Dominic Sandbrook

And what they're both fixing on, in particular, as emblematic of everything that makes Hannibal extraordinary, is this feat in crossing the Alps. And it makes Hannibal seem like Hercules, which is part of Hannibal's plan. That was what he was kind of going for. Makes him seem superhuman.

And to climb the Alps, to fend off all the predatory barbarians that lurk in its snowy wastes, to gaze down from a mountain pass at the fields of Italy, impossible. And yet Hannibal wins. has done it. And we left him at the end of our previous episode. He's climbed all the way up the Alps. He's reached the very summit of the pass that he's been aiming for.

And to climb the Alps, to fend off all the predatory barbarians that lurk in its snowy wastes, to gaze down from a mountain pass at the fields of Italy, impossible. And yet Hannibal wins. has done it. And we left him at the end of our previous episode. He's climbed all the way up the Alps. He's reached the very summit of the pass that he's been aiming for.

And to climb the Alps, to fend off all the predatory barbarians that lurk in its snowy wastes, to gaze down from a mountain pass at the fields of Italy, impossible. And yet Hannibal wins. has done it. And we left him at the end of our previous episode. He's climbed all the way up the Alps. He's reached the very summit of the pass that he's been aiming for.

And he's telling his men, it's brilliant. Here we are. There's nothing to worry about. Italy lies below us. Let's get down there and take the fight to the Romans.

And he's telling his men, it's brilliant. Here we are. There's nothing to worry about. Italy lies below us. Let's get down there and take the fight to the Romans.

And he's telling his men, it's brilliant. Here we are. There's nothing to worry about. Italy lies below us. Let's get down there and take the fight to the Romans.

And so his men, who are very kind of demoralized, they've all got frostbite, they get hungry, they've been attacked by ghouls all the time, all a bit miserable. When they get to this pass, Hannibal, according to Livy, gives his men a very positive briefing. And he says, it will be very easy going from this point on.

And so his men, who are very kind of demoralized, they've all got frostbite, they get hungry, they've been attacked by ghouls all the time, all a bit miserable. When they get to this pass, Hannibal, according to Livy, gives his men a very positive briefing. And he says, it will be very easy going from this point on.

And so his men, who are very kind of demoralized, they've all got frostbite, they get hungry, they've been attacked by ghouls all the time, all a bit miserable. When they get to this pass, Hannibal, according to Livy, gives his men a very positive briefing. And he says, it will be very easy going from this point on.

There are no more hills to climb, a battle or two, and we will have Rome in the palm of our hands. But of course, Dominic, anyone who has climbed a very steep hill will know that actually going down can sometimes be as tough on the legs as going up.

There are no more hills to climb, a battle or two, and we will have Rome in the palm of our hands. But of course, Dominic, anyone who has climbed a very steep hill will know that actually going down can sometimes be as tough on the legs as going up.

There are no more hills to climb, a battle or two, and we will have Rome in the palm of our hands. But of course, Dominic, anyone who has climbed a very steep hill will know that actually going down can sometimes be as tough on the legs as going up.

Shall I read the passage in which he says exactly that? So Polybius says, so this is about the descent and how treacherous it proves. The track which led down the mountainside was both narrow and steep. Since neither the men nor the animals could be sure of their footing on account of the snow, any who stepped wide of the path or stumbled overbalanced and fell down the precipices.

Shall I read the passage in which he says exactly that? So Polybius says, so this is about the descent and how treacherous it proves. The track which led down the mountainside was both narrow and steep. Since neither the men nor the animals could be sure of their footing on account of the snow, any who stepped wide of the path or stumbled overbalanced and fell down the precipices.

Shall I read the passage in which he says exactly that? So Polybius says, so this is about the descent and how treacherous it proves. The track which led down the mountainside was both narrow and steep. Since neither the men nor the animals could be sure of their footing on account of the snow, any who stepped wide of the path or stumbled overbalanced and fell down the precipices.

And this is obviously very bad news for, I guess, for horses or elephants if they slip because they're really going to make a din. However, you know, it's got to be done. And as they go down, the snows start to kind of melt a bit and they start seeing pines and other foliage clinging to the rocks. And it all looks to be going great. And then suddenly there's a massive traffic jam.

And this is obviously very bad news for, I guess, for horses or elephants if they slip because they're really going to make a din. However, you know, it's got to be done. And as they go down, the snows start to kind of melt a bit and they start seeing pines and other foliage clinging to the rocks. And it all looks to be going great. And then suddenly there's a massive traffic jam.

And this is obviously very bad news for, I guess, for horses or elephants if they slip because they're really going to make a din. However, you know, it's got to be done. And as they go down, the snows start to kind of melt a bit and they start seeing pines and other foliage clinging to the rocks. And it all looks to be going great. And then suddenly there's a massive traffic jam.

And Hannibal is not at the front of the column, but suddenly, you know, elephants are piling up and horses and mules and Spaniards and Balearic slingers and everything. And so he's forcing his way through this ever-narrowing path to see what the problem is. And he discovers ahead of him the debris of two separate landslides.