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Hannibal vs Rome: Hannibal's Greatest Victory

One of the most studied military victories in history, and arguably one of the worst Roman defeats - what went wrong for the Romans at Cannae?


In our final episode in the Hannibal mini-series, Dr Louis Rawlings explains just what happened at Cannae in 216BCE, and why that battle is still so important today.


With 50,000 Romans dead, 20,000 captured, and only 10,000 managing to escape - Cannae is truly Hannibal's greatest victory. Using tactics that are still studied and used in modern military academies and in the field, Cannae demonstrates the importance of knowing your terrain, dividing forces - and never underestimating an enemy that's smaller than you.


Previous Episodes

Hannibal vs Rome: Terror at Trasimene (Episode 1)

Hannibal vs Rome: The Road to Cannae (Episode 2)


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7/31/2022

Hannibal vs Rome: The Road to Cannae

One of the greatest military commanders in history - it's no wonder Hannibal and Rome so frequently fought.In the second episode of our Hannibal mini-series, Tristan is once again joined by Dr Louis Rawlings from Cardiff University to examine Hannibal's movements and clashes post-Trasimene.Looking at the Roman reaction to their second defeat and what happened next, why are these 10 months so important? With horses bathing in vinegar, famed military strategies, and animals being sacrificed - what happened on the road to Cannae?For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletterhere.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks atHistory Hit- subscribe today!
7/28/2022

Yorkshire's Roman Mystery: The Ryedale Hoard

In May 2020, four unique Roman artefacts were unearthed near Ampleforth, North Yorkshire by two amateur metal detectorists. A bronze bust that is thought to depictRoman emperor Marcus Aurelius, a beautifully crafted horse, and a one of a kind figurine of the Roman god Mars, to name a few.But who buried these beautiful artefacts - and what can they tell us about life in Roman Britain? In this episode Tristan takes a special behind the scenes look at one of Roman Britain's greatest mysteries: the Ryedale Hoard - now on display in the Yorkshire Museum.To learn more about these mysterious objects, Tristan is joined by Yorkshire Museum curator Dr Lucy Creighton and metal detectorist Mark Didlick - who along with friend James Spark found the hoard buried in a field two years ago.Watch the video version on YouTube
7/24/2022

Hannibal vs Rome: Terror at Trasimene

Towards the beginning of the Second Punic War on 21 June 217 BC, a Carthaginian force under Hannibal launched a vicious ambush on a Roman army commanded by Gaius Flaminius.The resulting battle, at Lake Trasimene in Italy, saw a complete capitulation of the Roman forces - with thousands of legionaries meeting their end at the bottom of the blood-sopped waters.In this episode - part of our special miniseries on Hannibal's wars with Rome - Tristan is joined by Dr Louis Rawlings from Cardiff University to discover more about the terror of Trasimene.Produced by Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.For more Ancients content, subscribe to our Ancients newsletterhere.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks atHistory Hit- subscribe today!