All language subtitles for Butterfly.Effect.S03E10_English

(dramatic music)
- [Tercelin] Our history

is no more than a series
of incredible events.

Every one of us can
influence it's course.

(dramatic music)

The most infinitesimal
of our decisions

can influence the
future of humanity.

To know the past is
to foresee the future.

52 B.C.

Gaul, opiddum of Alesia.

In the day following a
dreadful night of fighting,

the Arverne leader
Vercingetorix is victorious.

In the heart of the
fray he confronted,

then killed with his bare hands,

the enemy leader,
King Hasdrubal.

(crashing)

After his crushing victory
at the Battle of Cannae,

the general Hannibal
attacked Rome.

The rival city was
razed to the ground.

In Carthage, taking
advantage of both

his great military prestige
and his huge war chest,

Hannibal seized power and
proclaimed himself king.

During the following century
the Carthaginian armies

conquered the rest of the
Western Mediterranean,

even venturing into Gaul.

But none of that ever happened.

In 216 B.C. a
small grain of sand

will change the
outcome of the conflict

between Rome and Carthage.

(ethereal music)

Eighth century B.C.

A Phoenician Queen, Dido,
landed on the African coasts

where she founded
the city of Carthage.

Six centuries later, the
Carthaginian Hannibal Barca

invaded Italy and decimated
the Roman legions.

In 146 B.C., finally
defeated by Roman armies

Carthage is pillaged,
set ablaze, and razed.

These three events are key
moments of the Carthaginian
era.

They resulted in
it's destruction

by it's great rival
the Roman Republic.

North Africa,
eighth century B.C.

The Phoenician Queen
Dido, forced to flee

from her native city of
Tyre on the Lebanese coast,

finally landed here,
on the other side

of the Mediterranean Sea.

She asked the local
chief for a land

where she and her
people could settle.

According to the
legend, he promised her

as much land as could be
encompassed by an ox hide.

Dido cut the ox hide
into fine strips,

so that she had
enough to encircle

an entire nearby hill
for her new city.

Diplomacy and
negotiation, two mainstays

of this embryonic
city, helped create

one of the most impressive
powers of antiquity.

Carthage.
(dramatic music)

Phoenicians were indisputably

the greatest sailors
of antiquity.

Although they didn't
know the compass yet,

they knew how to find their
bearings even at night.

At the end of the
2nd millennium B.C.

they turned to
maritime commerce,

and set up trading posts and
colonies on the Mediterranean.

Each new colony was independent,

but they where all united
by a common culture,

the same language,
and the same beliefs.

Carthage, which means new city,
was one of these colonies.

From the beginning, it's
development relied on trading,

then agriculture and
craft production.

Situated on a peninsula
closely linked to the dry
land,

the town quickly extended
its zone of influence,

from Spain to Cyprus.

It became a real sea empire,
an economic confederation.

At the head of the
city, no king or tyrant,

but two senior officials.

The Shophets, elected for a
period determined by a senate

and controlled by
a popular assembly.

(electronic beat)

- [Helen] Welcome to
the memory of humanity.

Every historical event,
regardless of how small,

is recorded and connected.

You only need to change one
to upset all the others.

Here we are able
to control time,

analyze and compare
billions of events

in order to rewrite
history in infinite ways.

Was Carthage the first
republic in history?

Actually there are only a
few sources of that time,

and we must rely on Roman

or Greek historians
from antiquity.

But most likely,
Carthage was ruled

by a system both
oligarchic and democratic.

Two judges holding
the executive power,

the Shophet's, were
elected for a period

determined by a senate whose
members were themselves born

into the major
Carthaginian families.

A popular assembly
allowed the population

to express itself and
constituted an opposition
force.

According to
Aristotle, Carthage,

founded 300 years before the
birth of the Roman Republic,

would thus be the first
republic of history.

Let's resume.

(dramatic music)

- [Tercelin]
Following an argument,

Remus has just been killed
by his twin brother Romulus.

According to legend, the
blood of the son of Mars

establishes a village
on the Palatine hill

in the heart of the
Italian peninsula.

He gives the village
his name, Rome.

The early days of Rome were as
violent as its founding myth,

made of frequent wars
against neighboring cities.

In 390 B.C. the armies
of Rome were wiped out

and the city was devastated
by the Celtic hordes

of the great chief Brennus.

The Romans will never forget
this traumatic experience.

Surrounded by enemies,
they become obsessed

with their own survival
and continuously build

a bigger and bigger
living space.

The only guarantor
for their security.

Yet, in the third century B.C.

there was no shortage of
enemies
in this part of the world.

A vast number of peoples,
cities and kingdoms

were in perpetual motion.

Alexander the Great's shadow

is still hanging over the
Eastern Mediterranean.

(dramatic music)

in Western Mediterranean,
many Greeks

live in Sicily, Italy, or Gaul,

where they had founded
numerous colonies.

Such as Massalia or Syracuse.

Alliances are formed
and broken up,

each one trying to
impose its authority.

War after war, sacrifice
after sacrifice,

the Roman legions soon control
the entire Italian peninsula.

In 264 B.C., even though it
was only a regional power,

Rome had forged itself an
unfailing fighting spirit.

Its legions of citizen
soldiers were devoted

and ready to die
for their country.

During many centuries,
Carthage and Rome

developed independently.

Carthage was a sea
confederation rooted in
Africa,

while Rome was a mainland
power turned towards the
lands.

Both cities even made
several trading agreements.

However, Roma had acquired a
taste for conquest and power.

(dramatic music)

With Italy conquered
and under control,

new threats could only come
from Gaul in the north,

or Sicily in the south.

(dramatic music)

However Sicily, a
strategic island

situated at the
crossroads of sea routes,

was almost entirely under
Carthaginian domination.

Both powers are now
facing each other,

only separated by a strait
a few kilometers wide.

(electronic music)

- [Helen] The Mediterranean Sea

is surrounded with lands
and sprinkled with islands.

Whoever wants to control it
must own a great naval fleet.

In the third century B.C.
the most powerful warship

was indisputably
the quinquereme.

An antique galley
whose main feature

was five lines of rowers,
as the name indicates.

It's 300 rowers, twice
a standard galley,

brought the necessary power
to charge at enemy ships

and strike them head on.

The rostrum, a
kind of bronze ram

situated on the bow, smashed
the opposing hull to pieces.

The Romans, clearly more at
ease on land than at sea,

will develop their own tactics.

The corvus, a wooden
removal bridge

equipped with an iron post,
was designed to strike

enemy ships and allow boarding,
followed by a hand to hand

fight in which the
Legionaries excelled.

The Romans had found a way

of turning naval combat
into land battle.

A way to restore the
balance of power.

(ethereal music)
- [Tercelin] 260 B.C.,

off Malia, the Roman fleet
has just defeated Carthage's.

(ethereal music)

It came as a shock, one
of the greatest navies

of the whole Mediterranean

had just been crushed
on it's home turf.

The first major naval victory in

Roman military history,
but not the last one.

As the terrible war between
rival cities drags on for
years.

(men shouting)
(dramatic music)

From 264 B.C., legions
landed in Sicily.

Since then, one siege
followed another,

each camp scoring
points in turn.

Aware that the conflict
would be settled

by control of the seas,
the Roman senate voted

for the building
of a great fleet

and heavily recruited Greek
sailors from the south of
Italy.

On it's side Carthage
recruited mass mercenaries

and in Sicily the troops

of the brilliant
General Hamilcar Barca

succeeded in thwarting
Roman legions.

(dramatic music)
(men yelling)

The conflict gets bogged down,

soon there are
thousands of casualties.

Two super powers are
throwing all their strength

into gigantic combat.

Off Ecnomus, the Roman fleet
is once again victorious

and lands troops in Africa.

The road to Carhage
is wide open.

Carthage counter-attacks
and sends 200 galleys

and 100 war elephants in Sicily.

In Drapana the
Carthaginian fleet

inflicts a dreadful defeat
on the Roman galleys.

Carthage rules
the seas, but soon

has to face an uprising
from the Numidian tribes.

Forced to devote its
energies to this revolt,

the city can't capitalize
on its victories.

In Rome, the last
defeats swallow up money

which allows anti-war
forces to bring

new military expenditure
to a standstill.

At the same time,
Carthage is on it's knees,

tries to obtain
credit fro Egypt.

Trading, the
driving force behind

the Carthaginian
economy is deadlocked.

(dramatic music)

War is expensive.

Seeing that the situation
is at a standstill,

Rome is resort to
a private loan.

At their own expense,
wealthy citizens

equip a final naval fleet.

It must end.

241 B.C. off Aegatian islands,

the confrontation, just
like the war, is huge.

The Roman victory is crushing.

For the Carthaginian
senate, dominated by

major merchant families, this
new defeat is the last straw.

For them, instead of
a new military option,

it is now time for negotiation.

- [Helen] Mercenaries
or citizens,

war was both
expensive and risky.

The Carthaginian senate
chose to get out of

this conflict using
money and diplomacy.

The city had soon made
the pragmatic choice

to recruit mercenaries,
particularly to save

it's limited manpower resources.

The Carthaginian
armies were thus,

not permanent and
lacked cohesion.

Libyan's, Numidian's,
Iberian's
and Celts made up the basis

of both its infantry
and cavalry.

The Carthaginian
generals could also count

on the tanks of the
time, war elephants.

Led by a mahout,
they were trained

to charge at the enemy ranks
to break the first lines,

and to spread panic by
trampling on soldiers.

Unlike Carthage, Rome
owned a land army

mostly made up of citizens.

Each legion was
composed of 30 maniples

which were also divided
up into two centuries.

The whole, very flexible
and maneuverable,

made three lines of battle.

On the front line, the hastati
took the first confrontation.

The principe's came after,
followed by the triari,

the veterans who formed
the last bastion.

A real army of citizens in which

every Roman less
than 46 years old

could be called up to
serve the Republic.

Two completely different
conceptions of an army.

- [Tercelin] October,
218 B.C., Northern Italy.

(marching footsteps)

Hannibal Barca son of
the great Hamilcar,

hero of the last
war against Romans,

has just crossed the Alps.
(elephant trumpets)

Hannibal, his army
and his elephants.

Just in front of them is Italy,

home of the Roman Republic.

It is now time for revenge
for this Carthaginian general.

(marching footsteps)
(sorrowful music)

(men chanting)

At the end of the previous
war Carthage was forced,

in addition to the payment
of a large indemnity,

to give up Sicily
and numerous islands.

23 years of armed
peace had followed,

during which Rome
had seized Sardinia.

Meanwhile, Carthage had made
up for its territorial losses

by the conquest of a
large part of Spain.

The oligarchic power of
the Carthaginian merchants

had seen the emergence

of a new dominant
family, the Barcids,

of which Hannibal was a member.

Deeply devoted to his city,
the young Carthaginian

had lived at the dark moments

of the dreadful
mutinies of mercenaries.

(peaceful music)
Now a grownup and a general

he considers that it is
time to make Rome pay.

Aware that his fleet is weak,

he decides to attack
the Romans bye surprise

and to travel overland
to reach Italy

through the natural
barrier of the Alps.

(dramatic music)

His goal is to provoke the
uprising of the allies of Rome

and to defeat the Roman legions.

When the Roman senators
learn about Hannibal's feat,

they are panic stricken.

An army is immediately
sent to confront him.

Then another one.

And so on.

(dramatic music)

Each one of them is defeated.

Showing a true tactical genius,

Hannibal surrounds the
legions at Ticinus,

attacks the by
surprise at the Trebia,

slaughters them in thousands

on the misty shores
of Lake Trasimene.

The Republic is abandoned
by several allies of Rome,

but most of them remain
faithful to Rome.

Despite his resounding
military victories,

Hannibal has not yet
succeeded in raising up Italy.

He is counting on a
decisive military victory,

however the Romans now
refuse direct confrontation.

They understand that
for the time being,

the Carthaginian is
simply invincible.

To force them to fight,
Hannibal seizes the Cannae
area.

The Roman army's granary.

(dramatic music)

Rome has no other choice but
to fight with its last army.

(dramatic music)

August 2nd.

In the year 216 B.C.
Hannibal's 50,000 mercenaries

are facing the 80,000
Roman Legionaries

who are rushing
headlong into the

Carthaginian generals' trap.

Quickly surrounded and
attacked from all sides,

the legions are unable to
maneuver and are slaughtered.

(dramatic music)

In the evening of the battle,

there are more than 45,000 dead.

Hannibal is at
the gates of Rome.

- [Helen] We are now at
a point of divergence.

A point of divergence
is a key moment,

a crossroads in our history

where our world can swing
from one side or the other.

Hannibal had just brought
down the Roman armies.

Now, he only had to advance
on Rome, take the city,

and nip the Roman
ambition in the bud.

If he had done it, we
would now live in a world

which would have never
known the Roman Empire.

Numerous serious
consequences would have

completely changed
the face of the world.

From the Empire, the west
inherited the Roman law,

the right of property, Latin
and Greek art and culture,

but also the Christian religion.

(haunting music)

Carthage might have exerted
it's influence to Gaul.

Nowadays, Europeans would be
deeply impregnated with the

Carthaginian culture,
and might speak

a Semitic language
closely related to Arabic.

However, arrived at
the gates of Rome,

Hannibal seemed to be hesitant.

His troops were exhausted and
he lacked siege equipment.

Hannibal gave up
the siege of Rome

and occupied the south
of Italy instead.

He thought that the
surrender of the Romans

was both inevitable
and imminent.

However, sheltered
by it's sturdy walls,

the Roman people will
decide otherwise.

- [Tercelin] 202 B.C.,
plain of Zama, North Africa.

(marching footsteps)

Hannibal has just been
called back from Italy.

The Roman troops of General
Scipio had landed in Africa,

allied themselves with the
Numidian Prince Masinissa,

and threatened to take Carthage.

(dramatic music)

What a strange irony of fate.

After having threatened the
Roman capital many years ago,

his strategy of isolation
had completely failed.

Italy had remained
faithful to Rome

and today he is forced to
fly to Carthage's assistance.

(dramatic music)
(Hannibal yelling)

The Carthaginian elephants
charge General Scipios
legions.

(dramatic music)

But Scipio had
anticipated the attack

and had ordered his troops
to let through the mastodons

to better surround them
before slaughtering them.

The soldiers of Rome rapidly had

the advantage over Hannibal.

Hannibal is defeated,
the war is lost.

The city is forced to hand
over its entire fleet,

its war elephants, and Spain.

Carthage is a mere shadow
of its former self.

(dramatic music)

But even if the city is
down, it is still living.

Deprived of both political
and military roles,

Carthage boosts
its trade and puts

the economical situation
right in only a few years.

The city gets rich again,
after barely 10 years Carthage

offers Rome to pay its
war debts in advance.

In the senate, the senators
are once more haunted

by the specter of a military
recovery of Carthage.

Caton, one of the
most virulent ones ,

ends every one of his
speeches by the sentence

Carthago delende est meaning,
Carthage must be destroyed.

The Romans won't take
long to find a pretext,

forced to defend itself
against an aggression

from the Numidian Kingdom,
Carthage has to rearm.

It doesn't take more.

In 146 B.C. after a
long three year siege,

it is the last action
of this age old war.

The Roman troops enter
the burning city.

(somber music)

The fighting, house
after house, is pitiless.

The streets are
strewn with corpses.

The cornered Carthaginians know

they are fighting to survive.

In vain.

During six days and six nights

the city is engulfed in
flames
and given over to pillage.

(somber music)
(people faintly shouting)

The survivors are
reduced to slavery.

The land is declared sah
sehre, which means cursed.

It is strictly forbidden
for anyone to settle there.

Carthage has been well
and truly destroyed.

During the same year,
Greece is subjected

by the legions for good.

The influence of
Rome soon expands

to the entire Mediterranean.

However, both this expansion
ant this wealth inflow

are about to completely
change the stability

of the original city state.

Serious crises would
soon be triggered

followed by a
dreadful civil war,

which would lead to the
end of the Roman Republic,

then to the advent
of the Empire.

But that is another story.

(crowd cheering)
(electronic beat)

- [Helen] Woe to the vanquished.

(eerie music)

During the antiquity
it was customary

to plunder the city
seized from the enemy.

The capture of
Carthage was a tragedy

and an appalling sight.

(soft music)

Its population was
enslaved or wiped out,

its archives went up in smoke.

Its magnificent
library was devastated.

After a 650 year old existence,

hardly anything is
known about this city.

It is as if it had
disappeared from history.

It will subsist only through
its language and its culture

which survived in
its former colonies.

The succession of the three wars

which led to its destruction

are these days known
as the Punic Wars.

The word Punic is
Latin, not Carthaginian.

It reveals that the
conquerors make history.

(somber music)

Rome is the one which
survived a century of wars.

Thanks to a stronger demography,

it showed an
unfailing resilience.

A tremendous ability to
know how to roll with

dreadful punches
without ever giving up.

With its armies
devastated and Hannibal

ready to give the death
blow, Rome refused every kind

of surrender and
prepared their reprisal.

(dramatic music)

Through its long history, it
seems that Rome always refused

to negotiate without having
secured victory first.

(dramatic music)

The secret of the Roman
success may lie in these
facts.

(dramatic music)