Tom Holland

And so instead, it gives him a vote of thanks.

And the reason for this vote of thanks, he had not despaired of the republic.

And so this notion that to despair is the worst of crimes is absolutely enshrined.

This is the great message that the Romans are proclaiming to the world.

It's a massively hardcore decision, because what it means is that the Romans are losing fit men of military age that they might have ransomed, and they're very short of fit military men.

Individual senators, of course, they would have relatives there.

They might have sons or

brothers or whatever.

And sure enough, when the news comes back to Hannibal, he's furious.

And so he sells all the Roman prisoners as slaves.

The decision of the Senate not to negotiate also dooms the countryside of Italy, all the villages, the estates, the crops, to what will prove terrible devastation.

Year after year after year.

And the reason for this is because the Romans are now absolutely pledged again to the strategy that Fabius had adopted, which is basically avoid meeting Hannibal in battle.

Only ever shadow him.

In the immediate wake of Cannae, they lack the manpower to actually to do anything more than that.

But I think also it reflects an entirely understandable sense that this man is a genius.

You know, you meet him in battle, he will destroy you.

And the consequence of this is that Hannibal is able to do what he likes to the orchards, to the vineyards, to the estates that cover Italy.

Why don't they defect now, because he's going to win?

Quite a lot do.