Dominic Sandbrook

And most of the wounds, because both sides have shields, are probably to parts of the body that aren't protected by either the shield or by armour. So that's heads... legs, sword arms. If you get too many wounds on your leg or your arm or to your head, then obviously you start to weaken. You might lose your balance, your ability to continue fighting. You might fall to the ground.

And most of the wounds, because both sides have shields, are probably to parts of the body that aren't protected by either the shield or by armour. So that's heads... legs, sword arms. If you get too many wounds on your leg or your arm or to your head, then obviously you start to weaken. You might lose your balance, your ability to continue fighting. You might fall to the ground.

And the moment you fall to the ground, that's it. You're dead. You're going to be a blow to your head. Or just trampled underfoot. Trampled underfoot. And of course, the more bodies are trampled underfoot, the more they rise, the more slippery the ground becomes because blood is starting to spill out and moisten the dust that is everywhere.

And the moment you fall to the ground, that's it. You're dead. You're going to be a blow to your head. Or just trampled underfoot. Trampled underfoot. And of course, the more bodies are trampled underfoot, the more they rise, the more slippery the ground becomes because blood is starting to spill out and moisten the dust that is everywhere.

And the moment you fall to the ground, that's it. You're dead. You're going to be a blow to your head. Or just trampled underfoot. Trampled underfoot. And of course, the more bodies are trampled underfoot, the more they rise, the more slippery the ground becomes because blood is starting to spill out and moisten the dust that is everywhere.

And you have exhaustion as well because the sun is rising higher and higher in the sky. You've got the dust blowing in. And the estimate is that men can't really fight in this way for more than 15 minutes at a stretch. So the lines, you want to think of it, the lines are kind of engaging, then withdrawing, engaging, then withdrawing.

And you have exhaustion as well because the sun is rising higher and higher in the sky. You've got the dust blowing in. And the estimate is that men can't really fight in this way for more than 15 minutes at a stretch. So the lines, you want to think of it, the lines are kind of engaging, then withdrawing, engaging, then withdrawing.

And you have exhaustion as well because the sun is rising higher and higher in the sky. You've got the dust blowing in. And the estimate is that men can't really fight in this way for more than 15 minutes at a stretch. So the lines, you want to think of it, the lines are kind of engaging, then withdrawing, engaging, then withdrawing.

kind of almost the rhythm of a really brutal sporting encounter, I guess. Yeah. You know, very intense moments of engagement and then the players withdraw and kind of draw their breath and then back in again and just physically relentless and demanding. Yeah.

kind of almost the rhythm of a really brutal sporting encounter, I guess. Yeah. You know, very intense moments of engagement and then the players withdraw and kind of draw their breath and then back in again and just physically relentless and demanding. Yeah.

kind of almost the rhythm of a really brutal sporting encounter, I guess. Yeah. You know, very intense moments of engagement and then the players withdraw and kind of draw their breath and then back in again and just physically relentless and demanding. Yeah.

But the advantage of the Roman manipular system is that men who just become too tired or too wounded can be withdrawn and they can funnel more people forward. So there is this kind of relentless sense of fresh men coming to the front line. And so it's unsurprising that as the fighting goes on, although the Gauls and Spaniards fight with the utmost ferocity and implacability,

But the advantage of the Roman manipular system is that men who just become too tired or too wounded can be withdrawn and they can funnel more people forward. So there is this kind of relentless sense of fresh men coming to the front line. And so it's unsurprising that as the fighting goes on, although the Gauls and Spaniards fight with the utmost ferocity and implacability,

But the advantage of the Roman manipular system is that men who just become too tired or too wounded can be withdrawn and they can funnel more people forward. So there is this kind of relentless sense of fresh men coming to the front line. And so it's unsurprising that as the fighting goes on, although the Gauls and Spaniards fight with the utmost ferocity and implacability,

the Roman weight of numbers does start to tell. And as the Roman front line grinds forward, the crescent that the Gauls and the Spaniards have formed starts to flatten and then to buckle and to be pushed backwards. And the Romans in the center give a great, cheer. They consent victory. They push forwards. Space opens up behind them as they do so. More troops come filling in to fill the gap.

the Roman weight of numbers does start to tell. And as the Roman front line grinds forward, the crescent that the Gauls and the Spaniards have formed starts to flatten and then to buckle and to be pushed backwards. And the Romans in the center give a great, cheer. They consent victory. They push forwards. Space opens up behind them as they do so. More troops come filling in to fill the gap.

the Roman weight of numbers does start to tell. And as the Roman front line grinds forward, the crescent that the Gauls and the Spaniards have formed starts to flatten and then to buckle and to be pushed backwards. And the Romans in the center give a great, cheer. They consent victory. They push forwards. Space opens up behind them as they do so. More troops come filling in to fill the gap.

The order of the maniple starts to be lost. It's a great excited crush because everyone wants to share in the victory. Cries of joy, of triumph kind of rippling through the entire Roman battle line. The feeling is absolutely that the battle is won. But of course, Hannibal still has his two deadly cards to play.

The order of the maniple starts to be lost. It's a great excited crush because everyone wants to share in the victory. Cries of joy, of triumph kind of rippling through the entire Roman battle line. The feeling is absolutely that the battle is won. But of course, Hannibal still has his two deadly cards to play.

The order of the maniple starts to be lost. It's a great excited crush because everyone wants to share in the victory. Cries of joy, of triumph kind of rippling through the entire Roman battle line. The feeling is absolutely that the battle is won. But of course, Hannibal still has his two deadly cards to play.