Dominic Sandbrook

We're very similar people, to be fair. I think that's exactly the problem with it. The kind of the manipular system, which normally enables a Roman battle line to be very flexible. These maniples are so deep that actually it's quite difficult and that there's a risk of them crunching up against one another, in which case the flexibility would be completely lost.

And I think Hannibal's aim is to try and apply pressure where it will force the sheer numbers of the Roman legions to come crunching into one another. And in which case its size, rather than being an advantage, then becomes a source of weakness. Right. But it's a hugely difficult thing to pull off. So the Roman plan basically is just a kind of advance and steamroller of the enemy.

And I think Hannibal's aim is to try and apply pressure where it will force the sheer numbers of the Roman legions to come crunching into one another. And in which case its size, rather than being an advantage, then becomes a source of weakness. Right. But it's a hugely difficult thing to pull off. So the Roman plan basically is just a kind of advance and steamroller of the enemy.

And I think Hannibal's aim is to try and apply pressure where it will force the sheer numbers of the Roman legions to come crunching into one another. And in which case its size, rather than being an advantage, then becomes a source of weakness. Right. But it's a hugely difficult thing to pull off. So the Roman plan basically is just a kind of advance and steamroller of the enemy.

Hannibal's dispositions are much more complicated. As usual, like the Romans have done, he stations his infantry in the center and his cavalry on the wings. He has Mahabul, who's in command of the Numidian light cavalry on the right wing. So he is facing the allied cavalry. commanded by Varro.

Hannibal's dispositions are much more complicated. As usual, like the Romans have done, he stations his infantry in the center and his cavalry on the wings. He has Mahabul, who's in command of the Numidian light cavalry on the right wing. So he is facing the allied cavalry. commanded by Varro.

Hannibal's dispositions are much more complicated. As usual, like the Romans have done, he stations his infantry in the center and his cavalry on the wings. He has Mahabul, who's in command of the Numidian light cavalry on the right wing. So he is facing the allied cavalry. commanded by Varro.

On the left wing, so facing Paulus and the Roman cavalry, he's put the Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry under the command of another very seasoned officer called inevitably Hasdrubal. So this isn't Hasdrubal the handsome. It's not Hasdrubal who's Hannibal's brother. It's another Hasdrubal. I just assume they're all called Hasdrubal, to be honest with you. Yeah, pretty much.

On the left wing, so facing Paulus and the Roman cavalry, he's put the Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry under the command of another very seasoned officer called inevitably Hasdrubal. So this isn't Hasdrubal the handsome. It's not Hasdrubal who's Hannibal's brother. It's another Hasdrubal. I just assume they're all called Hasdrubal, to be honest with you. Yeah, pretty much.

On the left wing, so facing Paulus and the Roman cavalry, he's put the Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry under the command of another very seasoned officer called inevitably Hasdrubal. So this isn't Hasdrubal the handsome. It's not Hasdrubal who's Hannibal's brother. It's another Hasdrubal. I just assume they're all called Hasdrubal, to be honest with you. Yeah, pretty much.

And Hasdrubal is in command of about 7,000 men. So he is outnumbering the Roman cavalry under Paulus about three to one. So that is where the Carthaginians have the advantage. But obviously when it comes to infantry, that is a very different story because the Carthaginians there are massively outnumbered. However, fortunately for Hannibal, he has a plan and it's a very cunning plan.

And Hasdrubal is in command of about 7,000 men. So he is outnumbering the Roman cavalry under Paulus about three to one. So that is where the Carthaginians have the advantage. But obviously when it comes to infantry, that is a very different story because the Carthaginians there are massively outnumbered. However, fortunately for Hannibal, he has a plan and it's a very cunning plan.

And Hasdrubal is in command of about 7,000 men. So he is outnumbering the Roman cavalry under Paulus about three to one. So that is where the Carthaginians have the advantage. But obviously when it comes to infantry, that is a very different story because the Carthaginians there are massively outnumbered. However, fortunately for Hannibal, he has a plan and it's a very cunning plan.

So what he does is he draws up his Spanish and Gallic heavy infantry in a continuous line facing the Romans. So stretching for almost a mile and a half. And compared to the Romans, this Carthaginian battle line is very, very slender. Hannibal stations himself and Mago, his younger brother, in the centre of the line. And he then leads the centre of the line outwards towards the Roman lines.

So what he does is he draws up his Spanish and Gallic heavy infantry in a continuous line facing the Romans. So stretching for almost a mile and a half. And compared to the Romans, this Carthaginian battle line is very, very slender. Hannibal stations himself and Mago, his younger brother, in the centre of the line. And he then leads the centre of the line outwards towards the Roman lines.

So what he does is he draws up his Spanish and Gallic heavy infantry in a continuous line facing the Romans. So stretching for almost a mile and a half. And compared to the Romans, this Carthaginian battle line is very, very slender. Hannibal stations himself and Mago, his younger brother, in the centre of the line. And he then leads the centre of the line outwards towards the Roman lines.

So the effect is to create a kind of crescent. The line starts to bulge outwards towards the Roman centre. Hannibal's aim in doing this is to ensure that the Roman effort will be kind of focused on the middle of the plain. And the reason that he does this is because he knows that this is how the legions fight, that their aim is always to push through the middle of their enemy's battle line.

So the effect is to create a kind of crescent. The line starts to bulge outwards towards the Roman centre. Hannibal's aim in doing this is to ensure that the Roman effort will be kind of focused on the middle of the plain. And the reason that he does this is because he knows that this is how the legions fight, that their aim is always to push through the middle of their enemy's battle line.

So the effect is to create a kind of crescent. The line starts to bulge outwards towards the Roman centre. Hannibal's aim in doing this is to ensure that the Roman effort will be kind of focused on the middle of the plain. And the reason that he does this is because he knows that this is how the legions fight, that their aim is always to push through the middle of their enemy's battle line.

If they do that, then they will inevitably break through the Carthaginian line because it's so thin relative to the Romans. At the Trebia, the Romans had done that and Hannibal hadn't been able to stop them then from kind of marching off and doing what they wanted. But this time at Cannae, he has planned for this eventuality.