Dominic Sandbrook

And then you just wait and you can imagine, you know, it's getting hotter. The sun is rising in the sky. The shields are starting to feel heavier on the arm. Sweat around, you know, as you hold your spears or whatever. I mean, very, very nerve wracking because it's nerve wracking. Ultimately, the time comes where people think, oh, hang this, let's get on with it.

And then you just wait and you can imagine, you know, it's getting hotter. The sun is rising in the sky. The shields are starting to feel heavier on the arm. Sweat around, you know, as you hold your spears or whatever. I mean, very, very nerve wracking because it's nerve wracking. Ultimately, the time comes where people think, oh, hang this, let's get on with it.

And then you just wait and you can imagine, you know, it's getting hotter. The sun is rising in the sky. The shields are starting to feel heavier on the arm. Sweat around, you know, as you hold your spears or whatever. I mean, very, very nerve wracking because it's nerve wracking. Ultimately, the time comes where people think, oh, hang this, let's get on with it.

And the people who begin are the skirmishers. The Carthaginians again are outnumbered, but they are much, much more proficient than the Velites, the Roman skirmishers in their wolf clothes and stuff. And in particular, the Balearic slingers, my favorite, are absolutely lethal. So they have a much longer range than the Velites do with their little spears. They're very accurate.

And the people who begin are the skirmishers. The Carthaginians again are outnumbered, but they are much, much more proficient than the Velites, the Roman skirmishers in their wolf clothes and stuff. And in particular, the Balearic slingers, my favorite, are absolutely lethal. So they have a much longer range than the Velites do with their little spears. They're very accurate.

And the people who begin are the skirmishers. The Carthaginians again are outnumbered, but they are much, much more proficient than the Velites, the Roman skirmishers in their wolf clothes and stuff. And in particular, the Balearic slingers, my favorite, are absolutely lethal. So they have a much longer range than the Velites do with their little spears. They're very accurate.

The slingshot is coming out. You know, you've got all this dust blowing up. Very difficult to see the slingshot as it comes. If it hits you on the helmet, it is possible to kind of knock you out. And so understandably, the Roman infantry decide, well, we don't want this. You know, get rid of the velites. The velites withdraw. This is daily Siri. I think he's right.

The slingshot is coming out. You know, you've got all this dust blowing up. Very difficult to see the slingshot as it comes. If it hits you on the helmet, it is possible to kind of knock you out. And so understandably, the Roman infantry decide, well, we don't want this. You know, get rid of the velites. The velites withdraw. This is daily Siri. I think he's right.

The slingshot is coming out. You know, you've got all this dust blowing up. Very difficult to see the slingshot as it comes. If it hits you on the helmet, it is possible to kind of knock you out. And so understandably, the Roman infantry decide, well, we don't want this. You know, get rid of the velites. The velites withdraw. This is daily Siri. I think he's right.

They go right the way back behind the full line of the Roman heavy infantry. And this then means that the front line of the Roman heavy infantry are in a position to advance. This is what's been going on in the opening maneuvers of the battle.

They go right the way back behind the full line of the Roman heavy infantry. And this then means that the front line of the Roman heavy infantry are in a position to advance. This is what's been going on in the opening maneuvers of the battle.

They go right the way back behind the full line of the Roman heavy infantry. And this then means that the front line of the Roman heavy infantry are in a position to advance. This is what's been going on in the opening maneuvers of the battle.

Meanwhile, you've got the cavalry and on the banks of the Ophidius, the river, which is where Hasdrubal's Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry are facing Paulus's Roman horse, it is all kicking off. And the Carthaginians, even as the skirmishers are still doing their stuff with their javelins and their slingshot and stuff, the Carthaginian cavalry are herring towards the Romans.

Meanwhile, you've got the cavalry and on the banks of the Ophidius, the river, which is where Hasdrubal's Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry are facing Paulus's Roman horse, it is all kicking off. And the Carthaginians, even as the skirmishers are still doing their stuff with their javelins and their slingshot and stuff, the Carthaginian cavalry are herring towards the Romans.

Meanwhile, you've got the cavalry and on the banks of the Ophidius, the river, which is where Hasdrubal's Spanish and Gallic heavy cavalry are facing Paulus's Roman horse, it is all kicking off. And the Carthaginians, even as the skirmishers are still doing their stuff with their javelins and their slingshot and stuff, the Carthaginian cavalry are herring towards the Romans.

They just pile into Paulus and his men. And there's a story in Plutarch that Paulus is wounded, that he has to dismount, that all his officers around him think, oh, well, he's doing it. We better do it. They dismount. And then the whole Roman army. Force dismounts. And it may be that this is a kind of an attempt by the Romans to explain why it is that the Roman horse put up such a weak show.

They just pile into Paulus and his men. And there's a story in Plutarch that Paulus is wounded, that he has to dismount, that all his officers around him think, oh, well, he's doing it. We better do it. They dismount. And then the whole Roman army. Force dismounts. And it may be that this is a kind of an attempt by the Romans to explain why it is that the Roman horse put up such a weak show.

They just pile into Paulus and his men. And there's a story in Plutarch that Paulus is wounded, that he has to dismount, that all his officers around him think, oh, well, he's doing it. We better do it. They dismount. And then the whole Roman army. Force dismounts. And it may be that this is a kind of an attempt by the Romans to explain why it is that the Roman horse put up such a weak show.

Anyway, they are absolutely swept away. They have not managed to put up a fight at all. Paulus is able to clamber his way into the main body of the infantry. So he is able to survive this route. But I mean, it's very poor on the part of the Roman horse and brilliant for Hasdrubal and his men. who have swept the Roman flank clear. And Hasdrubal does not do a Prince Rupert.

Anyway, they are absolutely swept away. They have not managed to put up a fight at all. Paulus is able to clamber his way into the main body of the infantry. So he is able to survive this route. But I mean, it's very poor on the part of the Roman horse and brilliant for Hasdrubal and his men. who have swept the Roman flank clear. And Hasdrubal does not do a Prince Rupert.