Tom Holland

So from your description, it sounds like an extremely meticulously devised, well-ordered, formidable military machine. But is there an argument that the sheer size and complexity of this system means that it's frankly, a bit lumbering and a bit overcomplicated and that Hannibal can actually exploit this. I think that you have seized on the weakness that Hannibal seizes on, Dominic.

What effectively he's doing, he's not exactly sacrificing his front line, but he's assuming that his front line will break. Yeah. The Romans will break through. And his whole plan is that the Romans will break through. Yeah. And then he's got these Libyans behind who will pour into the Roman flanks. Like the jaws of a mouth with sharp teeth.

What effectively he's doing, he's not exactly sacrificing his front line, but he's assuming that his front line will break. Yeah. The Romans will break through. And his whole plan is that the Romans will break through. Yeah. And then he's got these Libyans behind who will pour into the Roman flanks. Like the jaws of a mouth with sharp teeth.

What effectively he's doing, he's not exactly sacrificing his front line, but he's assuming that his front line will break. Yeah. The Romans will break through. And his whole plan is that the Romans will break through. Yeah. And then he's got these Libyans behind who will pour into the Roman flanks. Like the jaws of a mouth with sharp teeth.

The downside is you don't want to be the people in the front line. Right. Because he's basically decided you're expendable. Yeah, but Hannibal has placed himself there. But he's assuming that he will be... the Romans will just rush past him or that he will fall back?

The downside is you don't want to be the people in the front line. Right. Because he's basically decided you're expendable. Yeah, but Hannibal has placed himself there. But he's assuming that he will be... the Romans will just rush past him or that he will fall back?

The downside is you don't want to be the people in the front line. Right. Because he's basically decided you're expendable. Yeah, but Hannibal has placed himself there. But he's assuming that he will be... the Romans will just rush past him or that he will fall back?

And the Romans didn't anticipate this at all. I mean, you would think that practiced commanders would see the crescent shape and they would think, well, the one thing we don't want to happen is for our boys to be enveloped by the flanks of this crescent. And yet they've walked straight into it.

And the Romans didn't anticipate this at all. I mean, you would think that practiced commanders would see the crescent shape and they would think, well, the one thing we don't want to happen is for our boys to be enveloped by the flanks of this crescent. And yet they've walked straight into it.

And the Romans didn't anticipate this at all. I mean, you would think that practiced commanders would see the crescent shape and they would think, well, the one thing we don't want to happen is for our boys to be enveloped by the flanks of this crescent. And yet they've walked straight into it.

And you said he had two cards to play. He's played one, which was the Libyans. Now, the second, of course, you mentioned it before, Hasdrubal and the heavy cavalry. As you said, they haven't gone shooting off. They now return to the fray, don't they?

And you said he had two cards to play. He's played one, which was the Libyans. Now, the second, of course, you mentioned it before, Hasdrubal and the heavy cavalry. As you said, they haven't gone shooting off. They now return to the fray, don't they?

And you said he had two cards to play. He's played one, which was the Libyans. Now, the second, of course, you mentioned it before, Hasdrubal and the heavy cavalry. As you said, they haven't gone shooting off. They now return to the fray, don't they?

Yeah, just looking at the estimates, between 50,000 and 70,000 men probably were killed. I mean, just absolutely massacred where they stood. And, you know, for Hannibal, this must be a victory beyond his wildest dreams. I mean, just a staggering success, a vindication of his tactics, of his approach. He has absolutely annihilated this Roman army and brought the Romans to their lowest ebb.

Yeah, just looking at the estimates, between 50,000 and 70,000 men probably were killed. I mean, just absolutely massacred where they stood. And, you know, for Hannibal, this must be a victory beyond his wildest dreams. I mean, just a staggering success, a vindication of his tactics, of his approach. He has absolutely annihilated this Roman army and brought the Romans to their lowest ebb.

Yeah, just looking at the estimates, between 50,000 and 70,000 men probably were killed. I mean, just absolutely massacred where they stood. And, you know, for Hannibal, this must be a victory beyond his wildest dreams. I mean, just a staggering success, a vindication of his tactics, of his approach. He has absolutely annihilated this Roman army and brought the Romans to their lowest ebb.

And yet he hasn't won the war. Because the question now is, what will the Romans do? Will they sue for peace? Where does he go from here? Does he march on Rome? Does he try to destroy the Republic? Or have the Romans got one more comeback left in them, Tom?

And yet he hasn't won the war. Because the question now is, what will the Romans do? Will they sue for peace? Where does he go from here? Does he march on Rome? Does he try to destroy the Republic? Or have the Romans got one more comeback left in them, Tom?

And yet he hasn't won the war. Because the question now is, what will the Romans do? Will they sue for peace? Where does he go from here? Does he march on Rome? Does he try to destroy the Republic? Or have the Romans got one more comeback left in them, Tom?

We love a terrible note on the rest is history. We also like to torment and tantalize our listeners by leaving them hanging at the end of series. And that's what we've done. We've had season one. We've had season two. Season three will be coming. Brilliant. So next week we will be back with something very different.