Dominic Sandbrook

So it must have come as a massive surprise for the Romans to suddenly find them crashing into them. So a horrible situation.

Because they're trusting their weight of numbers, because... That's how they fight, because they're not geniuses like Hannibal, because the men that they have are not seasoned. They can't kind of think on their feet. They're not practiced at maneuvering. And that, of course, is the mark of Hannibal's genius, is that he's exploiting all of that.

Because they're trusting their weight of numbers, because... That's how they fight, because they're not geniuses like Hannibal, because the men that they have are not seasoned. They can't kind of think on their feet. They're not practiced at maneuvering. And that, of course, is the mark of Hannibal's genius, is that he's exploiting all of that.

Because they're trusting their weight of numbers, because... That's how they fight, because they're not geniuses like Hannibal, because the men that they have are not seasoned. They can't kind of think on their feet. They're not practiced at maneuvering. And that, of course, is the mark of Hannibal's genius, is that he's exploiting all of that.

And he's like a judo thrower, turning his enemy's strength into a weakness.

And he's like a judo thrower, turning his enemy's strength into a weakness.

And he's like a judo thrower, turning his enemy's strength into a weakness.

People may remember that they've swept away Paulus, who has gone to join the main body of the infantry. The rest of the Roman cavalry have been swept away from the battlefield. So what Hasdrubal does is he then turns around the length of the Roman infantry to go to the other wing, where the Numidians under Mahabul have been having a standoff with the Italians under Varroa.

People may remember that they've swept away Paulus, who has gone to join the main body of the infantry. The rest of the Roman cavalry have been swept away from the battlefield. So what Hasdrubal does is he then turns around the length of the Roman infantry to go to the other wing, where the Numidians under Mahabul have been having a standoff with the Italians under Varroa.

People may remember that they've swept away Paulus, who has gone to join the main body of the infantry. The rest of the Roman cavalry have been swept away from the battlefield. So what Hasdrubal does is he then turns around the length of the Roman infantry to go to the other wing, where the Numidians under Mahabul have been having a standoff with the Italians under Varroa.

because the Numidians are light. They don't want to engage with the Italian cavalry. But now suddenly Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry come sweeping up. The Italians are swept away again. Varro is swept away with them. So he's gone from the scene of the battle. He survives, but he's now gone. This means that Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry can now crash into the rear of the Roman infantry.

because the Numidians are light. They don't want to engage with the Italian cavalry. But now suddenly Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry come sweeping up. The Italians are swept away again. Varro is swept away with them. So he's gone from the scene of the battle. He survives, but he's now gone. This means that Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry can now crash into the rear of the Roman infantry.

because the Numidians are light. They don't want to engage with the Italian cavalry. But now suddenly Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry come sweeping up. The Italians are swept away again. Varro is swept away with them. So he's gone from the scene of the battle. He survives, but he's now gone. This means that Hasdrubal and his heavy cavalry can now crash into the rear of the Roman infantry.

And the likelihood is the infantry in the rear of the Roman battle line are not the seasoned veterans with their long spears who could have formed a phalanx and kept the cavalry away. But the velites, the skirmishers with their wolf skins. And there is nothing that they can do against heavy cavalry. So in that description by Livy, you read of the battlefield the day after the battle.

And the likelihood is the infantry in the rear of the Roman battle line are not the seasoned veterans with their long spears who could have formed a phalanx and kept the cavalry away. But the velites, the skirmishers with their wolf skins. And there is nothing that they can do against heavy cavalry. So in that description by Livy, you read of the battlefield the day after the battle.

And the likelihood is the infantry in the rear of the Roman battle line are not the seasoned veterans with their long spears who could have formed a phalanx and kept the cavalry away. But the velites, the skirmishers with their wolf skins. And there is nothing that they can do against heavy cavalry. So in that description by Livy, you read of the battlefield the day after the battle.

There was an account of men lying there whose tendons had been sliced and who can't move. And this, I think, is what Hasdrubal's cavalry are doing as they gallop in. If they can't kill someone, they just slice the tendons and leave them there to exsanguinate the blood to spill out. And then they start crashing forwards and the press of Romans trying to withdraw pushes back in.

There was an account of men lying there whose tendons had been sliced and who can't move. And this, I think, is what Hasdrubal's cavalry are doing as they gallop in. If they can't kill someone, they just slice the tendons and leave them there to exsanguinate the blood to spill out. And then they start crashing forwards and the press of Romans trying to withdraw pushes back in.

There was an account of men lying there whose tendons had been sliced and who can't move. And this, I think, is what Hasdrubal's cavalry are doing as they gallop in. If they can't kill someone, they just slice the tendons and leave them there to exsanguinate the blood to spill out. And then they start crashing forwards and the press of Romans trying to withdraw pushes back in.

And the whole Roman army now is surrounded. You've got the Gauls and the Spaniards on the front. You've got the Libyans on the flanks. You've got Hasdrubal's cavalry in the rear. The process of annihilation is now set in train and it takes Hannibal's men many hours. And it must have been a hideous experience for everyone. I mean, completely exhausting, even for Hannibal's men.