Tristan Hughes

And then, of course, the Indian kings and all their war elephants and the like, something that the Romans have never encountered before.

Nope.

Because Alexander, in 323 BC, he also has elephants in his army, which is very interesting.

But I also think Alexander, almost certainly, he would have known of the Romans.

He would have heard of what was happening in Italy, because partly of what you mentioned of this other Alexander, this Alexander the Molossian, who'd already died by this point, fighting, trying to carve out his own empire in southern Italy, who was also Alexander the Great's uncle.

So there's a familial link there as well.

So although Alexander the Molossian doesn't fight Rome directly, he fights the other Italian peoples.

I'm sure he would have heard that there were these things happening in Italy further to the west.

So he would have known of the Romans, I think, probably wouldn't have thought too much of them, but he would have at least heard of them.

So let's say that he wants to march his armies west.

Shall we theorize on that first of all?

Because still, if I think of Alexander the Molossian, and then I think of Pyrrhus later, and also with that, what I mentioned earlier with like, it seems that Alexander did want to build a big fleet in the Eastern Mediterranean, then it would seem the most logical thing, if he wanted to invade Italy, that he would start from the boot of Italy and work his way up.

And that's the big rig city-state in southern Italy at the time, and the one that is also not being taken over by the Italians at that time, unlike places like Pistum and the like a bit further north.

So it makes sense that if Alexander did invade Italy, it makes sense that he'd land somewhere near Tarentum.

get their supply chains from there, and then march inland towards Roman territory would begin, I presume.

At that time, as you mentioned, is roughly the borders of Roman territory, and let's say, hypothetical idea, about 320, is the southern end of Roman influence kind of in that central Apennines area?

That's interesting.

Do you think that would be the case even with Alexander and his formidable reputation and with more than 50,000 soldiers presumably coming over, including Persians, including these massive beasts that no one has ever seen before in his army?

Do you still think there is an Italian, an Italic, an Oscan idea in their mindset that they would still fight against it?

So fight for us and then we'll fight for you, but Alexander, please help us restore at least a degree of freedom, right?