHEER QUANTITY.

SO NORMALLY IF WE LOOK IN SOIL

YOU MIGHT GET MAYBE LESS THAN 2% OF THE BACTERIA PRESENT

ARE CLOSTRIDIA.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK IN OUR SITE, \h\h\hWHICH WE FOUND IN FRANCE

\h\hWHERE WE EXPECTED HANNIBAL AND HIS ARMY TO PASS THROUGH,

WE ACTUALLY FOUND \hTHAT THERE WERE

\h\h\hUP TO 20% OF THE BACTERIA IN THE SAMPLES WERE CLOSTRIDIA.

AND THIS WAS REALLY SURPRISING.

YOU WOULDN’T SEE THIS \h\h\h\h\hVERY OFTEN,

\h\h\h\hBUT WHAT WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISING

\h\hIS THAT WE COULD TIE THIS INCREASE IN RELATIVE ABUNDANCE

TO THE TIME PERIOD WHEN HANNIBAL CROSSED THROUGH THE ALPS.

Narrator: NOT ONLY ARE THERE \h\h\h\hHIGH CONCENTRATIONS

OF HORSE CLOSTRIDIA,

THE SAMPLES AT BOTH SITES \h\h\h\h\h\hSEEM TO MATCH.

THIS MEANS THEY VERY LIKELY CAME FROM THE SAME ANIMALS--

ONES THAT CROSSED \hTHE TRAVERSETTE.

\h\h\h\h\hAND, MOST AMAZINGLY, CARBON DATING PUTS THE SAMPLES

IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD \h\hAS HANNIBAL’S MARCH.

\h\hCHRIS ALLEN IS NOW MORE CERTAIN THAN EVER

THAT WHEN HE STANDS AT THE END \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE TRAVERSETTE

\h\hAND LOOKS INTO ITALY’S PO VALLEY,

HE’S SEEING THE SAME VIEW \h\h\h\h\h\hHANNIBAL HAD.

AND WHILE MANY MODERN HISTORIANS

\h\hSTILL DISAGREE WITH BILL MAHANEY,

\hHE THINKS THE ANCIENT CHRONICLERS BACK HIM UP.

Mahaney: I FIRST STARTED OUT BY LOOKING AT ALL THE COLS,

ALL THE APPROACH ROUTES, OKAY.

AND FREQUENTLY GOING BACK \h\h\h\hTO PARTLY TO LIVY

BUT MAINLY TO POLYBIUS,

AND OUT OF THE ANCIENT TEXT CAME THINGS LIKE PERMAFROST,

\h\h\hFROZEN GROUND, SOIL-- FROZEN SOIL OF A THIN LAYER,

THIS KIND OF THING.

THE VISION INTO THE PO RIVER \h\h\h\h\h\hIS A MAJOR THING

BECAUSE THE ONLY COL

WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE PO RIVER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM ANY HEIGHT

IS THE TRAVERSETTE.

YOU CAN’T SEE IT FROM ANY OTHER.

Narrator: IF HANNIBAL EMERGED \h\h\h\h\hAT THE TRAVERSETTE,

ITALY LAY AT HIS FEET.

THE CARTHAGINIAN AND HIS ARMY \h\h\h\h\h\hHAVE ACCOMPLISHED

WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT IMPOSSIBLE.

THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE MARCH \hFOR MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS

AND OVERCOME EVERY OBSTACLE--

NOW THEY SEEM UNSTOPPABLE.

Eric: WE’RE NOT SURE WHAT ROUTE HANNIBAL ACTUALLY TOOK.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTO SOME DEGREE IT’S A KIND OF MOOT POINT,

INSOFAR AS THE ABILITY

TO GET TROOPS ACROSS THE ALPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BEGIN WITH

IS SUCH AN AMAZING FEAT,

IT DOESN’T MAKE THAT MUCH \h\h\h\h\hOF A DIFFERENCE.

IF IT IS TRUE, HOWEVER, THAT HE TOOK THE MOST DIFFICULT PASS,

THE HIGHEST, THE NARROWEST, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SO FORTH,

THIS JUST SHOWS YOU EVEN MORE

THE KIND OF MILITARY GENIUS \h\h\h\h\hTHAT HANNIBAL WAS.

Sarah: YES, IT WAS HOW HE \h\h\hHAD TO GET TO ITALY,

BUT THE SHEER FACT THAT HE WAS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWILLING TO DO IT

UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES

WOULD HAVE TERRIFIED \h\h\h\hHIS ENEMIES.

\h\h\hHANNIBAL’S ARMY PAUSED FOR A TIME IN NORTHERN ITALY

TO REBUILD ITS STRENGTH \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND REST.

\hBUT IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE HE WAS READY TO FIGHT AGAIN.

Narrator: HANNIBAL HAS CONQUERED THE ALPS...

AND ONCE IN ITALY,

\h\hTHE CARTHAGINIANS ADVANCE QUICKLY AND GO ON THE ATTACK.

\h\h\h\h\hWITH HIS ELEPHANTS, HANNIBAL CRUSHES ROMAN ARMIES

AT THE TICINO RIVER \hAND AT THE TREBIA.

THIS BATTLE IS THE LAST RECORD \h\h\hOF HIS USE OF ELEPHANTS

IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.

A BITTERLY COLD WINTER \hKILLS MOST OF THEM.

\h\h\hTHE NEXT YEAR, HE BEATS ONE ROMAN ARMY AFTER ANOTHER,

\h\h\h\h\hSKIRTS ROME ITSELF, AND LEADS HIS ARMY TO CANNAE.

OF ALL HANNIBAL’S \hACCOMPLISHMENTS,

NOT EVEN CROSSING THE ALPS

COMPARES TO WHAT HE ACHIEVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT CANNAE.

\hHIS BATTLE STRATEGY IS STILL TAUGHT TODAY

AS ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MANEUVERS IN ALL OF HISTORY.

\h\hHE FACES OFF AGAINST THE ROMAN GENERAL VARRO.

Sarah: WHEN THE ROMANS \hLINED UP FOR BATTLE,

VARRO’S INFANTRY ULTIMATELY \h\hENDS UP CLOSING TOGETHER

IN THE CENTER.

HE HAD MORE FOOT SOLDIERS MASSED IN THE CENTER OF HIS ARMY

THAN WAS USUAL FOR HIM.

\hAT THE SAME TIME, ON HANNIBAL’S SIDE,

HIS CENTER WAS SHALLOWER, \h\hWITH FEWER MEN THERE.

\h\hAND THE ROMANS, EXCITED THAT THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE,

PUSHED AGAINST THE CARTHAGINIANS BACK, BACK, BACK.

\h\h\h\hAND IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT HANNIBAL’S WINGS CLOSED IN.

\h\h\hTHE ROMANS WERE ENCIRCLED FROM THE LEFT AND FROM THE RIGHT

\h\h\hUNTIL THEY WERE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.

\h\hAND WHAT ENSUED THEN WAS OUTRIGHT SLAUGHTER.

TENS OF THOUSANDS \hOF ROMANS FELL.

Narrator: HANNIBAL ACHIEVES

\h\h\h\h\hONE OF HISTORY’S MOST BRILLIANT VICTORIES,

AND HE SENDS AN EMISSARY \hTO ROME TO TALK PEACE.

BUT ROME REFUSES TO SURRENDER.

HANNIBAL WILL DEFEAT THE ROMANS IN EVERY FUTURE BATTLE,

BUT HE CANNOT TAKE \hTHE CITY ITSELF.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE VERY THING THAT MAKES HANNIBAL’S ARMY

SO LETHAL IN THE FIELD--

\h\h\h\h\h\hITS QUICK, HARD-HITTING CAVALRY--

IS POORLY SUITED TO LAY SIEGE \h\hTO HEAVILY FORTIFIED ROME.

Eric: ROME ULTIMATELY NEUTRALIZES HANNIBAL.

EVEN THOUGH HE HAD WON A NUMBER OF VICTORIES AGAINST THE ROMANS,

HE HAD BEEN INCAPABLE

OF GETTING A SUFFICIENT NUMBER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF ROME’S ALLIES

TO TURN ON ROME AND TO JOIN \h\h\hTHE CARTHAGINIAN SIDE.

Narrator: THE WAR RAGES \h\h\h\h\hFOR 15 YEARS,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH HANNIBAL ALWAYS WINNING BATTLES...

BUT NEVER SUBDUING ROME.

YOUNG PUBLIUS SCIPIO TAKES COMMAND OF THE ROMAN ARMY,

\hAND HE DELIVERS A BLOW WORTHY OF HIS OPPONENT.

HE LEADS THE ROMAN ARMY \h\h\h\hACROSS THE OCEAN

TO HANNIBAL’S HOMELAND.

DESPERATE, THE CARTHAGINIANS \h\h\h\h\h\hRISK THEIR FLEET

AND BRING HANNIBAL BACK.

Sarah: WHEN ROME INVADED AFRICA, HANNIBAL WAS QUICKLY RECALLED

TO DEFEND HIS HOME CITY.

\h\h\h\h\h\hHE LEFT ITALY AND RETURNED TO CARTHAGE.

HE WAS IN COMMAND AT THE FINAL \h\h\hBATTLE THERE IN AFRICA,

THE BATTLE OF ZAMA.

Narrator: AT ZAMA, OUTSIDE CARTHAGE,

\h\h\hHANNIBAL LOSES TO ROME FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME.

ROME IS AN UNFORGIVING FOE.

CARTHAGE IS DRIVEN \h\hTO BANKRUPTCY,

\hAND ROMAN SENATORS TAKE UP THE REFRAIN,

"CARTHAGE MUST BE DESTROYED!"

\h\h50 YEARS AFTER HANNIBAL’S DEFEAT,

THE ROMANS SACK AND DESTROY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE CITY

AND SOW ITS FIELDS WITH SALT

TO MAKE IT UNINHABITABLE \h\h\h\hFOR GENERATIONS.

HANNIBAL HELD THIS ENEMY \h\hAT BAY FOR 15 YEARS,

BUT EVEN HE COULD NOT STOP \h\h\hTHE ASCENDANT ROME.

Eric: HANNIBAL’S LEGACY IS

ONE OF THE GREATEST GENERALS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF ANTIQUITY,

AND IN FACT ONE OF THE GREATEST GENERALS WHO EVER LIVED.

Sarah: HANNIBAL WAS THE ROMANS’ WORST NIGHTMARE.

AND EVEN HUNDREDS OF YEARS LATER

\hHE’S STILL REMEMBERED IN THE ROMAN IMAGINATION

\h\h\h\hAS THE ONE PERSON WHO NEARLY DESTROYED THEM.

Narrator: ROME WILL NOT REST \h\hUNTIL HANNIBAL IS DEAD.

\h\hHE FLEES TO THE EAST, BUT THE ROMANS PURSUE HIM.

FINALLY, CORNERED, HANNIBAL \hFACES CAPTURE OR SUICIDE.

HE CHOOSES DEATH.

ONE OF HISTORY’S GREATEST LEADERS

SLIPS OUT OF MEMORY \h\hAND INTO MYTH...

\h\h\hONLY RECREATIONS OF HIS GREATEST FEATS

\hAND EVIDENCE OF WHAT WAS ONCE CONSIDERED IMPOSSIBLE

\h\hARE ALL THAT’S LEFT TO BRING THE REAL HANNIBAL BACK TO LIFE.

♪

♪

�moovlmvhd�