Dominic Sandbrook

I mean, clearly there is a measure of truth to this. There clearly was a landslide because otherwise it's hard to see why these reports would have come from.

I mean, clearly there is a measure of truth to this. There clearly was a landslide because otherwise it's hard to see why these reports would have come from.

I mean, clearly there is a measure of truth to this. There clearly was a landslide because otherwise it's hard to see why these reports would have come from.

I mean, I think even Hannibal recognises that there's an absolute need for everybody to recharge their batteries. So it's not just the men who are shattered, obviously the horses, the mules, the elephants, you know, there hasn't been much food up on the mountains. So they're put out to pasture. The troops are given three days R&R. And as you say, they come out kind of

I mean, I think even Hannibal recognises that there's an absolute need for everybody to recharge their batteries. So it's not just the men who are shattered, obviously the horses, the mules, the elephants, you know, there hasn't been much food up on the mountains. So they're put out to pasture. The troops are given three days R&R. And as you say, they come out kind of

I mean, I think even Hannibal recognises that there's an absolute need for everybody to recharge their batteries. So it's not just the men who are shattered, obviously the horses, the mules, the elephants, you know, there hasn't been much food up on the mountains. So they're put out to pasture. The troops are given three days R&R. And as you say, they come out kind of

pretty near where Turin stands now. And it had taken them in all just over a fortnight, so 15 days to cross the Alps. And it had been five months since the army's departure from New Carthage in Spain. And the whole expedition had come at terrible cost. So by Polybius's reckoning, 50,000 infantry had left the Pyrenees and of these only about 20,000 remain. So over half have perished on the route.

pretty near where Turin stands now. And it had taken them in all just over a fortnight, so 15 days to cross the Alps. And it had been five months since the army's departure from New Carthage in Spain. And the whole expedition had come at terrible cost. So by Polybius's reckoning, 50,000 infantry had left the Pyrenees and of these only about 20,000 remain. So over half have perished on the route.

pretty near where Turin stands now. And it had taken them in all just over a fortnight, so 15 days to cross the Alps. And it had been five months since the army's departure from New Carthage in Spain. And the whole expedition had come at terrible cost. So by Polybius's reckoning, 50,000 infantry had left the Pyrenees and of these only about 20,000 remain. So over half have perished on the route.

And of the 9,000 horses, only 6,000 remain. So what Hannibal had done was summed up later by another great general who led his troops over the Alps and was portrayed famously as doing such by David, the great painter of the French Revolution. That was Napoleon. And Napoleon, of course, very, very aware of Hannibal's example.

And of the 9,000 horses, only 6,000 remain. So what Hannibal had done was summed up later by another great general who led his troops over the Alps and was portrayed famously as doing such by David, the great painter of the French Revolution. That was Napoleon. And Napoleon, of course, very, very aware of Hannibal's example.

And of the 9,000 horses, only 6,000 remain. So what Hannibal had done was summed up later by another great general who led his troops over the Alps and was portrayed famously as doing such by David, the great painter of the French Revolution. That was Napoleon. And Napoleon, of course, very, very aware of Hannibal's example.

And he said of this crossing of the Alps that Hannibal had sacrificed half his army merely to acquire his chosen field of battle, the opportunity to fight where he wished to. And I guess kind of hanging in that comment, perhaps people might think, well, was it worth all the effort that Hannibal went to? Was it worth the loss of over half his army?

And he said of this crossing of the Alps that Hannibal had sacrificed half his army merely to acquire his chosen field of battle, the opportunity to fight where he wished to. And I guess kind of hanging in that comment, perhaps people might think, well, was it worth all the effort that Hannibal went to? Was it worth the loss of over half his army?

And he said of this crossing of the Alps that Hannibal had sacrificed half his army merely to acquire his chosen field of battle, the opportunity to fight where he wished to. And I guess kind of hanging in that comment, perhaps people might think, well, was it worth all the effort that Hannibal went to? Was it worth the loss of over half his army?

And Dominic, you said in the previous episode, you asked, would it have been possible for Hannibal to fight Scipio on the banks of the Rhône?

And Dominic, you said in the previous episode, you asked, would it have been possible for Hannibal to fight Scipio on the banks of the Rhône?

And Dominic, you said in the previous episode, you asked, would it have been possible for Hannibal to fight Scipio on the banks of the Rhône?

He could have done that. But that's not actually what Napoleon is saying. Napoleon's comments on Hannibal sacrificing half his army to get where he wanted to, to get his chosen field of battle, is not meant as a criticism. I mean, this is the kind of thing Napoleon did all the time. He'd sacrifice... hundreds of thousands of men to get his army into the position where he wanted to fight.

He could have done that. But that's not actually what Napoleon is saying. Napoleon's comments on Hannibal sacrificing half his army to get where he wanted to, to get his chosen field of battle, is not meant as a criticism. I mean, this is the kind of thing Napoleon did all the time. He'd sacrifice... hundreds of thousands of men to get his army into the position where he wanted to fight.