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♪♪
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-218 B.C. -- a young general
leads a vast army across Europe
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in a surprise attack
on the Roman Republic.
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In his path lies an almost
impossible challenge --
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the foreboding Alps.
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-When they arrived
at the mountains
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and they began to climb,
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the full enormity
of the task ahead
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sunk into the soldiers.
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The ancient writers talk about
the way that the soldiers
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considered these mountains
to be almost supernatural.
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♪♪
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-It is only their belief
in their daring commander
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that keeps them going.
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That man is the legend
of Carthage -- Hannibal Barca.
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And that winter, he embarked
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on one of the most audacious
military feats in history --
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the crossing
of the French Alps into Italy
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with a force of almost
40,000 soldiers,
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9,000 cavalry,
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and, perhaps most famous of all,
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37 elephants.
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-I just find it
so improbable
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elephants passing through here.
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-But no one has ever found
a single piece
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of physical evidence
marking Hannibal's exact route.
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Now, an international team
of scientists and historians
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are determined to uncover where
Hannibal made his epic march.
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-It was an absolute
revelation for us.
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-I felt elated.
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I'd never seen
anything like that.
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I mean, this isn't what happens.
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-And they will recreate
the journey...
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-Stop there.
It's really icy.
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I don't think we can go there.
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We have to find another way.
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-...to discover how
Hannibal conquered
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the fearsome mountains.
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"Hannibal in the Alps."
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♪♪
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[ Wind blowing ]
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-The Alps.
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80,000 square miles
of desolate,
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hostile mountain terrain.
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And not a trace
of the extraordinary events
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that took place here
over 2,000 years ago.
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Hannibal's exact route has
remained an enduring mystery.
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♪♪
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As the turn of the first
millennium approached,
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the two superpowers
of Carthage in North Africa
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and the Roman Republic
were preparing for war.
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Fearing a Roman invasion
of Carthage,
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00:02:51,061 --> 00:02:55,130
Hannibal drew up plans
for a daring surprise attack.
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Instead of launching
an invasion by sea,
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he would lead an army
across the French Alps,
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sweep through Italy,
and take on the might of Rome.
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Historian Eve MacDonald
has spent her career
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following the trail of Hannibal,
fascinated by the man himself.
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-Getting inside the minds of
people who lived 2,000 years ago
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is so difficult.
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Even in Roman times,
just after the events,
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there was controversy
over which pass
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Hannibal took over the Alps.
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-What is known about his path
comes from ancient writers
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who recorded the events
two millennia ago.
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-Polybius is our best source
by a long way.
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Polybius wrote about 60 years
after Hannibal crossed the Alps.
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Now, he had access
to eyewitnesses
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who were with Hannibal.
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And that is why he's probably
our most valuable source.
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-In his account of Hannibal's
crossing of the Alps,
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Polybius mentions numerous
geographical features
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encountered along the route.
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-The sight of Italy
clearly spread out below.
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The fresh fall
of this year's snow.
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A landslide made worse
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by a second
and more recent landslip.
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-We can use these texts
almost as guides
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to go into the mountains
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and try and piece together
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an accurate account
of the route which he took.
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-Eve is joining
geologist Bill Mahaney
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to find where Hannibal actually
went across the mountains.
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-I'm a mountaineer.
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In the old days,
I went climbing.
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Later days, I did geology.
That's what I do.
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-Bill is convinced
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the mountains
must hold the key.
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His team is searching
for microscopic clues
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buried beneath the surface...
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-It's a good one.
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-Got 50 centimeters of different
environmental change.
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Fantastic.
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-Bill does not believe
an enormous army
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could have moved
through the mountains
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without leaving
something behind,
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and he is determined to find it.
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For him, discovering the truth
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00:05:14,571 --> 00:05:16,805
about Hannibal's
mountain crossing
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is a lifelong obsession.
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-He was a mountain man.
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He tackled a mountain
experience that
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absolutely floors me.
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I've been in the mountains
with 100, 150 people.
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It's pandemonium.
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People fall in crevasses,
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people get lost off snowmobiles,
people get killed.
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It's crazy.
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And he took 30,000 men,
37 elephants,
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and God knows how many horses
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across one of the imposing
mountains in the world.
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You have to admit
this man was --
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he knew what he was doing,
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and he was a man of some genius
to be able to pull it off.
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♪♪
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-Hannibal came from a family
of generals and statesmen
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and he was raised to see Rome
as a mortal enemy.
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Historian Nejib Ben Lazreg
is from Tunisia,
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the same area as Carthage,
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where Hannibal's legacy
is still very much alive.
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-Hannibal was brought up
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in a family of
military figures
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like his father Hamilcar Barca,
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who defeated the Romans
in big battles in Sicily,
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and the mercenaries in Africa
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00:06:25,976 --> 00:06:27,676
when they rebelled
against Carthage.
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-Inheriting his father's
strategic brilliance,
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00:06:32,383 --> 00:06:35,517
Hannibal gave Carthage
its most glorious hour.
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-He was a very skilled man.
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And he had the ability to spot
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the good place where he could
trap the enemy.
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I consider that he is the
greatest figure in our history.
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[ Wind howling ]
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-No one knows
Hannibal's exact path,
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but based on Polybius
and other ancient guides,
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00:07:00,144 --> 00:07:04,012
four main routes across
the Alps are possible --
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00:07:04,047 --> 00:07:07,082
two northern routes over
the Col du Mont Cenis
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or the Col de Clapier --
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one running through the center
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00:07:10,554 --> 00:07:12,921
and over
the Col de Montgenèvre
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and a southern route--
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the highest and most dangerous
of all --
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00:07:16,927 --> 00:07:19,494
over the Col de la Traversette.
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And Bill believes
it's this southern pass
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Hannibal used to march his army
into enemy territory.
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It's a route so treacherous
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that most historians
have dismissed it as impossible.
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But Bill wants to prove
the historians wrong.
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-I mean, if that is
the Hannibal layer,
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00:07:45,022 --> 00:07:47,122
that's perfect.
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-Polybius tells us that Hannibal
rested his army for a few days
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at key points along the route.
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The team hopes the troops
stayed long enough
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to have left their mark
on the land.
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-They established a resting camp
for two days
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that gave the soldiers
a breathing space
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in which to recover.
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-Bill believes
this open area below the pass
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could be
one of those resting places.
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-Just imagine the troops
moving down through here
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would have basically covered
a large part of the valley.
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We probably had 27,000
to 30,000 troops,
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15,000 horses, 37 elephants
all milling around in this place
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for up to five days.
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They would have devastated
this entire area.
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Wouldn't be a blade
of grass left.
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And so with that, you would
expect some evidence
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to be found in the earth.
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-Soil expert Randy Dirszowsky
is extracting soil cores
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from deep in the ground
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that are like timelines
from the earth.
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-The material at the bottom
of the core is older.
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It was deposited or developed
a long time ago.
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But as you go up further,
you're getting material
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that has accumulated
through time.
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00:09:01,798 --> 00:09:04,165
-Soil is made
of distinct layers,
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appearing like stripes
in a soil core.
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The layers are created when,
over the centuries,
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organic matter like grass
decays, building up strata.
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An enormous army passing through
would surely have left evidence
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which can be found today.
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-If anything were to happen
on the surface,
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it would essentially
be recorded in that layer.
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If there is a disturbance
of some kind,
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you can likely recognize it.
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♪♪
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-If the team can find proof
Hannibal crossed the Alps
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via the Col de la Traversette,
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by far the highest
and most difficult route,
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it will confirm he led his army
on an almost impossible journey.
191
00:09:50,013 --> 00:09:53,114
But Carthage was a powerful
seafaring nation
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well positioned in the heart
of the Mediterranean.
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00:09:57,287 --> 00:10:00,822
Why didn't Hannibal
simply go by sea?
194
00:10:00,857 --> 00:10:05,026
-In 218 B.C., the Carthaginian
navy was weakened.
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00:10:05,062 --> 00:10:08,830
And the Romans
had the superior navy
196
00:10:08,865 --> 00:10:10,765
in matter of number
of war boats.
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00:10:10,801 --> 00:10:12,300
They were able to obtain
198
00:10:12,336 --> 00:10:14,636
big victories
on the Carthaginians.
199
00:10:14,671 --> 00:10:19,174
Plus, they occupied Sicily,
Corsica, Sardinia,
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00:10:19,209 --> 00:10:21,977
which was an obstacle
for Hannibal,
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00:10:22,012 --> 00:10:23,445
who had not enough boats
202
00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:26,915
to carry 90,000 men
to reach Italy.
203
00:10:26,950 --> 00:10:31,953
-If Hannibal had been forced
to engage with Rome at sea,
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00:10:31,989 --> 00:10:35,090
he wouldn't have stood a chance.
205
00:10:35,125 --> 00:10:36,658
And he would not
have been able to use
206
00:10:36,693 --> 00:10:41,596
his most famous
and terrifying weapon --
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00:10:41,632 --> 00:10:43,498
the war elephants.
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00:10:43,533 --> 00:10:46,368
[ Elephants grunting ]
209
00:10:46,403 --> 00:10:50,005
Tori Herridge, an expert
on ancient elephants,
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00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:54,142
wants to find out more about
the animals Hannibal used.
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00:10:54,177 --> 00:10:57,879
-The thought of Hannibal
bringing 37 elephants
212
00:10:57,914 --> 00:11:00,048
over the Alps is ridiculous.
213
00:11:00,083 --> 00:11:02,484
It seems completely impossible.
214
00:11:02,519 --> 00:11:03,718
But he did it.
215
00:11:03,754 --> 00:11:07,489
So the question becomes,
how did he do it, and why?
216
00:11:07,524 --> 00:11:10,125
-Moving elephants across
treacherous mountains
217
00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,494
seems extravagantly difficult.
218
00:11:12,529 --> 00:11:16,264
Hannibal must have had a very
good reason to bring them along.
219
00:11:16,299 --> 00:11:20,001
Military historian Mike Loades
has a copy of a relic
220
00:11:20,037 --> 00:11:21,703
from the Carthaginian Empire
221
00:11:21,738 --> 00:11:24,105
that suggests
Hannibal's motives.
222
00:11:24,141 --> 00:11:25,907
-It's an exquisite coin,
223
00:11:25,942 --> 00:11:29,110
and it dates
to Hannibal's period.
224
00:11:29,146 --> 00:11:32,447
In fact, this is
Hannibal's father, Hamilcar.
225
00:11:32,482 --> 00:11:35,483
And on the back,
we have an elephant.
226
00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:36,885
-Wow.
227
00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,087
-And the fact they've got it
on this coin tells us
228
00:11:39,122 --> 00:11:43,525
that elephants were deeply
rooted in Carthaginian culture.
229
00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:44,793
We cannot think of Hannibal
230
00:11:44,828 --> 00:11:47,128
without the association
with elephants.
231
00:11:47,164 --> 00:11:50,865
But actually, war elephants
weren't new with Hannibal.
232
00:11:50,901 --> 00:11:53,401
-Well, kings of India were
using them for centuries
233
00:11:53,437 --> 00:11:55,270
before they got to Carthage.
234
00:11:55,305 --> 00:11:58,139
-Well, the Carthaginians were
actually quite late to the game.
235
00:11:58,175 --> 00:11:59,841
-I mean, how do you think
he would have used
236
00:11:59,876 --> 00:12:01,242
the elephants in battle?
237
00:12:01,278 --> 00:12:02,577
-There's been debate.
238
00:12:02,612 --> 00:12:06,081
Did they have war
elephants with a howdah?
239
00:12:06,116 --> 00:12:09,617
That's that sort of wooden
castle construction on the back.
240
00:12:09,653 --> 00:12:12,954
If you have that,
then you've got archers
241
00:12:12,989 --> 00:12:16,491
and missile men
with javelins throwing down.
242
00:12:16,526 --> 00:12:19,461
But if you haven't got that,
then the elephant is being used
243
00:12:19,496 --> 00:12:22,530
as an intimidating
charging machine
244
00:12:22,566 --> 00:12:25,800
to smash into the ranks
of the Romans.
245
00:12:25,836 --> 00:12:27,702
-Single rider,
246
00:12:27,738 --> 00:12:31,473
and the elephant itself
was the weapon.
247
00:12:31,508 --> 00:12:33,141
-The coin might also tell us
248
00:12:33,176 --> 00:12:36,144
about the nature
of Hannibal's elephants.
249
00:12:36,179 --> 00:12:40,749
From ancient times and even
right up until the 20th century,
250
00:12:40,784 --> 00:12:45,086
the Asian species was used
for most military operations.
251
00:12:45,122 --> 00:12:48,189
But Tori has spotted
something unusual.
252
00:12:48,225 --> 00:12:49,591
-What you can immediately see
from looking at it
253
00:12:49,626 --> 00:12:50,992
is you've got an
African elephant on the back.
254
00:12:51,027 --> 00:12:53,628
All the features are there,
the shape of that ear.
255
00:12:53,663 --> 00:12:56,097
Not only is it really large,
but it's nice and rounded.
256
00:12:56,133 --> 00:12:58,099
And look here, too. Look.
Can you see the back?
257
00:12:58,135 --> 00:12:59,734
It's got this nice,
little dip in it.
258
00:12:59,770 --> 00:13:01,302
That's the saddle on the back.
259
00:13:01,338 --> 00:13:02,737
Shape of the spine
in an African elephant
260
00:13:02,773 --> 00:13:04,139
has a sort of dip in it,
261
00:13:04,174 --> 00:13:06,407
whereas an Asian elephant
kind of goes curved like that.
262
00:13:06,443 --> 00:13:08,343
-Yes, yes, yes, yes.
263
00:13:11,314 --> 00:13:14,048
-Today, African elephants
are only found
264
00:13:14,084 --> 00:13:16,451
south of the Sahara Desert.
265
00:13:16,486 --> 00:13:19,354
But historical records
don't mention Carthaginians
266
00:13:19,389 --> 00:13:22,123
traveling so far to get them.
267
00:13:22,159 --> 00:13:24,058
Where could Hannibal have found
268
00:13:24,094 --> 00:13:28,163
native African elephants
closer to home?
269
00:13:28,198 --> 00:13:30,732
-The Carthaginians seem
to get their elephants
270
00:13:30,767 --> 00:13:32,367
from the Atlas Mountains.
271
00:13:32,402 --> 00:13:35,003
But what we have now is
a situation in North Africa
272
00:13:35,038 --> 00:13:36,805
where we've got
no elephants whatsoever.
273
00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,339
You've only got
to go back 6,000 years,
274
00:13:38,375 --> 00:13:41,442
well, actually a bit less,
before you get to a situation
275
00:13:41,478 --> 00:13:44,245
where the Sahara wasn't quite
as inhospitable as it is now.
276
00:13:44,281 --> 00:13:46,314
So it could be
that there is a kind of
277
00:13:46,349 --> 00:13:48,716
a historical
population of elephants
278
00:13:48,752 --> 00:13:51,419
that stretched all the way
up to the north coast.
279
00:13:51,454 --> 00:13:53,087
And then as the Sahara
dried out,
280
00:13:53,123 --> 00:13:55,123
from about 6,000
years ago onwards,
281
00:13:55,158 --> 00:13:58,126
then you ended up with a remnant
population up in the north
282
00:13:58,161 --> 00:14:00,528
that was
the Carthaginian elephants.
283
00:14:00,564 --> 00:14:07,969
♪♪
284
00:14:08,004 --> 00:14:10,672
-The team is in the Alps,
searching for remains
285
00:14:10,707 --> 00:14:13,241
left by Hannibal's army.
286
00:14:16,746 --> 00:14:18,379
-Almost.
287
00:14:18,415 --> 00:14:21,249
-But this is not
their first field trip.
288
00:14:21,284 --> 00:14:25,119
Back in 2015, they focused
their search in France
289
00:14:25,155 --> 00:14:29,157
in a large, boggy area
below the Col de la Traversette
290
00:14:29,192 --> 00:14:31,359
known as the French mire,
291
00:14:31,394 --> 00:14:35,630
another location where Hannibal
might have rested his troops.
292
00:14:35,665 --> 00:14:38,299
-Since I was certain that
we had the right route,
293
00:14:38,335 --> 00:14:40,702
that was a place
to start looking.
294
00:14:40,737 --> 00:14:45,273
-A mire is a type of wetland
unusual for mountain terrain.
295
00:14:45,308 --> 00:14:49,277
Its grass and water
could have sustained an army.
296
00:14:49,312 --> 00:14:54,082
Mires form when a lack of
oxygen, usually caused by water,
297
00:14:54,117 --> 00:14:57,252
prevents organic material
from decaying fully,
298
00:14:57,287 --> 00:14:59,320
preserving layers
of plant growth
299
00:14:59,356 --> 00:15:00,955
and other matter.
300
00:15:00,991 --> 00:15:02,790
If the team was going
to find evidence
301
00:15:02,826 --> 00:15:04,792
of Hannibal's army anywhere,
302
00:15:04,828 --> 00:15:06,194
it would be here.
303
00:15:06,229 --> 00:15:08,930
They dug down and removed
sections of the ground
304
00:15:08,965 --> 00:15:13,001
which they hoped would tell them
more about the route taken.
305
00:15:13,036 --> 00:15:16,304
A layer of disturbed,
churned-up soil
306
00:15:16,339 --> 00:15:20,008
is almost invisible
to the untrained eye.
307
00:15:20,043 --> 00:15:21,609
-Well, actually, I didn't see
the churned-up layer
308
00:15:21,645 --> 00:15:23,344
till we got back to Canada.
309
00:15:23,380 --> 00:15:26,281
We would expect that
we would find horizontal beds.
310
00:15:26,316 --> 00:15:27,715
This was the normal process.
311
00:15:27,751 --> 00:15:31,052
And what stood out first
was at about 40 centimeters,
312
00:15:31,087 --> 00:15:33,021
we had this massive,
churned-up bed.
313
00:15:36,860 --> 00:15:39,294
-Between the layers
of regular soil
314
00:15:39,329 --> 00:15:43,631
was one that
was strikingly different.
315
00:15:43,667 --> 00:15:45,633
-How do we get
something like this?
316
00:15:45,669 --> 00:15:47,001
Is it an earthquake?
317
00:15:47,037 --> 00:15:48,603
It's possible.
318
00:15:48,638 --> 00:15:50,471
But could you produce
a 15 centimeter layer?
319
00:15:50,507 --> 00:15:52,140
I kind of doubt that.
320
00:15:52,175 --> 00:15:54,242
I'd never seen
anything like that.
321
00:15:54,277 --> 00:15:56,210
I mean,
this isn't what happened.
322
00:15:56,246 --> 00:16:00,815
Something had to disturb it.
That was my thinking.
323
00:16:00,850 --> 00:16:04,152
-Something in history,
something big,
324
00:16:04,187 --> 00:16:06,120
moved through this mountain pass
325
00:16:06,156 --> 00:16:08,890
and drastically altered
the ground.
326
00:16:08,925 --> 00:16:12,193
The team hoped
it was Hannibal's army,
327
00:16:12,228 --> 00:16:14,529
but further tests were needed.
328
00:16:14,564 --> 00:16:16,097
-I'm a scientist --
I don't too excited
329
00:16:16,132 --> 00:16:17,799
unless they run out of beer.
330
00:16:17,834 --> 00:16:19,500
[ Laughs ]
331
00:16:19,536 --> 00:16:22,971
Until I see the data, I'm pretty
skeptical about a lot of stuff.
332
00:16:23,006 --> 00:16:26,007
So we went after the chemistry,
the mineralogy,
333
00:16:26,042 --> 00:16:27,842
and you might say
the physical process
334
00:16:27,877 --> 00:16:29,610
that went on
to churn that thing up.
335
00:16:32,449 --> 00:16:35,550
-The first step
was chemical analysis,
336
00:16:35,585 --> 00:16:39,787
and the results helped solve
one part of the puzzle.
337
00:16:39,823 --> 00:16:43,091
The layer contained extremely
high levels of compounds
338
00:16:43,126 --> 00:16:45,727
normally found in horse manure.
339
00:16:47,864 --> 00:16:51,265
Bill enlisted the help of
microbiologist Chris Allen
340
00:16:51,301 --> 00:16:53,167
to find out more.
341
00:16:53,203 --> 00:16:55,370
Chris's challenge was to hunt
for remnants
342
00:16:55,405 --> 00:16:59,507
of living organisms in the soil
that might provide proof
343
00:16:59,542 --> 00:17:03,011
not of a few local animals
grazing in the Alps,
344
00:17:03,046 --> 00:17:05,480
but of an army of horses.
345
00:17:05,515 --> 00:17:07,315
-First thing to understand
is that in soil,
346
00:17:07,350 --> 00:17:09,050
there are a lot of bacteria.
347
00:17:09,085 --> 00:17:12,053
Now, let's imagine,
just over 2,000 years ago,
348
00:17:12,088 --> 00:17:14,689
Hannibal comes through here
with his army,
349
00:17:14,724 --> 00:17:17,358
and his horses start
defecating everywhere.
350
00:17:17,394 --> 00:17:19,027
Now, there are
bacteria and feces.
351
00:17:19,062 --> 00:17:21,095
And these bacteria are not
like bacteria in soil.
352
00:17:21,131 --> 00:17:22,597
They live on different things.
353
00:17:22,632 --> 00:17:23,831
And we can see that.
354
00:17:23,867 --> 00:17:25,967
It stands out
very, very clearly.
355
00:17:29,839 --> 00:17:33,174
-Chris analyzed
each layer in the soil cores,
356
00:17:33,209 --> 00:17:35,877
cataloging all the bacteria
that had been present
357
00:17:35,912 --> 00:17:39,781
in the ground
for the last 2,000 years,
358
00:17:39,816 --> 00:17:43,217
and he found something unusual.
359
00:17:43,253 --> 00:17:47,622
He came across ancient traces
of bacteria called Clostridia,
360
00:17:47,657 --> 00:17:51,059
its remnants preserved
for centuries.
361
00:17:51,094 --> 00:17:53,594
-The thing about Clostridia
is that it's found
362
00:17:53,630 --> 00:17:54,796
in lots of different organisms,
363
00:17:54,831 --> 00:17:56,798
lots of different environments.
364
00:17:56,833 --> 00:17:59,901
But it's found at really, really
high levels in the horse gut
365
00:17:59,936 --> 00:18:02,603
and in horse manure.
366
00:18:02,639 --> 00:18:05,239
-Clostridia is normally
found in soil,
367
00:18:05,275 --> 00:18:07,141
and it was present
in tiny amounts
368
00:18:07,177 --> 00:18:10,511
in all the layers
Chris looked at.
369
00:18:10,547 --> 00:18:15,316
But in the disturbed layer
of soil, it was abundant.
370
00:18:15,351 --> 00:18:17,151
-If we go
to either older sediments
371
00:18:17,187 --> 00:18:18,686
or younger sediments below that,
372
00:18:18,721 --> 00:18:20,421
we see levels of Clostridia
373
00:18:20,457 --> 00:18:22,824
that are what we'd expect
to normally find in soil,
374
00:18:22,859 --> 00:18:24,425
so less than 1 percent.
375
00:18:24,461 --> 00:18:26,394
But at this
particular point,
376
00:18:26,429 --> 00:18:29,297
the Clostridia go to levels
that are way above 12 percent,
377
00:18:29,332 --> 00:18:31,532
a massive increase.
378
00:18:31,568 --> 00:18:34,535
It was an absolute
revelation for us.
379
00:18:36,139 --> 00:18:39,040
-This unusually disrupted
layer of soil
380
00:18:39,075 --> 00:18:42,844
revealed the presence
of an enormous number of horses.
381
00:18:45,081 --> 00:18:46,914
-Well, I felt elated.
382
00:18:46,950 --> 00:18:49,283
When I saw that, I thought,
you know,
383
00:18:49,319 --> 00:18:51,552
this was beyond my belief
that we could capture
384
00:18:51,588 --> 00:18:54,255
something that great.
385
00:18:56,559 --> 00:18:59,727
-And carbon dating provided
even more evidence.
386
00:18:59,762 --> 00:19:02,130
The soil was from
the same time period
387
00:19:02,165 --> 00:19:06,934
Hannibal made his crossing --
roughly 2,200 years ago.
388
00:19:06,970 --> 00:19:10,872
♪♪
389
00:19:10,907 --> 00:19:14,008
-We have independent strands of
evidence telling us one thing,
390
00:19:14,043 --> 00:19:16,277
that at this point in history,
391
00:19:16,312 --> 00:19:19,046
there were a large group
of animals crossing the Alps
392
00:19:19,082 --> 00:19:21,516
and that that group
of animals, we think,
393
00:19:21,551 --> 00:19:23,951
were part of the army
that was led by Hannibal.
394
00:19:23,987 --> 00:19:29,957
♪♪
395
00:19:29,993 --> 00:19:31,993
-Bill's theory
that Hannibal crossed
396
00:19:32,028 --> 00:19:34,028
over the Col de la Traversette
397
00:19:34,063 --> 00:19:38,699
is now supported
by microbiological evidence.
398
00:19:38,735 --> 00:19:41,736
But on its own,
that's not enough proof.
399
00:19:44,174 --> 00:19:45,940
Polybius also mentioned
400
00:19:45,975 --> 00:19:49,010
numerous physical features
found along the route,
401
00:19:49,045 --> 00:19:51,345
giving Bill and historian
Eve MacDonald
402
00:19:51,381 --> 00:19:55,550
almost a checklist
of elements to locate.
403
00:19:55,585 --> 00:19:56,984
-People argue he took
several routes,
404
00:19:57,020 --> 00:19:58,920
but this one stands
right out in my mind.
405
00:19:58,955 --> 00:20:02,723
It has virtually all
of the environmental milestones
406
00:20:02,759 --> 00:20:04,225
that Polybius mentioned.
407
00:20:04,260 --> 00:20:06,961
-So when you were walking around
up there, you sort of could see
408
00:20:06,996 --> 00:20:08,696
that this one talked
to you the most
409
00:20:08,731 --> 00:20:10,464
about matching the sources,
perhaps.
410
00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:11,499
-Absolutely.
411
00:20:13,703 --> 00:20:17,104
-Bill believes the route
over the Col de la Traversette
412
00:20:17,140 --> 00:20:22,476
contains all the main features
that Polybius wrote about --
413
00:20:22,512 --> 00:20:25,346
the commanding view
of the Po River valley,
414
00:20:25,381 --> 00:20:26,681
from the top of the mountain
415
00:20:26,716 --> 00:20:30,151
where Hannibal addressed
his troops.
416
00:20:30,186 --> 00:20:33,588
-He had only one source
of encouragement,
417
00:20:33,623 --> 00:20:38,025
and that was the sight of Italy
clearly spread out below.
418
00:20:40,830 --> 00:20:42,597
-This is an important piece
of evidence for us
419
00:20:42,632 --> 00:20:45,800
because there is,
in fact, a clear view.
420
00:20:45,835 --> 00:20:47,969
-A high, sheltered position
421
00:20:48,004 --> 00:20:52,006
where the snow lay on the ground
year round.
422
00:20:53,176 --> 00:20:56,344
-The fresh fall of this year's
snow had settled
423
00:20:56,379 --> 00:20:58,713
on top of that
from the previous year,
424
00:20:58,748 --> 00:21:02,350
which had remained frozen
since last winter.
425
00:21:02,385 --> 00:21:05,319
-Currently, this is July,
and, you know,
426
00:21:05,355 --> 00:21:08,189
here is last winter's snow
in the middle of summer.
427
00:21:11,928 --> 00:21:15,563
-And a treacherously steep
downhill path.
428
00:21:15,598 --> 00:21:18,165
-What Hannibal's men
actually found
429
00:21:18,201 --> 00:21:22,970
was that the descent
was even more difficult.
430
00:21:23,006 --> 00:21:27,875
-The track was narrow
and the descent precipitous.
431
00:21:27,910 --> 00:21:31,212
If anyone strayed from the path
or lost his footing,
432
00:21:31,247 --> 00:21:36,751
he fell from the heights
to certain death.
433
00:21:36,786 --> 00:21:38,786
-But these features
can be found along
434
00:21:38,821 --> 00:21:41,522
several of the proposed routes.
435
00:21:41,557 --> 00:21:45,860
What Bill needs
is to find something unique.
436
00:21:48,965 --> 00:21:51,499
-They reached a place
that was so narrow
437
00:21:51,534 --> 00:21:53,901
that it was impossible
for the elephants
438
00:21:53,936 --> 00:21:58,639
or the baggage animals
to move forward at all.
439
00:21:58,675 --> 00:22:01,776
There had been a landslide,
and this had been made worse
440
00:22:01,811 --> 00:22:05,913
by a second
and more recent landslip.
441
00:22:05,948 --> 00:22:07,782
Confronted with this,
442
00:22:07,817 --> 00:22:10,584
the army now became
thoroughly disheartened
443
00:22:10,620 --> 00:22:14,622
and demoralized once more.
444
00:22:14,657 --> 00:22:17,758
-Polybius writes about one of
the most difficult obstacles
445
00:22:17,794 --> 00:22:25,533
the troops encountered --
446
00:22:25,568 --> 00:22:28,269
a gia-This finally led meopped
the to test the Alpsks.
447
00:22:28,304 --> 00:22:31,238
for the presence
of a two-tier rock fall
448
00:22:31,274 --> 00:22:32,606
described by Polybius.
449
00:22:32,642 --> 00:22:34,542
I figured this was a key thing.
450
00:22:34,577 --> 00:22:40,715
If I found the rock fall,
I probably have the route.
451
00:22:40,750 --> 00:22:43,551
-His soldiers might
have lost hope,
452
00:22:43,586 --> 00:22:45,219
but Hannibal was determined
453
00:22:45,254 --> 00:22:48,956
to get the men and animals
across.
454
00:22:48,991 --> 00:22:53,594
But how did he handle
37 elephants?
455
00:22:53,629 --> 00:22:58,299
♪♪
456
00:22:58,334 --> 00:23:02,737
Cabárceno Park in Spain is home
to Europe's largest herd
457
00:23:02,772 --> 00:23:04,638
of captive African elephants.
458
00:23:04,674 --> 00:23:07,174
[ Elephant trumpets ]
459
00:23:07,210 --> 00:23:08,876
Tori Herridge is meeting
460
00:23:08,911 --> 00:23:11,946
chief vet
Santiago Borragan Santos,
461
00:23:11,981 --> 00:23:16,417
who has studied
the herd for decades.
462
00:23:16,452 --> 00:23:18,819
His expertise might shed light
463
00:23:18,855 --> 00:23:23,190
on how Hannibal's men would
have controlled these giants.
464
00:23:40,443 --> 00:23:44,245
Every morning, Santiago follows
a specific set of steps
465
00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,014
to release the elephants
from their sleeping quarters.
466
00:23:47,049 --> 00:23:51,352
-Oh, which one is this?
-This is Jumbo.
467
00:23:51,387 --> 00:23:55,122
-Penny is always
the last elephant released.
468
00:23:55,158 --> 00:23:57,858
-[ Speaking Spanish ]
469
00:23:59,662 --> 00:24:01,929
-Here she comes.
-This is Penny.
470
00:24:01,964 --> 00:24:05,900
-When she is finally let out,
the herd flocks to greet her.
471
00:24:05,935 --> 00:24:07,968
-Oh, look, they're all coming.
472
00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:24,418
-Uh-huh.
473
00:24:27,890 --> 00:24:31,358
-Instinctively, elephants
follow the matriarch.
474
00:24:31,394 --> 00:24:35,496
Penny coming out last limits
her authority over the herd.
475
00:24:35,531 --> 00:24:37,765
She can no longer
lead the others
476
00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:39,366
or trap them inside all day,
477
00:24:39,402 --> 00:24:41,001
which has been known to happen.
478
00:24:54,450 --> 00:24:55,983
-When they were
marching in an army,
479
00:24:56,018 --> 00:24:58,819
you have to break the group
to have the human control.
480
00:25:13,069 --> 00:25:14,735
-He's going to let us
know, I think.
481
00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:16,770
-Yes.
482
00:25:22,912 --> 00:25:25,446
-Hi, Penny.
483
00:25:28,017 --> 00:25:30,951
-The only way
humans can control elephants
484
00:25:30,987 --> 00:25:34,121
is to train each
animal individually.
485
00:25:34,156 --> 00:25:38,592
But a war elephant takes
a long time to train.
486
00:25:38,628 --> 00:25:41,028
Carthaginians might have
spent decades
487
00:25:41,063 --> 00:25:44,732
preparing their elephants for
the noise and chaos of battle.
488
00:25:44,767 --> 00:25:46,734
-[ Speaking Spanish ]
489
00:25:46,769 --> 00:25:48,235
-They can get
this elephant here
490
00:25:48,271 --> 00:25:51,772
to lift her foot up on command.
491
00:25:51,807 --> 00:25:53,107
Well,
they've got some chains there,
492
00:25:53,142 --> 00:25:55,776
which look really awful,
but they're just every so often
493
00:25:55,811 --> 00:25:57,645
resting them on her legs
494
00:25:57,680 --> 00:25:59,780
so that she can
get used to the feel
495
00:25:59,815 --> 00:26:02,583
and the weight and the sound
and the experience of them,
496
00:26:02,618 --> 00:26:05,452
so that if she ever needs
to be transported from here
497
00:26:05,488 --> 00:26:07,488
to somewhere else,
they can secure her
498
00:26:07,523 --> 00:26:10,090
in the van
that she'll move in.
499
00:26:10,126 --> 00:26:12,760
They're using the gentlest
of methods here --
500
00:26:12,795 --> 00:26:15,229
apples and pats
and instructions.
501
00:26:15,264 --> 00:26:19,700
And even this has the effect of
some quite considerable control.
502
00:26:19,735 --> 00:26:22,202
As far as Hannibal's
elephants are concerned,
503
00:26:22,238 --> 00:26:26,373
I'm sure the techniques
weren't quite as gentle as this,
504
00:26:26,409 --> 00:26:28,842
but I bet they were
really effective.
505
00:26:31,213 --> 00:26:32,646
[ Elephants grunting ]
506
00:26:32,682 --> 00:26:35,749
-But no matter how well-trained
the elephants were,
507
00:26:35,785 --> 00:26:39,119
the climb over the rock fall
was difficult.
508
00:26:41,657 --> 00:26:45,359
Deep in the Alps, the team has
been searching for the landslide
509
00:26:45,394 --> 00:26:47,695
along Bill's proposed route.
510
00:26:49,799 --> 00:26:52,399
This huge cascade of boulders
511
00:26:52,435 --> 00:26:56,437
could be what
they're looking for.
512
00:26:56,472 --> 00:26:58,372
-What Polybius is describing
in modern terms
513
00:26:58,407 --> 00:27:01,008
is a slope failure of some kind.
514
00:27:01,043 --> 00:27:03,243
This bulge that we see
beneath us
515
00:27:03,279 --> 00:27:05,212
is the material
that would have come
516
00:27:05,247 --> 00:27:09,016
from that rock fall
that Polybius was describing.
517
00:27:09,051 --> 00:27:12,152
-And Polybius' writings
offer further proof
518
00:27:12,188 --> 00:27:16,056
this is likely the landslide
Hannibal encountered.
519
00:27:16,092 --> 00:27:19,393
-It's certain that the source
that Polybius is using
520
00:27:19,428 --> 00:27:22,429
for this particular bit
must have been an eyewitness
521
00:27:22,465 --> 00:27:26,033
because he's very, very specific
about the distance.
522
00:27:26,068 --> 00:27:29,203
"A previous breaking away
of the hillside carried away
523
00:27:29,238 --> 00:27:31,238
about one and a half stades
524
00:27:31,273 --> 00:27:35,109
of the face of the mountain" --
about 300 meters.
525
00:27:35,144 --> 00:27:36,610
-The 300 meters
is interesting
526
00:27:36,646 --> 00:27:39,213
because that corresponds
almost exactly
527
00:27:39,248 --> 00:27:41,548
to this path
that we're on now.
528
00:27:41,584 --> 00:27:43,984
-But there's an even more
important detail
529
00:27:44,020 --> 00:27:46,286
that might confirm
this is the landslide
530
00:27:46,322 --> 00:27:49,490
that halted Hannibal.
531
00:27:49,525 --> 00:27:51,925
-In Polybius and his histories,
532
00:27:51,961 --> 00:27:54,795
he talked specifically
about the presence
533
00:27:54,830 --> 00:27:58,599
of a two-stage rock fall,
two geologic events.
534
00:27:58,634 --> 00:28:01,001
One, the oldest one,
bringing the slabs of rock
535
00:28:01,037 --> 00:28:03,737
down onto the slope,
536
00:28:03,773 --> 00:28:07,341
and a second one covering
part of that older unit.
537
00:28:07,376 --> 00:28:08,942
-To determine
whether the landslide
538
00:28:08,978 --> 00:28:10,444
is made up of rocks that fell
539
00:28:10,479 --> 00:28:12,980
at two different moments
in time,
540
00:28:13,015 --> 00:28:17,284
the team takes samples back
to the base to be analyzed.
541
00:28:17,319 --> 00:28:22,756
♪♪
542
00:28:22,792 --> 00:28:26,293
-What happens to the rocks is,
it will sit on the surface,
543
00:28:26,328 --> 00:28:29,263
it will undergo
various interactions
544
00:28:29,298 --> 00:28:31,465
with the atmosphere
and the biosphere.
545
00:28:31,500 --> 00:28:33,934
Chemistries will change --
they will start to affect
546
00:28:33,969 --> 00:28:36,837
the mineralogy
that's in the rock.
547
00:28:36,872 --> 00:28:39,206
-When left exposed
on the mountain,
548
00:28:39,241 --> 00:28:41,842
the rocks develop
weathering rinds --
549
00:28:41,877 --> 00:28:44,812
layers of distinct color
on the surface.
550
00:28:44,847 --> 00:28:48,849
The longer a rock is in
position, the thicker the rind.
551
00:28:48,884 --> 00:28:50,584
-And essentially,
people usually use this
552
00:28:50,619 --> 00:28:52,720
to give a relative
indication of time.
553
00:28:52,755 --> 00:28:54,321
It's like a clock,
554
00:28:54,356 --> 00:28:58,092
an imperfect one,
but a rough clock.
555
00:28:58,127 --> 00:29:02,730
-Finding two thicknesses of rind
suggests the rock fall happened
556
00:29:02,765 --> 00:29:04,565
in two stages.
557
00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,567
-Those guys have
quite nice rinds.
558
00:29:06,602 --> 00:29:08,535
-Mm.
559
00:29:10,539 --> 00:29:13,240
-Well, you've got almost
2 millimeters on this lot,
560
00:29:13,275 --> 00:29:15,709
Two, two and a half,
maybe three.
561
00:29:15,745 --> 00:29:18,011
-And now the young one.
-Yeah.
562
00:29:18,047 --> 00:29:20,447
But essentially, you've got
zero rind on the surface.
563
00:29:22,251 --> 00:29:24,818
-So we've got an older group,
and we've got a younger group.
564
00:29:24,854 --> 00:29:26,120
Perfect. That's perfect.
565
00:29:26,155 --> 00:29:28,055
That fits the story exactly,
yeah.
566
00:29:28,090 --> 00:29:29,490
-Bill and the team examined
567
00:29:29,525 --> 00:29:31,859
more than a hundred rocks
from the landslide
568
00:29:31,894 --> 00:29:35,262
and found that the rinds
on samples from one half
569
00:29:35,297 --> 00:29:37,731
were on average
ten times thicker
570
00:29:37,767 --> 00:29:39,433
than those from the other.
571
00:29:39,468 --> 00:29:42,069
The team now has
conclusive proof
572
00:29:42,104 --> 00:29:46,540
that these rocks broke away
at two different points in time.
573
00:29:46,575 --> 00:29:52,546
Polybius' final clue
had at last been unlocked.
574
00:29:52,581 --> 00:29:55,215
-I examined all the routes
multiple times,
575
00:29:55,251 --> 00:29:57,084
and one of my objectives
always
576
00:29:57,119 --> 00:29:59,453
was to look
for rock fall material.
577
00:29:59,488 --> 00:30:02,322
The only col that carries
this prime example
578
00:30:02,358 --> 00:30:03,357
is the Traversette.
579
00:30:03,392 --> 00:30:05,159
All the others are free of this.
580
00:30:05,194 --> 00:30:07,528
They have rock fall,
but an army of children
581
00:30:07,563 --> 00:30:08,962
could walk through most of it.
582
00:30:08,998 --> 00:30:15,736
♪♪
583
00:30:15,771 --> 00:30:19,740
-Standing 10,000 feet high,
the Col de la Traversette
584
00:30:19,775 --> 00:30:24,478
is the most unexpected route
because it is the most perilous.
585
00:30:24,513 --> 00:30:25,979
For the army,
it would have seemed
586
00:30:26,015 --> 00:30:28,749
like an impossible mission.
587
00:30:28,784 --> 00:30:30,217
[ Wind whistling ]
588
00:30:30,252 --> 00:30:32,820
[ Water rushing ]
589
00:30:34,190 --> 00:30:37,357
Eve MacDonald has returned
to the South of France
590
00:30:37,393 --> 00:30:39,893
to test out the route herself.
591
00:30:39,929 --> 00:30:43,030
Her plan is to retrace
Hannibal's footsteps
592
00:30:43,065 --> 00:30:46,166
at the same time of year
he made his march.
593
00:30:46,202 --> 00:30:49,536
Thanks to an amazing piece
of astronomical evidence,
594
00:30:49,572 --> 00:30:53,841
she knows exactly when that was.
595
00:30:53,876 --> 00:30:58,111
-Polybius tells us
that it was in or around
596
00:30:58,147 --> 00:31:01,281
the setting of
the constellation Pleiades
597
00:31:01,317 --> 00:31:03,917
that Hannibal got
to the summit of the pass.
598
00:31:03,953 --> 00:31:07,321
And if you look
up at the sky tonight,
599
00:31:07,356 --> 00:31:09,923
you can see the moon is here
600
00:31:09,959 --> 00:31:13,427
and you can also see
the Pleiades here,
601
00:31:13,462 --> 00:31:16,964
quite low in the night sky.
602
00:31:16,999 --> 00:31:19,967
-The setting of the Pleiades
occurs every year
603
00:31:20,002 --> 00:31:21,835
in early November.
604
00:31:21,871 --> 00:31:23,871
To ancient eyes, it was a signal
605
00:31:23,906 --> 00:31:28,242
that snow would soon arrive
in the mountains.
606
00:31:28,277 --> 00:31:30,077
-And so Hannibal
would have understood
607
00:31:30,112 --> 00:31:31,478
that winter was coming
608
00:31:31,513 --> 00:31:34,514
and he needed to get over
the Alps as soon as possible.
609
00:31:37,052 --> 00:31:39,987
-The decision to cross the Alps
on the cusp of winter
610
00:31:40,022 --> 00:31:41,855
seems like madness,
611
00:31:41,891 --> 00:31:44,424
but Hannibal knew
what he was doing.
612
00:31:46,662 --> 00:31:48,195
Hannibal had followed
613
00:31:48,230 --> 00:31:50,264
the harvest season
across Europe,
614
00:31:50,299 --> 00:31:53,667
and in autumn, the rivers
are at their lowest ebb.
615
00:31:53,702 --> 00:31:54,968
-He started his march
616
00:31:55,004 --> 00:31:57,204
in the late spring
and early summer
617
00:31:57,239 --> 00:31:59,306
for weather conditions.
618
00:31:59,341 --> 00:32:02,209
This was the best moment
for a big army
619
00:32:02,244 --> 00:32:06,613
to cross the Pyrenees,
southern Gaul, and the Alps.
620
00:32:06,649 --> 00:32:09,716
-Even in November, the weather
would have been mild
621
00:32:09,752 --> 00:32:12,052
until they reached
the mountains.
622
00:32:12,087 --> 00:32:14,354
Hannibal knew what
the conditions would be
623
00:32:14,390 --> 00:32:17,991
because he had taken time
to find new allies.
624
00:32:20,029 --> 00:32:23,630
-Such a big army
needed supplies on the way.
625
00:32:23,666 --> 00:32:28,101
So contacts had been established
with the local tribes
626
00:32:28,137 --> 00:32:33,040
to let him cross these regions,
to guide him, too,
627
00:32:33,075 --> 00:32:36,009
and, at the same time,
to supply him the food needed
628
00:32:36,045 --> 00:32:38,245
by such an army.
629
00:32:42,184 --> 00:32:45,953
-But the Alps weren't the only
obstacle in Hannibal's path.
630
00:32:45,988 --> 00:32:51,658
His first challenge was crossing
the mighty River Rhône.
631
00:32:51,694 --> 00:32:55,262
Exactly where Hannibal crossed
the Rhône is unknown,
632
00:32:55,297 --> 00:32:58,131
but clues from Polybius suggest
it was somewhere between
633
00:32:58,167 --> 00:33:01,168
modern-day Beaucaire and Orange.
634
00:33:01,203 --> 00:33:04,538
-Hannibal arrives
at the bank of the Rhône River
635
00:33:04,573 --> 00:33:08,542
and realizes
the enormity of his task.
636
00:33:08,577 --> 00:33:11,044
Today, it's cold and windy,
637
00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:12,779
there's a mistral
blowing from the north,
638
00:33:12,815 --> 00:33:14,982
and you get a real sense
of how rough
639
00:33:15,017 --> 00:33:19,319
and how difficult
the crossing is gonna be.
640
00:33:19,355 --> 00:33:22,022
-The Rhône is the largest
European river
641
00:33:22,057 --> 00:33:24,091
emptying into the Mediterranean.
642
00:33:24,126 --> 00:33:27,194
Its waters are wild
and unpredictable.
643
00:33:30,199 --> 00:33:32,499
How Hannibal managed
to get his elephants
644
00:33:32,534 --> 00:33:34,568
across the deadly currents
645
00:33:34,603 --> 00:33:38,672
is a feat of both
engineering and biology.
646
00:33:38,707 --> 00:33:42,342
-A pier of rafts lashed
two-by-two
647
00:33:42,378 --> 00:33:46,346
was built into the water
and covered with earth.
648
00:33:46,382 --> 00:33:49,950
A pair of rafts was lashed
to the end of the pier,
649
00:33:49,985 --> 00:33:52,686
and the elephants
were walked onto the rafts,
650
00:33:52,721 --> 00:33:56,623
which were then cut free
and towed across with boats.
651
00:33:56,658 --> 00:34:00,394
Some elephants panicked
and fell off...
652
00:34:00,429 --> 00:34:02,062
but were saved.
653
00:34:02,097 --> 00:34:05,298
For owing to the power
and length of their trunks,
654
00:34:05,334 --> 00:34:08,735
they kept them above the water
and breathed through them,
655
00:34:08,771 --> 00:34:11,571
passing through the water
on their feet.
656
00:34:13,909 --> 00:34:15,842
-Using their trunks
as snorkels
657
00:34:15,878 --> 00:34:20,714
intrigues elephant expert
Tori Herridge.
658
00:34:20,749 --> 00:34:22,682
-Swimming with a snorkel
is really difficult
659
00:34:22,718 --> 00:34:24,251
if it's a long snorkel.
660
00:34:24,286 --> 00:34:27,354
Our lungs can't cope
with the differences in pressure
661
00:34:27,389 --> 00:34:29,122
between the air pressure
at the surface
662
00:34:29,158 --> 00:34:32,259
and the pressure
our body's experiencing.
663
00:34:32,294 --> 00:34:34,694
-Human lungs can't cope
with pressure changes
664
00:34:34,730 --> 00:34:36,196
the way elephants' can
665
00:34:36,231 --> 00:34:39,332
because they are surrounded by
a soft gap filled with fluid --
666
00:34:39,368 --> 00:34:41,201
the pleural cavity.
667
00:34:41,236 --> 00:34:43,270
But this cross-section
of an elephant's lung
668
00:34:43,305 --> 00:34:45,939
shows a clear difference.
669
00:34:45,974 --> 00:34:49,876
-On those lungs, there's no sign
of a cavity at all,
670
00:34:49,912 --> 00:34:51,711
and that is unique
amongst mammals.
671
00:34:51,747 --> 00:34:53,313
Elephants don't have
a pleural cavity.
672
00:34:53,348 --> 00:34:55,782
Instead,
where that gap would be
673
00:34:55,818 --> 00:34:58,485
is filled up
with connective tissue.
674
00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:01,955
It allows them to breathe
underwater much more effectively
675
00:35:01,990 --> 00:35:04,424
because it's much stronger,
denser tissue
676
00:35:04,460 --> 00:35:07,327
that's resistant
to that kind of pressure.
677
00:35:07,362 --> 00:35:10,530
So a description that's just
a tiny detail in Polybius
678
00:35:10,566 --> 00:35:12,432
actually fits perfectly
with what we know
679
00:35:12,468 --> 00:35:16,536
about both elephant behavior
and their internal anatomy.
680
00:35:16,572 --> 00:35:22,109
♪♪
681
00:35:22,144 --> 00:35:27,681
♪♪
682
00:35:27,716 --> 00:35:29,516
-After crossing the Rhône,
683
00:35:29,551 --> 00:35:31,618
Hannibal didn't take
the well-known route
684
00:35:31,653 --> 00:35:33,453
along the Durance River
685
00:35:33,489 --> 00:35:35,622
because there was a major
threat to the south
686
00:35:35,657 --> 00:35:37,924
in nearby Marseille.
687
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:39,960
Eve and Tori are trying
to understand
688
00:35:39,995 --> 00:35:44,364
the decisions that led him
to the Col de la Traversette.
689
00:35:44,399 --> 00:35:48,668
-His intelligence tells him
690
00:35:48,704 --> 00:35:51,838
that the Roman general,
Publius Scipio,
691
00:35:51,874 --> 00:35:54,508
is at the city of Marseille.
692
00:35:54,543 --> 00:35:55,642
-Ah.
693
00:35:55,677 --> 00:35:57,210
-And the last thing
Hannibal wants to do
694
00:35:57,246 --> 00:35:58,812
is engage with Roman armies.
695
00:35:58,847 --> 00:36:02,749
He has to, if he's going
to succeed in his plan,
696
00:36:02,784 --> 00:36:05,118
engage with the Romans in Italy.
697
00:36:05,154 --> 00:36:06,887
-Can't go south
because of the Romans.
698
00:36:06,922 --> 00:36:09,189
Only option, then,
is to head north.
699
00:36:09,224 --> 00:36:14,060
-One of the most likely options
is the Drôme River Valley,
700
00:36:14,096 --> 00:36:18,431
which comes off the Rhône
and heads up into the mountains
701
00:36:18,467 --> 00:36:22,736
and then rejoins
the Durance river.
702
00:36:22,771 --> 00:36:27,807
And there's a place on the way
where the path divides,
703
00:36:27,843 --> 00:36:31,077
and at that place, he makes
an unexpected move.
704
00:36:31,113 --> 00:36:39,519
♪♪
705
00:36:39,555 --> 00:36:42,355
-At this pivotal fork
in Hannibal's route,
706
00:36:42,391 --> 00:36:46,526
Eve and Tori team up with
mountain guide Damien Juhen.
707
00:36:46,562 --> 00:36:48,762
Uncovering the next steps
in Hannibal's journey
708
00:36:48,797 --> 00:36:51,798
requires some expert
local knowledge.
709
00:36:51,833 --> 00:36:54,501
-Here, we are exactly
at the confluence
710
00:36:54,536 --> 00:36:57,137
between the Durance River
on your left
711
00:36:57,172 --> 00:36:59,406
and the Guil River
in front of you.
712
00:36:59,441 --> 00:37:01,708
The Guil River is
going through the gorge,
713
00:37:01,743 --> 00:37:04,110
really steep and narrow gorge,
the Guil Gorge,
714
00:37:04,146 --> 00:37:07,614
and the Durance is going down
to the Mediterranean Sea.
715
00:37:07,649 --> 00:37:08,782
-And that's the way
that Hannibal
716
00:37:08,817 --> 00:37:10,317
would have come in, yeah?
-Yeah.
717
00:37:10,352 --> 00:37:13,553
And at the fork, he had to make
a pretty critical decision.
718
00:37:13,589 --> 00:37:16,556
He had to decide
whether to continue
719
00:37:16,592 --> 00:37:18,792
up along the Durance River,
720
00:37:18,827 --> 00:37:22,462
or he could veer off here
up the Guil River
721
00:37:22,497 --> 00:37:24,631
and take the road
less traveled,
722
00:37:24,666 --> 00:37:28,034
the road that no one
would have expected him to take,
723
00:37:28,070 --> 00:37:30,503
and also the shorter route
into Italy.
724
00:37:30,539 --> 00:37:32,005
-Why did he choose
the road less travelled?
725
00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:33,707
-Because that's very much
his personality.
726
00:37:33,742 --> 00:37:36,610
He was always somebody
who's into surprising the enemy.
727
00:37:36,645 --> 00:37:43,350
♪♪
728
00:37:43,385 --> 00:37:46,486
-But this decision
proved almost fatal.
729
00:37:46,521 --> 00:37:48,622
Hannibal and his army
soon found themselves
730
00:37:48,657 --> 00:37:50,523
at the bottom of a gorge
731
00:37:50,559 --> 00:37:54,361
with wall after wall of sheer
rock towering over them.
732
00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,734
-So, when Hannibal came
down into the valley,
733
00:38:00,769 --> 00:38:02,769
you arrive,
and it's like a wall.
734
00:38:02,804 --> 00:38:05,071
Okay?
And it's really impressive.
735
00:38:05,107 --> 00:38:07,540
I mean, even for me,
the first time I came here,
736
00:38:07,576 --> 00:38:10,043
it was -- I said,
"Where is -- Where is the road?"
737
00:38:10,078 --> 00:38:13,446
So I think that for him,
it was really hard.
738
00:38:13,482 --> 00:38:16,750
-How long would it take
to walk the gorge?
739
00:38:16,785 --> 00:38:18,084
-Nearly a day.
740
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,553
It takes a long time
for these 20 K's of gorge.
741
00:38:20,589 --> 00:38:24,891
-So for an army
laden down with animals,
742
00:38:24,926 --> 00:38:26,326
in difficult conditions,
743
00:38:26,361 --> 00:38:28,194
it would have been
more than one-day walk?
744
00:38:28,230 --> 00:38:29,896
-Oh, for sure, yeah.
For sure, yes.
745
00:38:29,931 --> 00:38:32,098
More than three days maybe.
746
00:38:36,238 --> 00:38:38,171
-Slowly marching
through the gorge
747
00:38:38,206 --> 00:38:40,774
put the troops
in a vulnerable position.
748
00:38:40,809 --> 00:38:43,109
And local tribes
were only too eager
749
00:38:43,145 --> 00:38:46,713
to take advantage of it.
750
00:38:46,748 --> 00:38:51,551
-He runs into some locals
who pretend to be "friendly,"
751
00:38:51,586 --> 00:38:55,288
so-called friendly guides,
but he's suspicious.
752
00:38:55,324 --> 00:38:57,590
And two days into this march,
753
00:38:57,626 --> 00:39:00,760
Polybius tells us
that these new friends
754
00:39:00,796 --> 00:39:03,330
attacked the Carthaginians
as they were traversing
755
00:39:03,365 --> 00:39:06,733
a certain difficult
and precipitous gorge.
756
00:39:08,970 --> 00:39:12,038
-And this gorge here fits
that description quite well.
757
00:39:12,074 --> 00:39:16,142
So just try to imagine,
all up above here,
758
00:39:16,178 --> 00:39:19,879
Celtic tribesmen
hurling boulders,
759
00:39:19,915 --> 00:39:21,981
rocks, projectiles,
760
00:39:22,017 --> 00:39:23,350
anything they could find,
761
00:39:23,385 --> 00:39:25,985
down on the soldiers
and the animals,
762
00:39:26,021 --> 00:39:28,321
and picking them off one by one.
763
00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:36,763
-The horses went mad with terror
at the wild shouts, which echoed
764
00:39:36,798 --> 00:39:38,832
and re-echoed ever more loudly
765
00:39:38,867 --> 00:39:41,368
from the forests
and mountainsides,
766
00:39:41,403 --> 00:39:45,105
while chance blows and wounds
so panicked them
767
00:39:45,140 --> 00:39:47,440
that they wrought havoc
among the men.
768
00:39:47,476 --> 00:39:50,276
[ Horse neighs ]
769
00:39:50,312 --> 00:39:52,479
-You can imagine the noise,
the chaos,
770
00:39:52,514 --> 00:39:54,013
the animals turning around,
771
00:39:54,049 --> 00:39:56,249
people dodging,
trying to take cover.
772
00:39:56,284 --> 00:39:58,351
People are falling
into the river.
773
00:39:58,387 --> 00:40:02,822
And there was no way for them
to defend themselves.
774
00:40:02,858 --> 00:40:06,092
-The tribesmen took
whatever plunder they could.
775
00:40:06,128 --> 00:40:10,997
♪♪
776
00:40:11,032 --> 00:40:14,167
By the following day,
they were gone.
777
00:40:14,202 --> 00:40:18,772
♪♪
778
00:40:18,807 --> 00:40:21,508
Hannibal sustained huge losses,
779
00:40:21,543 --> 00:40:25,111
his men and animals
scattered across the gorge.
780
00:40:25,147 --> 00:40:28,248
The horses proved to be
a liability in the mountains,
781
00:40:28,283 --> 00:40:31,584
and their panic
only made the attack worse.
782
00:40:31,620 --> 00:40:34,220
But they were a crucial
military weapon
783
00:40:34,256 --> 00:40:37,223
that Hannibal
could not do without.
784
00:40:37,259 --> 00:40:41,294
Half of them belonged
to his elite mounted force.
785
00:40:44,232 --> 00:40:47,867
-The Numidians were
light cavalry.
786
00:40:47,903 --> 00:40:50,537
They came from North Africa.
787
00:40:50,572 --> 00:40:53,573
They were lightly clad
and famously rode
788
00:40:53,608 --> 00:40:58,278
without saddles
and even without bridles.
789
00:40:58,313 --> 00:41:02,482
They used
just a simple neck rope.
790
00:41:02,517 --> 00:41:03,883
that's all they had.
791
00:41:03,919 --> 00:41:08,321
♪♪
792
00:41:08,356 --> 00:41:11,691
-The Numidians were armed
with fistfuls of javelins,
793
00:41:11,726 --> 00:41:12,759
riding at the enemy
794
00:41:12,794 --> 00:41:15,395
and repeatedly
throwing their spears.
795
00:41:20,035 --> 00:41:22,101
They were hit-and-run troops.
796
00:41:24,005 --> 00:41:27,807
-Riding without a saddle?
Stirrups hadn't been invented.
797
00:41:27,843 --> 00:41:31,744
Riding without a bit
and a bridle is challenging.
798
00:41:31,780 --> 00:41:33,146
It's only possible
799
00:41:33,181 --> 00:41:36,883
on a fantastically trained horse
like this.
800
00:41:36,918 --> 00:41:38,518
-The fact that the Numidians
801
00:41:38,553 --> 00:41:41,387
actually went into battle
like that is mind-blowing.
802
00:41:41,423 --> 00:41:42,455
I can't imagine.
803
00:41:42,491 --> 00:41:44,390
But they must have had
such control,
804
00:41:44,426 --> 00:41:47,427
such a relationship
with their horses.
805
00:41:47,462 --> 00:41:48,528
This horse should follow me.
806
00:41:48,563 --> 00:41:49,963
Hup!
807
00:41:49,998 --> 00:41:54,901
So without any tack,
without bridles and stirrups
808
00:41:54,936 --> 00:41:58,771
and all of that sort of thing,
he's silent, it's stealthy.
809
00:41:58,807 --> 00:42:01,207
It's the perfect horse
for scouting.
810
00:42:01,243 --> 00:42:02,742
Imagine them in the Alps.
811
00:42:02,777 --> 00:42:05,345
If you're going over
treacherous terrain,
812
00:42:05,380 --> 00:42:09,349
you can get off,
and the horse will follow you.
813
00:42:09,384 --> 00:42:11,918
-On Hannibal's journey,
the Numidian cavalry
814
00:42:11,953 --> 00:42:15,388
were frequently sent ahead
to gather intelligence.
815
00:42:15,423 --> 00:42:17,490
And they possessed
a special skill
816
00:42:17,526 --> 00:42:21,160
that gave them
the element of surprise.
817
00:42:21,196 --> 00:42:22,595
-They would lay
their horses down.
818
00:42:22,631 --> 00:42:24,063
[ Clicks tongue ]
819
00:42:24,099 --> 00:42:26,266
It's perfectly comfortable
for the horse.
820
00:42:26,301 --> 00:42:29,903
There he goes.
821
00:42:29,938 --> 00:42:31,738
There!
822
00:42:31,773 --> 00:42:33,072
Look at that.
823
00:42:33,108 --> 00:42:37,911
Now, just think how useful
that is if you're a scout.
824
00:42:37,946 --> 00:42:40,713
You can get really low
behind the tall grasses
825
00:42:40,749 --> 00:42:44,484
and scout the enemy's camp,
count their numbers.
826
00:42:44,519 --> 00:42:47,320
Then they could simply get
on their horses.
827
00:42:50,358 --> 00:42:52,058
[ Grunts ]
828
00:42:52,093 --> 00:42:56,129
They were the eyes and ears
of Hannibal's invasion force.
829
00:42:56,164 --> 00:42:57,931
[ Clicks tongue ]
Hah!
830
00:42:57,966 --> 00:43:01,200
-But the horses weren't
the only animals
831
00:43:01,236 --> 00:43:02,969
that had to endure
the long march
832
00:43:03,004 --> 00:43:06,606
to the top of the mountain.
833
00:43:06,641 --> 00:43:11,844
So, too, did Hannibal's
famous elephants.
834
00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:14,447
At the Royal Veterinary College
in London,
835
00:43:14,482 --> 00:43:18,418
Professor John Hutchinson has a
rather grisly piece of evidence
836
00:43:18,453 --> 00:43:21,421
that reveals why elephants
are so well-suited
837
00:43:21,456 --> 00:43:23,122
for long and hazardous journeys.
838
00:43:23,158 --> 00:43:24,424
-Back foot.
839
00:43:24,459 --> 00:43:28,027
-It is the left hind foot
of an adult Asian elephant.
840
00:43:28,063 --> 00:43:30,330
-Donated to science by a zoo,
841
00:43:30,365 --> 00:43:32,932
it shows that elephants,
surprisingly,
842
00:43:32,968 --> 00:43:35,868
can be very good
mountain climbers.
843
00:43:35,904 --> 00:43:37,604
-So you can see that
he's up on tip-toe --
844
00:43:37,639 --> 00:43:39,372
that's really remarkable
about elephants.
845
00:43:39,407 --> 00:43:42,976
So you can see the heel up here.
That would be the ankle joint.
846
00:43:43,011 --> 00:43:46,012
And then the middle toe,
the third toe, going down here.
847
00:43:46,047 --> 00:43:48,481
So the elephant's up on tip-toe.
848
00:43:48,516 --> 00:43:50,483
-I love that, the fact that you
look at them from the outside
849
00:43:50,518 --> 00:43:52,585
and they look so sort of
straight and flat-footed.
850
00:43:52,621 --> 00:43:53,987
-Mm.
-But then you look inside them,
851
00:43:54,022 --> 00:43:55,722
and it's a completely
different story.
852
00:43:55,757 --> 00:43:56,856
-Yeah, it sure is.
853
00:43:56,891 --> 00:43:58,424
And then look at what
we have here
854
00:43:58,460 --> 00:43:59,959
on the back half of the foot.
855
00:43:59,995 --> 00:44:02,195
There's this massive,
yellowish, white tissue.
856
00:44:02,230 --> 00:44:03,997
It's all fat pad.
857
00:44:04,032 --> 00:44:07,300
Just like our heel pad
on our foot, but massive.
858
00:44:07,335 --> 00:44:09,235
-When you imagine an elephant
moving through
859
00:44:09,270 --> 00:44:12,205
the mountainous areas,
they might have been better off
860
00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:14,040
than something with a hoof.
-Yeah.
861
00:44:14,075 --> 00:44:17,977
Elephants have a foot that
is able to change its shape
862
00:44:18,013 --> 00:44:21,681
to suit the environment.
863
00:44:21,716 --> 00:44:23,583
-But it's not just
the structure of the foot
864
00:44:23,618 --> 00:44:25,351
that makes elephants
well-adapted
865
00:44:25,387 --> 00:44:27,887
for Hannibal's mission.
866
00:44:27,922 --> 00:44:32,358
They are also very efficient
when in motion.
867
00:44:32,394 --> 00:44:35,561
-As we see in this video,
the limbs are really straight
868
00:44:35,597 --> 00:44:37,630
when they're supporting the body
and walking,
869
00:44:37,666 --> 00:44:38,865
so they're like pillars.
870
00:44:38,900 --> 00:44:41,100
The elephant
only flexes its joints
871
00:44:41,136 --> 00:44:43,269
mainly when the feet
are off the ground,
872
00:44:43,304 --> 00:44:45,972
so the muscles don't have
to exert as much force
873
00:44:46,007 --> 00:44:47,440
to support an elephant's weight.
874
00:44:47,475 --> 00:44:49,442
-Perfect for
long-distance travel.
875
00:44:49,477 --> 00:44:52,078
-It is. They have a really
flexible way of moving.
876
00:44:52,113 --> 00:44:54,814
And very steep slopes,
they'll get down
877
00:44:54,849 --> 00:44:58,718
on their knees,
basically, and crawl along
878
00:44:58,753 --> 00:45:00,420
to get up high slopes.
879
00:45:00,455 --> 00:45:03,056
They have that kind of stability
and economy
880
00:45:03,091 --> 00:45:05,958
that is uniquely elephant.
881
00:45:05,994 --> 00:45:08,795
[ Bird cries ]
882
00:45:08,830 --> 00:45:14,667
♪♪
883
00:45:14,703 --> 00:45:18,438
-And there's proof that
elephants can cross the Alps...
884
00:45:18,473 --> 00:45:20,506
-[ Laughs ] Crazy.
885
00:45:20,542 --> 00:45:22,575
-...thanks to an
extraordinary experiment
886
00:45:22,610 --> 00:45:25,178
conducted almost 60 years ago.
887
00:45:25,213 --> 00:45:27,480
-Wow.
888
00:45:27,515 --> 00:45:31,484
Actually, Jumbo looks larger
than I was remembering.
889
00:45:33,254 --> 00:45:37,557
-In the summer of 1959,
British engineer John Hoyte
890
00:45:37,592 --> 00:45:40,059
led a team of scientists
and explorers
891
00:45:40,095 --> 00:45:43,563
on one of the most ambitious
experimental archaeology events
892
00:45:43,598 --> 00:45:45,098
ever attempted --
893
00:45:45,133 --> 00:45:49,202
taking an elephant over the Alps
in Hannibal's footsteps.
894
00:45:49,237 --> 00:45:53,439
Sir Richard Jolly
was second in command.
895
00:45:53,475 --> 00:45:56,242
-The scientific part
of our expedition
896
00:45:56,277 --> 00:45:59,979
was a very careful checking
897
00:46:00,014 --> 00:46:03,916
of Jumbo's speed
along the level
898
00:46:03,952 --> 00:46:07,053
and when ascending
towards the summit
899
00:46:07,088 --> 00:46:12,658
and as high
as 2,083 meters.
900
00:46:12,694 --> 00:46:16,195
We were seeing whether
the difference in altitude
901
00:46:16,231 --> 00:46:21,367
and the climbing challenge
slowed Jumbo down in any way.
902
00:46:21,402 --> 00:46:24,103
And the short answer was
no, it didn't.
903
00:46:24,139 --> 00:46:28,307
I think the elephants, they're
very sensitive creatures,
904
00:46:28,343 --> 00:46:31,577
and if well-trained,
very confident
905
00:46:31,613 --> 00:46:34,547
and in control of themselves.
906
00:46:37,418 --> 00:46:38,584
[ Laughs ]
907
00:46:38,620 --> 00:46:41,020
Yeah, and there's Jumbo
having some fun.
908
00:46:43,491 --> 00:46:45,992
Good, old Jumbo.
Hmm.
909
00:46:49,697 --> 00:46:52,799
-So elephants, despite living
in warmer climates,
910
00:46:52,834 --> 00:46:56,803
can endure the cold and
alpine terrain in short bursts.
911
00:46:56,838 --> 00:46:59,405
[ Elephant trumpets ]
912
00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:02,008
With winter approaching
and the troops delayed,
913
00:47:02,043 --> 00:47:04,477
Hannibal needed
to speed up the march,
914
00:47:04,512 --> 00:47:07,180
so he loaded his
pack animals with rations.
915
00:47:07,215 --> 00:47:10,917
Even the humble donkey
was essential.
916
00:47:10,952 --> 00:47:13,186
Tori and Eve are attempting
the final leg
917
00:47:13,221 --> 00:47:15,388
of Hannibal's climb into Italy,
918
00:47:15,423 --> 00:47:17,690
going up to
the Col de la Traversette
919
00:47:17,725 --> 00:47:20,660
and testing out how
the army would have coped.
920
00:47:23,164 --> 00:47:25,231
-If you're on a mission
to be as quick,
921
00:47:25,266 --> 00:47:27,433
moving as fast
and as light as possible,
922
00:47:27,468 --> 00:47:28,901
then you're gonna always
have to trade-off
923
00:47:28,937 --> 00:47:31,404
between what you carry
and what you collect.
924
00:47:31,439 --> 00:47:32,572
And so the more you carry,
925
00:47:32,607 --> 00:47:34,440
the less time you've got
to spend foraging.
926
00:47:34,475 --> 00:47:36,409
-And once he starts to go
up to the mountains,
927
00:47:36,444 --> 00:47:38,878
he's gonna have to be carrying
an awful lot of food
928
00:47:38,913 --> 00:47:42,849
because there really isn't
much capacity up here to forage.
929
00:47:42,884 --> 00:47:47,653
-The donkeys would have carried
about 220 pounds worth of hay,
930
00:47:47,689 --> 00:47:51,123
enough food to feed
one horse for 20 days.
931
00:47:51,159 --> 00:47:54,660
However,
Hannibal had 9,000 horses
932
00:47:54,696 --> 00:47:57,897
and 37 voracious elephants.
933
00:48:00,935 --> 00:48:03,970
Using historical records,
scholars have estimated
934
00:48:04,005 --> 00:48:07,173
how much food the troops
and pack animals needed.
935
00:48:07,208 --> 00:48:09,775
But for the elephants,
it's not clear.
936
00:48:15,650 --> 00:48:18,751
-Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
937
00:48:27,328 --> 00:48:28,728
-And they also eat the grass
outside, of course.
938
00:48:28,763 --> 00:48:29,829
-Si.
939
00:48:31,933 --> 00:48:34,967
-Elephants are big,
hungry beasts.
940
00:48:35,003 --> 00:48:36,602
An adult elephant can consume
941
00:48:36,638 --> 00:48:39,972
up to 300 pounds of food
in a single day
942
00:48:40,008 --> 00:48:42,541
and a lot more
if constantly on the march.
943
00:48:55,690 --> 00:48:58,758
[ Bird cries ]
944
00:48:58,793 --> 00:49:01,560
As they pushed on toward
the Col de la Traversette,
945
00:49:01,596 --> 00:49:03,829
Hannibal's exhausted army
would have been spread
946
00:49:03,865 --> 00:49:08,134
across 20 miles
of the mountain range.
947
00:49:08,169 --> 00:49:11,871
The ancient texts state that
in these barren mountains,
948
00:49:11,906 --> 00:49:14,707
the food supplies ran out.
949
00:49:14,742 --> 00:49:21,180
♪♪
950
00:49:21,215 --> 00:49:24,617
-The animals were nearly dead
from starvation,
951
00:49:24,652 --> 00:49:26,352
since the high passes
were almost
952
00:49:26,387 --> 00:49:28,621
totally devoid of vegetation,
953
00:49:28,656 --> 00:49:31,290
and whatever fodder
there might have been
954
00:49:31,326 --> 00:49:33,926
was buried under snow.
955
00:49:35,863 --> 00:49:37,997
-Something
had clearly gone wrong
956
00:49:38,032 --> 00:49:39,832
in Hannibal's planning.
957
00:49:39,867 --> 00:49:42,268
-We're gonna stop there
just a second.
958
00:49:42,303 --> 00:49:45,304
-The team encounters a problem
959
00:49:45,340 --> 00:49:49,642
that Hannibal himself must
have faced in early November.
960
00:49:49,677 --> 00:49:53,446
-Now we are up to 2,500
meters elevation,
961
00:49:53,481 --> 00:49:56,382
and the path become
really, really hard, difficult
962
00:49:56,417 --> 00:49:57,950
because it's steep
and really icy
963
00:49:57,986 --> 00:50:00,453
and with the donkey,
we can't, go through.
964
00:50:00,488 --> 00:50:02,521
For us, it can be okay,
but with donkeys,
965
00:50:02,557 --> 00:50:03,956
it's impossible, for sure.
966
00:50:03,992 --> 00:50:05,925
-And then you get
something like this,
967
00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:08,094
and there's no way
you'd get a beast up there.
968
00:50:08,129 --> 00:50:10,196
They'd have to go ahead
and hack the ice off.
969
00:50:10,231 --> 00:50:12,999
And even then, you can
imagine the situation
970
00:50:13,034 --> 00:50:15,568
where something lost
its footing and just slid.
971
00:50:15,603 --> 00:50:17,536
-We have so many tales of it.
972
00:50:17,572 --> 00:50:19,605
And it's amazing that two
or three times
973
00:50:19,640 --> 00:50:23,009
we get this sense of these
pack animals knocking people
974
00:50:23,044 --> 00:50:26,412
and themselves and other horses
and everything off the pass.
975
00:50:26,447 --> 00:50:30,683
-Many pack animals must have
died on these steep, icy slopes.
976
00:50:30,718 --> 00:50:33,486
Losing any of them
would have been a real concern
977
00:50:33,521 --> 00:50:37,523
for an army wholly dependent
on the food they carried.
978
00:50:39,560 --> 00:50:40,793
-As you lose your pack animals,
979
00:50:40,828 --> 00:50:42,628
like, it's not just the beast
that's dead.
980
00:50:42,663 --> 00:50:46,032
It's, you know, that's --
that's, 100 kilograms of load
981
00:50:46,067 --> 00:50:47,900
that you can no longer
take with you.
982
00:50:47,935 --> 00:50:49,468
That's 20 days of horse feed.
983
00:50:49,504 --> 00:50:50,803
-And that's what
Polybius says
984
00:50:50,838 --> 00:50:52,405
is, by the time they get
over the other side
985
00:50:52,440 --> 00:50:55,574
to anywhere that's good grazing,
the animals are starving.
986
00:50:55,610 --> 00:50:57,109
-Hmm.
-So, I mean, that's it.
987
00:50:57,145 --> 00:50:58,911
They've lost so much
of their supplies
988
00:50:58,946 --> 00:51:02,014
just coming up the sort of
dangerous routes like this.
989
00:51:02,050 --> 00:51:05,518
♪♪
990
00:51:05,553 --> 00:51:09,088
-The army marched for
nine days in the Alps,
991
00:51:09,123 --> 00:51:13,359
camping in the freezing cold,
moving night and day.
992
00:51:13,394 --> 00:51:22,168
♪♪
993
00:51:22,203 --> 00:51:25,704
At long last,
after a desolate climb,
994
00:51:25,740 --> 00:51:28,941
Hannibal reached
the Col de la Traversette.
995
00:51:32,747 --> 00:51:36,015
From high atop the mountain,
the view of Italy
996
00:51:36,050 --> 00:51:39,652
and the prospect of conquest
stretched out before him.
997
00:51:41,756 --> 00:51:43,956
-Here we are,
France on one side,
998
00:51:43,991 --> 00:51:48,094
Italy on the other,
standing on the border.
999
00:51:48,129 --> 00:51:51,397
-His army must be spread out
all down the valley.
1000
00:51:51,432 --> 00:51:54,166
It takes two days
for everybody to come --
1001
00:51:54,202 --> 00:51:58,504
30,000 men
and maybe 10,000 pack animals,
1002
00:51:58,539 --> 00:52:00,573
and, of course, 37 elephants.
1003
00:52:00,608 --> 00:52:05,444
♪♪
1004
00:52:05,480 --> 00:52:07,746
-Hannibal needs
to make them believe
1005
00:52:07,782 --> 00:52:10,416
that they can do
what they set out to do.
1006
00:52:10,451 --> 00:52:13,586
And he encourages his army
with stories
1007
00:52:13,621 --> 00:52:16,055
of all the riches
and the wealth to be won
1008
00:52:16,090 --> 00:52:19,225
and of all the heroic adventures
that lie ahead of them.
1009
00:52:23,731 --> 00:52:28,400
-The monumental Alps, with their
snowy spires and craggy slopes,
1010
00:52:28,436 --> 00:52:30,669
met their match.
1011
00:52:34,575 --> 00:52:37,877
Now, for the first time,
scientific evidence
1012
00:52:37,912 --> 00:52:40,312
is confirming
the historic event --
1013
00:52:40,348 --> 00:52:42,848
that Hannibal crossed
these mountains at the highest
1014
00:52:42,884 --> 00:52:45,451
and most difficult pass
of them all,
1015
00:52:45,486 --> 00:52:49,021
the Col de la Traversette.
1016
00:52:49,056 --> 00:52:50,523
-Finally,
we are pulling together
1017
00:52:50,558 --> 00:52:51,857
some scientific evidence
1018
00:52:51,893 --> 00:52:53,726
that this is the route
that he took across the Alps.
1019
00:52:53,761 --> 00:52:56,996
And who would have expected
that this could be
1020
00:52:57,031 --> 00:52:59,565
coming down to something
as simple and tiny
1021
00:52:59,600 --> 00:53:02,535
as the bacteria
hidden in the soil?
1022
00:53:02,570 --> 00:53:07,306
-We finally had narrowed
the pass down to one place.
1023
00:53:07,341 --> 00:53:12,811
-A journey that became legendary
has now been made real.
1024
00:53:12,847 --> 00:53:14,413
-Whilst it was difficult,
1025
00:53:14,448 --> 00:53:15,948
whilst it would
have been bloody,
1026
00:53:15,983 --> 00:53:18,717
there would have been deaths
of both people and of animals,
1027
00:53:18,753 --> 00:53:20,386
at each stage,
I don't think any of those
1028
00:53:20,421 --> 00:53:21,787
problems were insurmountable.
1029
00:53:21,822 --> 00:53:25,124
If you're willing to push,
then why not?
1030
00:53:25,159 --> 00:53:28,360
You could do it.
1031
00:53:28,396 --> 00:53:31,030
-Hannibal's invasion of Rome
over the Alps
1032
00:53:31,065 --> 00:53:34,333
sent shock waves
through the ancient world.
1033
00:53:34,368 --> 00:53:35,601
By the end of the year,
1034
00:53:35,636 --> 00:53:39,305
he had won two decisive
battles on Roman soil.
1035
00:53:39,340 --> 00:53:42,441
Carthage was safe for now.
1036
00:53:42,476 --> 00:53:44,543
For 15 long years,
1037
00:53:44,579 --> 00:53:48,914
he waged a campaign of
annihilation throughout Italy.
1038
00:53:48,950 --> 00:53:52,551
But eventually,
Rome stood strong once more,
1039
00:53:52,587 --> 00:53:55,254
and the tide of victory turned.
1040
00:53:55,289 --> 00:53:59,058
Hannibal was finally
defeated on home soil,
1041
00:53:59,093 --> 00:54:02,828
and Carthage was left in ruins.
1042
00:54:02,863 --> 00:54:04,363
But 2,000 years later,
1043
00:54:04,398 --> 00:54:06,699
his incredible journey
over the Alps
1044
00:54:06,734 --> 00:54:10,402
stands as a testament
to his unflinching determination
1045
00:54:10,438 --> 00:54:14,106
and military genius.
1046
00:54:14,141 --> 00:54:15,808
-This was undoubtedly
1047
00:54:15,843 --> 00:54:17,876
the most difficult pass
Hannibal could have taken.
1048
00:54:17,912 --> 00:54:20,012
And we sort of have
to ask ourselves,
1049
00:54:20,047 --> 00:54:22,281
why did he take
the hardest route?
1050
00:54:22,316 --> 00:54:24,183
And what probably drove
that decision
1051
00:54:24,218 --> 00:54:28,020
lay in what made
the man who he was.
1052
00:54:28,055 --> 00:54:31,757
Because the more
difficult the journey,
1053
00:54:31,792 --> 00:54:34,593
the more difficult
his quest almost,
1054
00:54:34,629 --> 00:54:37,896
the greater his
heroic status would be.
1055
00:54:37,932 --> 00:54:39,198
2,200 years later,
1056
00:54:39,233 --> 00:54:42,201
we're still absolutely
fascinated by Hannibal
1057
00:54:42,236 --> 00:54:47,840
and especially by this journey
he made over the Alps.
1058
00:54:47,875 --> 00:54:51,677
-He created the myth,
and we still believe it.
1059
00:54:53,581 --> 00:54:56,749
-Hannibal's journey
was legendary,
1060
00:54:56,784 --> 00:55:01,053
and now we know
it wasn't a myth.
1061
00:55:01,088 --> 00:55:09,461
♪♪
83471
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