Get to know one of history’s most important military commanders—Hannibal Barca—from his early days in Iberia to his famed march across the Italian peninsula in the Second Punic War. Along the way, you will become familiar with the ancient world and its customs, politics, notable figures, and way of life, before turning your attention to the terrifying but impressive conquest that made Hannibal so famous.
Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome
Hannibal versus Rome: Watch the rise and fall of one of history’s greatest military commanders.
Overview
About
Eve MacDonald is a Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at Cardiff University. She earned a PhD in Ancient History at the University of Ottawa. She wrote the book Hannibal: A Hellenistic Life and has published numerous papers on ancient history. She has also worked extensively in the field on excavations, including in Italy and Carthage in Tunisia. Additionally, she has conducted fieldwork at the site of Fulayj in Oman and taken part in excavations of Sasanian Persian outposts in Georgia and Iran for the Persia and Its Neighbours project.
Trailer
01: The Phoenicians and the Rise of Carthage
What do we really know about Hannibal Barca, an ancient Carthaginian military commander shrouded in myth and mystery? Evaluate two key sources on Hannibal’s life and career—Livy’s work on the Second Punic War and Polybius’s The Histories—before diving into the history of Hannibal’s homeland, Carthage.
36 min
02: The First Punic War
Hannibal lived in the shadow of the Punic Wars, a century-long conflict involving Rome and his native Carthage. Investigate the complicated origins of the First Punic War. Explore Carthage’s early failures from the loss of Agrigento to defeat at the Battle of Mylae. And examine each side’s strengths, weaknesses, and imperial motivations at the start of the contest.
35 min
03: Hamilcar and the Rise of the Barcids
After a string of military losses, Carthage looked like it would fall to the Romans. Get to know Hannibal’s father Hamilcar before delving into how Rome ultimately prevailed despite the elder Barcid’s small but important victories. And explore the civil war that consumed Carthage between the First and Second Punic Wars.
34 min
04: Young Hannibal in Iberia, 237–221 BCE
What can be said about Hamilcar’s expedition to Iberia and Hasdrubal the Fair’s subsequent takeover of Iberia? How was young Hannibal primed for military service by an adolescence that was steeped in conquest? And why did the negotiations between Carthage and Rome fail to resolve the conflict between both powers? Dive into these questions and more.
33 min
05: Hannibal Takes Command, 221–218 BCE
Begin by exploring Hannibal’s early years of military service from how he cultivated troop loyalty to gaining the military victories that impressed and, in some cases, frightened his contemporaries. And wrap up by setting the scene for the Second Punic War, delving into the conflict over and subsequent sacking of Saguntum.
33 min
06: A New Hercules Prepares to Fight Rome
See how careful preparations, intelligence networks, sharp diplomacy, a diverse but well-governed army, and even dreams and Herculean legends helped Hannibal secure meaningful victories in the Second Punic War’s early years. And consider Carthage’s powerful army as it moved and fought its way toward Transalpine Gaul on the French coast.
34 min
07: Hannibal Crosses the Alps, 218 BCE
Hannibal is famous for crossing the treacherous Alps. See how the young general transported his soldiers—as well as a cadre of elephants—across the mighty Rhone River. Investigate the obstacles that faced Hannibal and his army throughout their mountainous journey. And take stock of the impact of Carthage’s incredibly bold incursion into Italy.
33 min
08: First Victories: Ticinus and Trebbia
Where did Rome stand, by the time Hannibal arrived in Northern Italy? What do we make of the famed commander’s impressive victory against powerful Roman forces and generals in Trebbia? And how was the skirmish—devastating for Rome, but great for Hannibal and Carthage—interpreted and explained by contemporaries? Tackle these questions and more.
30 min
09: The Romans Panic: Lake Trasimene, 217 BCE
Outmaneuvered and outflanked, the mood in Rome quickly soured. Follow Hannibal’s diverse army of Nubian, Celtic, and Carthaginian men on their trek to Picenum, paying special attention to Hannibal’s incredible ambush of Roman commander Flaminius and his army at Lake Trasimene. Then, focus on how Romans from different walks of life responded back home.
32 min
10: Cannae: Hannibal’s Great Victory, 216 BCE
Follow Carthaginian troops as they hunkered down for the winter in Geronium only to reemerge stronger in the summer of 216 BCE. See how Rome’s Fabian strategy of containment played out, zeroing in on especially “bullish” confrontation as an example. Break down the Battle of Cannae, a skirmish that cemented Hannibal’s historic reputation.
34 min
11: Southern Italy Rebels against Rome
Buoyed by victory, why was the famed Carthaginian general so hesitant about attacking Rome itself? How did both Rome and Carthage take the news of Hannibal’s plunder of the Italian peninsula? What, ultimately, led to the defection of a key Roman ally, the city of Capua? And what condition was the Carthaginian army in after the partnership? Consider these and other questions.
33 min
12: Macedon and the Fall of Syracuse, 212 BCE
See how both Rome and Carthage sustained themselves in terms of money, manpower, and supplies in this critical period. Then, turn your attention to Macedonia and the allegiance it pursued with Carthage. End with a blow-by-blow account of a major turning point in the Second Punic War: the fall of Syracuse to Rome.
39 min
13: The Scipii and the 10-Year War for Iberia
Rome won the Second Punic War, not in Italy, but in Iberia and North Africa. Delve into both theaters, getting to know key characters, like the formidable Roman Scipiones family. Look at how a series of military victories, along with a leadership shake-up, handed Iberia to the Romans.
36 min
14: The Tide Turns against Carthage, 209–205 BCE
By 209 BCE, Carthage found itself in trouble. Dive into the many factors behind Hasdrubal’s devastating defeat at the hands of Claudius Nero in the Second Punic War. See how Rome used Hannibal’s own military tactics against him. And, set the scene for Carthage’s eventual ruin in North Africa.
35 min
15: Hannibal’s Defeat, Escape, and Final Years
End the course by reconstructing the long resolution of the Second Punic War from confrontations in North Africa to the Battle of Zama. Examine the showdown between Roman-allied Masinissa and Carthage-allied Syphax. And explore what became of Hannibal and his homeland in the aftermath of defeat.
37 min
