Dominic Sandbrook

However, this for me is an exception because this is the one battle that I've been obsessed by since I was very young. And I had a book by a brilliant writer and artist called Peter Connolly. And he wrote a series, one on the Romans, one on the Greek armies. And then he wrote one called Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, which I still have it right next to me as I sit here.

However, this for me is an exception because this is the one battle that I've been obsessed by since I was very young. And I had a book by a brilliant writer and artist called Peter Connolly. And he wrote a series, one on the Romans, one on the Greek armies. And then he wrote one called Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, which I still have it right next to me as I sit here.

However, this for me is an exception because this is the one battle that I've been obsessed by since I was very young. And I had a book by a brilliant writer and artist called Peter Connolly. And he wrote a series, one on the Romans, one on the Greek armies. And then he wrote one called Hannibal and the Enemies of Rome, which I still have it right next to me as I sit here.

And he did the illustrations for it as well as writing the text. And his take was that, I'll set the scene. There is this very flat, featureless plain, but there are two natural features that determined where Connolly thinks the battle was fought. The first of these is a very winding river called the Alphidius. the course of which has changed over the course of time.

And he did the illustrations for it as well as writing the text. And his take was that, I'll set the scene. There is this very flat, featureless plain, but there are two natural features that determined where Connolly thinks the battle was fought. The first of these is a very winding river called the Alphidius. the course of which has changed over the course of time.

And he did the illustrations for it as well as writing the text. And his take was that, I'll set the scene. There is this very flat, featureless plain, but there are two natural features that determined where Connolly thinks the battle was fought. The first of these is a very winding river called the Alphidius. the course of which has changed over the course of time.

But Connolly argues that it was about one and a half miles from a ridge of hills. And Cannae sits on this ridge of hills. And so you have this stretch of open ground between the hills and the river Alphidius. And to quote Goldsworthy, who buys into Connolly's take on this, the advantages of this position are obvious.

But Connolly argues that it was about one and a half miles from a ridge of hills. And Cannae sits on this ridge of hills. And so you have this stretch of open ground between the hills and the river Alphidius. And to quote Goldsworthy, who buys into Connolly's take on this, the advantages of this position are obvious.

But Connolly argues that it was about one and a half miles from a ridge of hills. And Cannae sits on this ridge of hills. And so you have this stretch of open ground between the hills and the river Alphidius. And to quote Goldsworthy, who buys into Connolly's take on this, the advantages of this position are obvious.

The Romans were able to anchor one flank on the river and the other on the high ground near Cannae. making it impossible for the Carthaginian horse to envelop their line as they had at Trebia. So I hope that makes sense to the listeners. Right. That makes sense. If you think the Romans come out and on their left flank, you have a ridge of hills and on their right flank, you have a river.

The Romans were able to anchor one flank on the river and the other on the high ground near Cannae. making it impossible for the Carthaginian horse to envelop their line as they had at Trebia. So I hope that makes sense to the listeners. Right. That makes sense. If you think the Romans come out and on their left flank, you have a ridge of hills and on their right flank, you have a river.

The Romans were able to anchor one flank on the river and the other on the high ground near Cannae. making it impossible for the Carthaginian horse to envelop their line as they had at Trebia. So I hope that makes sense to the listeners. Right. That makes sense. If you think the Romans come out and on their left flank, you have a ridge of hills and on their right flank, you have a river.

And this means that it's harder for the Carthaginians to outflank them with their cavalry.

And this means that it's harder for the Carthaginians to outflank them with their cavalry.

And this means that it's harder for the Carthaginians to outflank them with their cavalry.

So there's a further advantage, which is that they're not staring into the sun because they're essentially facing kind of roughly southwards. There is one issue, which is that the wind is whipping up the dust. It's kind of late July in southern Italy, so there's quite a lot of dust and they're kind of blowing it into their faces.

So there's a further advantage, which is that they're not staring into the sun because they're essentially facing kind of roughly southwards. There is one issue, which is that the wind is whipping up the dust. It's kind of late July in southern Italy, so there's quite a lot of dust and they're kind of blowing it into their faces.

So there's a further advantage, which is that they're not staring into the sun because they're essentially facing kind of roughly southwards. There is one issue, which is that the wind is whipping up the dust. It's kind of late July in southern Italy, so there's quite a lot of dust and they're kind of blowing it into their faces.

But I think Varro clearly feels that the advantage of the position outweighs that. So his dispositions, infantry in the middle, as ever, Roman cavalry on his right wing. So that's next to the Arphidius, next to the river. And then the Allied cavalry is on the left wing, which is next to the ridge of hills. And their role is purely defensive.

But I think Varro clearly feels that the advantage of the position outweighs that. So his dispositions, infantry in the middle, as ever, Roman cavalry on his right wing. So that's next to the Arphidius, next to the river. And then the Allied cavalry is on the left wing, which is next to the ridge of hills. And their role is purely defensive.