Dominic Sandbrook

And it reminds us that Cannae is a battle that is fought in the context of the much broader war that we've been talking about in this series between distinctive commanders, between distinctive... armies, cities, ways of life. And the ancient sources, and you quoted Livy, but we have Polybius as well. We have Plutarch.

And it reminds us that Cannae is a battle that is fought in the context of the much broader war that we've been talking about in this series between distinctive commanders, between distinctive... armies, cities, ways of life. And the ancient sources, and you quoted Livy, but we have Polybius as well. We have Plutarch.

they are unusually visceral in their accounts of what actually happens when the Roman and the Carthaginian way of war comes up against each other in this great titanic clash. And they evoke the dust, the stench, the terror, the horror, which even the victors on the day after the battle are kind of struck dumb by it. And I think that it's possible to evoke and make vivid

they are unusually visceral in their accounts of what actually happens when the Roman and the Carthaginian way of war comes up against each other in this great titanic clash. And they evoke the dust, the stench, the terror, the horror, which even the victors on the day after the battle are kind of struck dumb by it. And I think that it's possible to evoke and make vivid

they are unusually visceral in their accounts of what actually happens when the Roman and the Carthaginian way of war comes up against each other in this great titanic clash. And they evoke the dust, the stench, the terror, the horror, which even the victors on the day after the battle are kind of struck dumb by it. And I think that it's possible to evoke and make vivid

in a way that is not true about other battles in antiquity, something of the lived experience of those who fought in it. So that's why it's so interesting.

in a way that is not true about other battles in antiquity, something of the lived experience of those who fought in it. So that's why it's so interesting.

in a way that is not true about other battles in antiquity, something of the lived experience of those who fought in it. So that's why it's so interesting.

We can immerse ourselves in what it was like to be there.

We can immerse ourselves in what it was like to be there.

We can immerse ourselves in what it was like to be there.

I think that the Romans assume that his ambition is to wipe out Rome, but I think that they're projecting their own assumptions onto Hannibal there. We know this because later he signs treaties, say, with the King of Macedon, and he specifies what Rome's role will be in this. He's not saying that Rome is going to be wiped out.

I think that the Romans assume that his ambition is to wipe out Rome, but I think that they're projecting their own assumptions onto Hannibal there. We know this because later he signs treaties, say, with the King of Macedon, and he specifies what Rome's role will be in this. He's not saying that Rome is going to be wiped out.

I think that the Romans assume that his ambition is to wipe out Rome, but I think that they're projecting their own assumptions onto Hannibal there. We know this because later he signs treaties, say, with the King of Macedon, and he specifies what Rome's role will be in this. He's not saying that Rome is going to be wiped out.

What he wants essentially is to destroy the alliance system in Italy that upholds Roman power and it upholds it because it provides Rome with men. The whole way through this series we've been talking, this is the key to Roman power and Hannibal recognises that and his strategy is to try and kneecap Rome's prestige.

What he wants essentially is to destroy the alliance system in Italy that upholds Roman power and it upholds it because it provides Rome with men. The whole way through this series we've been talking, this is the key to Roman power and Hannibal recognises that and his strategy is to try and kneecap Rome's prestige.

What he wants essentially is to destroy the alliance system in Italy that upholds Roman power and it upholds it because it provides Rome with men. The whole way through this series we've been talking, this is the key to Roman power and Hannibal recognises that and his strategy is to try and kneecap Rome's prestige.

And he wants to do that essentially by looting and pillaging her lands to demonstrate to everybody that the Romans can no longer defend their own lands. But above all, he wants to annihilate her armies repeatedly in battle so that in the long run, the Romans will be forced to sue for terms because this is what people do in antiquity.

And he wants to do that essentially by looting and pillaging her lands to demonstrate to everybody that the Romans can no longer defend their own lands. But above all, he wants to annihilate her armies repeatedly in battle so that in the long run, the Romans will be forced to sue for terms because this is what people do in antiquity.

And he wants to do that essentially by looting and pillaging her lands to demonstrate to everybody that the Romans can no longer defend their own lands. But above all, he wants to annihilate her armies repeatedly in battle so that in the long run, the Romans will be forced to sue for terms because this is what people do in antiquity.