Dominic Sandbrook

And it becomes clear to the Romans that Hannibal is going to accept their offer of battle.

And it becomes clear to the Romans that Hannibal is going to accept their offer of battle.

And it becomes clear to the Romans that Hannibal is going to accept their offer of battle.

So the senior Roman officers have already met for their briefing and they've gone out to tell their men what the plan is. The two consuls, Pharaoh and Paulus, have emerged from their headquarters and they are wearing the traditional scarlet cloak that a consul wears on a day of battle. So this is not the Trebia where Hannibal had bounced the Romans into fighting without having breakfast.

So the senior Roman officers have already met for their briefing and they've gone out to tell their men what the plan is. The two consuls, Pharaoh and Paulus, have emerged from their headquarters and they are wearing the traditional scarlet cloak that a consul wears on a day of battle. So this is not the Trebia where Hannibal had bounced the Romans into fighting without having breakfast.

So the senior Roman officers have already met for their briefing and they've gone out to tell their men what the plan is. The two consuls, Pharaoh and Paulus, have emerged from their headquarters and they are wearing the traditional scarlet cloak that a consul wears on a day of battle. So this is not the Trebia where Hannibal had bounced the Romans into fighting without having breakfast.

This time, the Romans have all breakfasted and then leaving camp, they've been able to take up position on ground of their own generals choosing. Now, it has always been a problem for us doing podcasts about battles. Firstly, that it's quite difficult to paint the scene on a podcast. And secondly, that sometimes we're not quite as interested in military dispositions as we should be.

This time, the Romans have all breakfasted and then leaving camp, they've been able to take up position on ground of their own generals choosing. Now, it has always been a problem for us doing podcasts about battles. Firstly, that it's quite difficult to paint the scene on a podcast. And secondly, that sometimes we're not quite as interested in military dispositions as we should be.

This time, the Romans have all breakfasted and then leaving camp, they've been able to take up position on ground of their own generals choosing. Now, it has always been a problem for us doing podcasts about battles. Firstly, that it's quite difficult to paint the scene on a podcast. And secondly, that sometimes we're not quite as interested in military dispositions as we should be.

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.