Original subtitles

Bettany Hughes: ANCIENT ROME:

ONE OF THE GREATEST SUPERPOWERS IN HISTORY

\h\hWHOSE FAR-REACHING LEGACY CONTINUES TO SHAPE OUR LIVES.

FOR CLOSE ON 1,000 YEARS,

THE ROMANS DOMINATED \h\hTHE KNOWN WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIRS WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY EMPIRE

THAT HERALDED AN AGE

OF UNPRECEDENTED PROSPERITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND STABILITY,

BUT THAT ALSO RULED THROUGH \h\hVIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION.

[THUNDER]

ROME’S RISE TO GREATNESS \h\h\hWASN’T INEVITABLE;

\hITS EPIC HISTORY WAS OFTEN DECIDED

BY SINGLE CRITICAL MOMENTS.

[YELLING]

[GASP]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THIS SERIES I’M EXPLORING EIGHT KEY DAYS

THAT I BELIEVE HELP TO EXPLAIN \h\hROME’S REMARKABLE SUCCESS.

\h\h\h\hTO UNDERSTAND THE FULL SIGNIFICANCE

OF THESE EIGHT DAYS,

\h\h\h\h\hI’M TRAVELING ACROSS THE ROMAN WORLD.

I AM INCREDIBLY LUCKY \h\h\h\hTO GET ACCESS

TO THIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE.

EXAMINING REMARKABLE FINDS.

\h\hWHEN YOU DIG UP SOMETHING LIKE THIS,

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL

\h\h\h\h\hABOUT THE ROMANS WHO WERE HERE AT THE TIME?

\h\h\hMan: WE THINK THAT IT’S A KIND OF GENOCIDE.

Bettany: AND INVESTIGATING \h\h\h\h\hTHE COMPLEXITIES

OF WHAT IT WAS TO BE ROMAN.

[SCREAM]

\h\h\hTHIS IS THE DAY WHEN A ROMAN GENERAL,

PUBLIUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO,

\h\h\h\h\hWENT HEAD TO HEAD WITH THE LEGENDARY HANNIBAL

AND THE MIGHTY EMPIRE \h\h\h\h\hOF CARTHAGE.

IN A BATTLE THAT WOULD DETERMINE

IF ROME REALLY HAD THE MUSCLE \h\hTO RULE THE ANCIENT WORLD.

Scipio: FORWARD!

[YELLING]

Bettany: ON 19th OF OCTOBER, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h202 BC,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE FUTURE OF TWO GREAT CIVILIZATIONS WAS DECIDED

IN THE UNFORGIVING DESERTS \h\h\h\h\hOF NORTH AFRICA

AT A PLACE CALLED ZAMA.

FOR ME, THIS WAS A MOMENTOUS DAY

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE STORY OF THE ANCIENT WORLD...

A WINNER-TAKES-ALL \h\hCONFRONTATION

BETWEEN THE MAJESTY OF CARTHAGE

AND THE UPSTART THAT WAS ROME.

[SCREAMING]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNOW, 500 YEARS BEFORE THIS TITANIC BATTLE,

ROME HAD BEEN PRETTY MUCH

LIKE ANY OTHER SMALL-TIME MEDITERRANEAN SETTLEMENT.

\h\h\h\hAND IN THIS CASE A BUNCH OF WOODEN HOUSES

AROUND THE RIVER TIBER

SURROUNDED BY THESE \hPROTECTING HILLS.

BUT THERE SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE ROMAN DNA,

SOMETHING THAT DROVE HER TO THE TOP OF THE PILE.

A RELENTLESS AMBITION, \hA DELIGHT IN BATTLE,

THAT PROPELLED ROME

\hTO THE DAY SHE’D CONFRONT HANNIBAL’S CARTHAGINIAN ARMY

AT ZAMA.

AND THE ROMANS TOLD THEMSELVES \h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS WARRIOR ETHOS

\h\hWAS THEIR RIGHT AT THE CITY’S BIRTH.

\hROME’S FOUNDERS, ROMULUS AND REMUS,

WERE, ALL GOOD ROMANS BELIEVED,

THE ACTUAL SONS OF MARS, \h\h\h\hTHE GOD OF WAR.

\hAND IT WAS SAID THAT WHEN ROMULUS

\h\h\h\h\hINFAMOUSLY MURDERED HIS OWN BROTHER TO RULE ALONE,

THE CHARACTER OF ROME WAS SET--

DRIVEN, BLOODY, RUTHLESS-- \h\h\h\h\h\hFROM DAY ONE.

EVEN BY ANCIENT STANDARDS,

THE ROMANS FETISHIZED VIOLENCE \hAND AGGRESSION AND AMBITION.

IT SEEMS THAT THIS LITTLE STATE

HAD A HARD, FLINTY DETERMINATION TO MAKE THEIR MARK ON THE WORLD.

2,500 YEARS AGO

ROME OCCUPIED A FRACTION OF TODAY’S MODERN CITY,

JUST 4 TIGHTLY PACKED \h\h\h\hSQUARE MILES,

WITH A POPULATION OF AROUND 60,000.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT ROME WAS IN A PRIME LOCATION...

THE RIVER TIBER OFFERING ACCESS

TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE WIDER WORLD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE CITY WAS RULED AS A REPUBLIC, A "RES PUBLICA,"

SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE \h\h\h\hCAME TOGETHER

TO ENGAGE LITERALLY \hIN PUBLIC THINGS.

IT WAS A SUPER-SMART POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY

WHERE EVERY ROMAN WAS ASSURED

\h\h\h\hTHAT THE STATE HAD THEIR INTERESTS AT HEART,

THAT WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

SO EVERY ROMAN CITIZEN HAD A VESTED INTEREST

TO ENSURE THAT ROME DIDN’T JUST SURVIVE, BUT THRIVED.

\h\h\h\h\hIN THE 6th CENTURY BC, ROME PUSHED INTO CENTRAL ITALY,

THE LANDS OF LATIUM, WHERE LATIN WAS THE COMMON LANGUAGE.

\h\hTHE CITY OF GABII, 11 MILES TO THE EAST,

\h\h\hWAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE ABSORBED INTO THE ROMAN PROJECT.

HERE, AT THE SITE OF ANCIENT GABII,

NEW EXCAVATIONS ARE REVEALING

\h\h\h\h\hEXACTLY HOW ROME ASSIMILATED HER NEIGHBORS.

TURNING OUTSIDERS, THEM, \hINTO ROMAN ALLIES, US,

WITH THREATS OF VIOLENCE

BUT ALSO PROMISES OF PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY.

NICOLA TERRENATO IS DIRECTOR OF THIS REMARKABLE PROJECT.

\h\h\h\hDIGGING HERE, WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU

ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP OF A TOWN \h\h\h\hLIKE GABII WITH ROME?

Nicola Terrenato: THIS IS A CITY THAT IS CLOSEST TO ROME.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE ROME \h\hIS TESTING ITS METTLE.

WE SEE RIGHT AFTER THE ALLIANCE WITH ROME STARTS,

\h\h\h\hTHEN ALL SORTS OF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.

GREAT TEMPLES BEING BUILT,

ELITE HOUSES BECOME BIGGER, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMORE LAVISH,

FABULOUS ROADS BEING LAID.

WE’RE STANDING RIGHT ON TOP \h\h\hOF A SEQUENCE OF ROADS

CONNECTING THE PEOPLE OF GABII \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH ROME,

ROADS THAT THE ROMAN ARMY \h\h\hIS GOING TO PROTECT,

\h\hSO THAT MAKES IT VERY EASY TO TRAVEL.

Bettany: THERE’S A VERY STRONG \hROMAN STRATEGY, ISN’T THERE,

TO COME TO TOWNS LIKE THIS \h\h\hAND OFFER PROTECTION

IN RETURN FOR MEN WHO WILL \h\h\hTHEN FIGHT FOR ROME.

\h\h\h\h\hNicola: ABSOLUTELY. IT’S A CHEAP WAY OF EXPANDING.

BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE RUTHLESS,

AND WHEN A CITY IS OPPOSING \h\h\hTHAT ROMAN EXPANSION,

THEY WILL ATTACK, THEY WILL \hSIEGE, THEY WILL PILLAGE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND, YOU KNOW, EXCEPTIONALLY IN INSTANCES,

THEY WILL ELIMINATE THE CITY.

SO, IT IS A CARROT AND STICK \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAPPROACH.

\h\h\hBettany: I TELL YOU WHAT IS BRILLIANT ABOUT BEING HERE

IS THAT YOU CAN ALMOST SMELL \h\h\hROME’S DETERMINATION.

Nicola: THIS IS ROME \hLEARNING HOW TO DO

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHAT THEN IT WILL DO ACROSS THE WHOLE MEDITERRANEAN.

\hTHIS IS THE LABORATORY, AND THEY WILL REPEAT THIS

WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER \h\hURBAN COMMUNITIES

THROUGHOUT THE MEDITERRANEAN, \h\h\h\h\hBUT THEY START HERE.

\h\h\hBettany: 250 YEARS AFTER GABII’S TAKEOVER,

MOST OF ITALY HAD FALLEN \h\hUNDER ROMAN CONTROL.

THIS WAS A VAST PROTECTION \hRACKET IN ALL BUT NAME.

\hNOW THE ONLY THING STANDING IN THE WAY

OF ROME’S INSATIABLE AMBITION

WAS CARTHAGE.

CARTHAGE HAD WHAT ROME WANTED-- A GLORIOUS EMPIRE.

WITH TRADING NETWORKS \h\h\h\h\hAND COLONIES

STRETCHING FROM LEBANON \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE EAST

TO SPAIN IN THE WEST,

IT WAS THE SOPHISTICATED \h\h\h\h\h\hSUPER POWER

OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.

THESE TWO POWERS WERE ABOUT \h\h\hTO COME HEAD TO HEAD.

CARTHAGE, THE DOMINANT FORCE \h\h\hIN THE ANCIENT WORLD,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hVERSUS ROME, THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK.

THE FIELDS OF EUROPE \h\hAND NORTH AFRICA

WERE TO BE GIANT BATTLEGROUNDS,

WITH ONE MAN EMERGING TO BLOCK \hROME’S OVERWEENING AMBITION.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

HIS NAME WAS HANNIBAL BARCA,

\h\h\h\hTHE LEGENDARY CARTHAGINIAN GENERAL,

AND HE THREATENED TO BE \h\h\h\hROME’S NEMESIS.

IN 218 BC, HANNIBAL LAUNCHED \h\h\hONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS

AND DARING MILITARY MANEUVERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN HISTORY.

AT THE HEAD OF A HUGE \h\hMULTIETHNIC ARMY,

HE MARCHED FROM SPAIN, WITH 38 WAR ELEPHANTS,

ACROSS THE FROZEN ALPS \h\h\hAND INTO ITALY.

\hPUSHING SOUTH, HANNIBAL WON VICTORY AFTER VICTORY.

ROME WAS FACING DISASTER.

MIKE LOADES IS AN EXPERT \h\hIN ANCIENT WARFARE.

WHAT AN EXCEPTIONAL MAN HANNIBAL MUST HAVE BEEN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMike Loades: HANNIBAL IS SUCH A LEGEND

BECAUSE HE WAS BOTH \hA STRATEGIC GENIUS

AND A TACTICAL GENIUS.

HE LED A POLYGLOT ARMY.

\hHE HAD NUMIDIANS FROM NORTH AFRICA,

HE HAD HIS LIBY-PHOENICIANS \h\h\h\h\hFROM NORTH AFRICA,

\h\h\hHE HAD IBERIAN TROOPS FROM HIS SPANISH CAMPAIGNS.

AND HE SUPPOSEDLY SPOKE \h\hTO ALL THESE PEOPLE

IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES.

HE WAS A SOLDIER’S GENERAL.

\h\h\h\h\hWHAT GREATER TESTAMENT COULD THERE BE TO HIS CHARACTER?

THESE MEN WILLINGLY FOLLOWED HIM

\h\h\h\h\hON THIS GREAT AND DANGEROUS ADVENTURE.

[YELLING]

\hBettany: ROME WAS IN A DESPERATE FIGHT

AGAINST HANNIBAL AND HIS ARMIES

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS THEY RAMPAGED THROUGH THE ITALIAN HOMELAND.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

EVENTUALLY IN AUGUST 216 BC AT CANNAE IN SOUTHERN ITALY,

A HUGE ROMAN ARMY WAS ASSEMBLED,

\h\hTHE LARGEST FORCE EVER PUT IN THE FIELD.

\h\h\h\hIT WAS 80,000 STRONG, TWICE THE SIZE OF HANNIBAL’S,

\h\hAND THE ROMAN GENERALS WERE CONFIDENT OF VICTORY.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD BECOME KNOWN AS ONE OF ROME’S DARKEST HOURS.

♪

MORE THAN 40,000 MEN--

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOVER HALF OF ROME’S FIGHTING FORCE--

WERE MASSACRED.

HANNIBAL’S VICTORY AT CANNAE

STANDS AS ONE OF THE MOST \hMEMORABLE MILITARY FEATS

OF ALL TIME.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMaharbal: A SIGHT TO BEHOLD, GENERAL.

♪

[BLADE SLICES]

[MAN GROANS]

Bettany: BUT ACCORDING \h\h\hTO ONE OF ROME’S

MOST CELEBRATED HISTORIANS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLIVY,

\hFROM THE SHAMEFUL BLOODBATH OF CANNAE

EMERGED A TRUE ROMAN HERO--

PUBLIUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Man: YAH!

[GRUNTING]

[GROANS]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

\h\h\hBettany: THIS WAS THE MAN WHO’D CONFRONT HANNIBAL AT ZAMA

\h\hAND SHOW THE WORLD WHY ROME WAS THE EXCEPTION, BORN TO RULE.

216 BC, IMMEDIATELY AFTER \h\hROME’S CRUSHING DEFEAT

AT THE HANDS OF HANNIBAL...

THE ROMAN HISTORIAN LIVY RECORDS

THAT THE YOUNG ARMY OFFICER, \h\h\hSCIPIO, WAS ON THE RUN

\h\hIN ENEMY TERRITORY WITH A FELLOW SOLDIER.

[HORSE WHINNIES]

♪

\h\h\hNOW, AFTER THE SLAUGHTER AT CANNAE, SCIPIO’S COMPANION

\h\hWAS ONE OF MANY READY TO DESERT THE ROMAN ARMY.

Metellus: I’M DONE HIDING IN DITCHES.

I’M HEADING TO THE COAST.

ARE YOU WITH ME?

[GROANING]

\h\h\hScipio: I SWEAR THAT I WILL NEVER DESERT ROME.

\hIF I BREAK MY VOW, MAY JUPITER HIMSELF

BRING TO ME A SHAMEFUL DEATH.

NOW YOU!

Metellus: TAKE THE SWORD FROM \hMY THROAT AND I’LL SWEAR IT.

Scipio: SWEAR IT!

[GRUNTS]

\h\hMetellus: I SWEAR NEVER TO DESERT ROME.

IF I BREAK MY OATH, MAY JUPITER BRING ME TO A SHAMEFUL DEATH!

AGH!

Bettany: SCIPIO’S REFUSAL \h\h\h\h\hTO ABANDON ROME

AT THIS CRITICAL TIME...

Scipio: ROME IS THIS WAY.

Bettany: ...WOULD BECOME PART \h\h\h\h\h\hOF ROMAN FOLKLORE.

IN A WAR THAT WAS GOING BADLY, \hSCIPIO’S BRAVADO STOOD OUT.

IN FACT, HE WAS MADE TO EMBODY \h\h\h\h\h\hALL THE QUALITIES

THAT THE ROMANS VALUED, \hIN PARTICULAR VIRTUS.

NOW, VIRTUS COMES FROM THE WORD "VIR," WHICH MEANS MAN,

AND IF YOU POSSESSED VIRTUS,

THEN YOU WERE BRAVE AND STRONG \h\h\h\h\h\hON BEHALF OF ROME,

AND IN RETURN THAT BESTOWED ON YOU GLORIA AND DIGNITAS--

\h\hA KIND OF GLORIOUS FAME AND A DIGNIFIED REPUTATION.

\h\h\hTHESE QUALITIES WOULD MARK SCIPIO OUT

AS A TEXTBOOK ROMAN HERO.

BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DEFEAT AT CANNAE,

IDEAS OF GLORY SEEMED \h\h\hA LONG WAY OFF.

WHEN NEWS OF THE SLAUGHTER \hFINALLY ARRIVED IN ROME,

\h\h\hONE EMOTION SWEPT THROUGH THE CITY: FEAR.

\h\h\hHANNIBAL COULD ARRIVE AT THE GATES AT ANY MOMENT.

\h\hPANIC WAS THREATENING TO TAKE HOLD OF THE CITY.

ALMOST EVERY HOUSEHOLD \h\hHAD LOST SOMEONE,

\h\hAND THE SOUND OF WAILING MOURNERS FILLED THE STREETS.

THE POLITICIANS HAD TO GET \hA GRIP ON THE SITUATION.

AT THE TIME OF CANNAE,

THE ROMAN SENATE WAS IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY,

\h\hAND THEY CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING

IN A BUILDING THAT’S NOW BURIED RIGHT UNDERNEATH THIS CHURCH.

AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO,

THE SENATE SOUGHT THE GUIDANCE \h\hOF AN ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE

\h\h\h\h\hFROM ONE OF ROME’S MOST DISTINGUISHED FAMILIES.

QUINTUS FABIUS MAXIMUS WAS AN ELDER STATESMAN

AND CELEBRATED GENERAL

WHO’D ADVISED AGAINST FIGHTING \h\h\h\h\hHANNIBAL AT CANNAE.

Soldier: SENATOR.

Bettany: HE NOW TOOK CONTROL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE CITY.

ONE OF FABIUS MAXIMUS’S \h\h\h\h\hFIRST ACTIONS

WAS TO BAN FEMALE MOURNERS \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE STREETS

IN AN EFFORT TO RESTORE CALM.

IN EFFECT, WEEPING WAS OUTLAWED,

BUT THAT WASN’T ENOUGH.

\h\hTHE ROMAN HISTORIAN LIVY TELLS US WHAT HAPPENS NEXT,

\h\h\hAND IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AND, FOR US, APPALLING MEASURE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA PRIESTESS, KNOWN AS A VESTAL VIRGIN,

WAS ACCUSED OF HAVING HAD SEX, BREAKING HER VOW OF CHASTITY.

\h\h\hFABIUS MAXIMUS DECLARED THAT SHE HAD ANGERED THE GODS,

\hWHO’D PUNISHED ROME WITH THE DEVASTATING DEFEAT AT CANNAE.

TO APPEASE THE GODS, HE ORDERED THAT THE VESTAL VIRGIN

\h\h\h\hBE CONDEMNED TO A HORRIFIC FATE--

HUMAN SACRIFICE.

♪

\h\h\hFabius Maximus: ANY NEWS OF YOUR SON?

Publius: NO, SENATOR.

Fabius Maximus: PRAY THE GODS, \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THEIR MAJESTY,

LET HIM BE LIVING.

Publius: IS THIS SPECTACLE \h\h\h\hREALLY NECESSARY?

Fabius Maximus: ROME IS NOTHING WITHOUT THE FAVOR OF THE GODS.

[QUIETLY SOBBING]

\h\h\hIF THIS WHORE, AND OTHERS LIKE HER,

HAD NOT DESECRATED THEIR OFFICE,

PERHAPS YOUR SON WOULD BE \h\h\hAT YOUR SIDE TODAY.

♪

[PANTING]

♪

♪

[SCREAMS]

Bettany: THIS WAS RITUAL MURDER CARRIED OUT BY A PEOPLE

DESPERATE TO OVERCOME THE TRAUMA OF DEFEAT.

WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE ROMANS, WE SHOULDN’T JUST IMAGINE

MEN AND WOMEN LIKE US \h\hDRESSED IN TOGAS.

THIS WAS OFTEN A VERY PRIMITIVE

AND DEEPLY SUPERSTITIOUS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSOCIETY.

THERE WERE GODS AND GODDESSES

AND DEMIGODS AND SPIRITS \h\h\h\h\h\hALL AROUND.

\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS SOMEWHERE BOTH OF EXTRAORDINARY SOPHISTICATION

\h\hAND ALSO SOMETIMES OF CHILLING SAVAGERY.

\h\h\h\hAND ROME WAS ALSO AN ACHINGLY MACHO SOCIETY

WHERE GIRLS WERE MARRIED OFF \h\h\h\hFROM THE AGE OF 10,

WITH MYTHIC RAPES RE-ENACTED AS PART OF THEIR MARRIAGE RITUALS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE ROMANS HOPED THAT BURYING A WOMAN ALIVE

WOULD HELP TO PURIFY THE STATE,

\h\h\hRESTORING ROME’S CONFIDENCE AND VIGOR.

\h\hALEXANDER EVERS IS AN EXPERT ON THE CULTURE OF ANCIENT ROME.

Alexander Evers: CANNAE WAS \hA HUGE PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOW

TO THE ROMAN MIND,

\hAND CLEARLY THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GODS MUST HAVE BEEN,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE TIME MUST HAVE BEEN DISTURBED,

AND SO THE ROMANS LOOK \h\h\hFOR A SCAPEGOAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBettany: IT’S ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC.

Alexander: GRUESOME AS IT \h\h\h\h\hMAY SEEM TO US,

\h\h\hBURYING SOMEONE ALIVE, IT DOES WORK FOR THE ROMANS.

IT UNITES EVERYONE, IT PULLS THEM ALL BACK TOGETHER AGAIN

BEHIND THE COMMON CAUSE, WHICH \hIS THE WAR AGAINST HANNIBAL.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBettany: THE ROMANS WERE REDISCOVERING

THEIR UNRELENTING DRIVE.

\h\hIN THE INTERVENING YEARS AFTER THE DEFEAT AT CANNAE,

THE WAR WITH CARTHAGE SPREAD \hACROSS THE ANCIENT WORLD,

AN INTERCONTINENTAL GAME \h\h\h\hOF CAT AND MOUSE

WITH BITTER FIGHTING \h\hON LAND AND SEA.

WHILE ROME FOUGHT A DESPERATE \h\h\hGUERRILLA WAR IN ITALY,

\h\h\hPREVENTING HANNIBAL ATTACKING THE CITY ITSELF,

THE ROMAN GENERALS MADE A PLAN

TO DESTABILIZE THE WIDER \h\hCARTHAGINIAN EMPIRE.

IN 210 BC THEY LAUNCHED \h\h\h\hA COUNTERATTACK,

\h\h\h\h\hIN CARTHAGE’S MAIN POWER BASE, SPAIN.

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR SCIPIO, THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY

TO RISE THROUGH THE RANKS.

A SINGULAR MAN BRAVE ENOUGH \h\h\h\h\h\hTO TAKE ON A JOB

\hMOST CONSIDERED A DEATH SENTENCE--

TO LEAD ROME’S FORCES \h\h\h\hHERE IN SPAIN.

SCIPIO WAS JUST 25

\h\h\h\h\hWHEN HE TOOK COMMAND OF THE ROMAN ARMIES IN SPAIN,

AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY HE TURNED THE WAR IN ROME’S FAVOR

BY CAPTURING CARTHAGINIAN \h\h\h\hFORCES AND CITIES.

BUT HE DID SO WITH A COMBINATION OF CUNNING AND DOWNRIGHT CRUELTY

\h\h\hTHAT WOULD COME TO BE A HALLMARK OF ROMAN WARFARE.

THIS IS ILLITURGIS, ANDALUCÍA--

THE SITE OF A CITY ATTACKED \h\h\h\hBY SCIPIO IN 206 BC.

\h\h\h\hTHERE ARE SOME REMARKABLE FINDS HERE

THAT ARE TRANSFORMING \h\hOUR UNDERSTANDING

\hOF HOW THE ROMANS CLAWED BACK CONTROL

\h\h\h\hAT THE EXPENSE OF THE CARTHAGINIANS.

A GROUP OF SPANISH \h\hARCHAEOLOGISTS

LED BY JUAN PEDRO BELLÓN

\h\hHAVE JUST DISCOVERED FASCINATING NEW EVIDENCE

DIRECTLY LINKING SCIPIO TO AN ACT OF MASS MURDER

AGAINST THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF ILLITURGIS.

\hBettany: AND DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE OF CONFLICT HERE?

Juan Pedro: YES, OF COURSE.

Bettany: GOSH.

Bettany: ILLITURGIS WAS ONCE \h\h\h\hA FLOURISHING TOWN,

BUT THE INHABITANTS \h\hMADE THE MISTAKE

OF TAKING THE CARTHAGINIAN SIDE IN THE WAR.

\h\h\h\h\hFOR SCIPIO, THIS BETRAYAL DESERVED

THE ULTIMATE PUNISHMENT.

JUAN PEDRO’S TEAM HAVE BEEN \h\h\h\h\h\hUNCOVERING SIGNS

OF A SAVAGE ROMAN ATTACK.

SO TALK ME THROUGH WHAT YOU’VE GOT ON THE TABLE.

\h\hBettany: HOBNAILS FROM THE ROMAN BOOTS!

Juan Pedro: YES.

Bettany: THAT’S REALLY SIGNIFICANT, ISN’T IT,

BECAUSE THE HOBNAILED BOOT IS \hA REAL EMBLEM OF THE ROMANS.

Juan Pedro: YES.

Bettany: YES.

Bettany: AMAZING, AND THIS IS, \h\h\hI KNOW, A VERY TYPICAL,

\h\hHORRIBLE, FEROCIOUS ROMAN WEAPON, ISN’T IT?

\hBettany: YES, IT’S FROM A BALLISTA BOLT, ISN’T IT?

Juan Pedro: YES, YES, YES.

Bettany: I PROBABLY SHOULDN’T ASK THIS,

\h\h\h\hBUT I CAN SEE THERE’S A RING THERE,

IS THERE ANY CHANCE \hI COULD TRY IT ON?

\h\h\h\hJuan Pedro: YES, YOU CAN TRY IT.

Bettany: GOSH, THANK YOU. \h\h\h\hWHAT’S IT MADE OF?

Bettany: AH, THAT’S AMAZING.

SO THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME \h\h\hTHAT THIS HAS BEEN WORN

IN 2,200 YEARS?

Juan Pedro: YES.

Bettany: I MEAN, IT IS \hJUST A LITTLE THING,

BUT IT SPEAKS VOLUMES, \h\h\h\h\hDOESN’T IT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT THE LOCAL PEOPLE HERE

WHO ARE JUST SUFFERING INVASION FROM FOREIGN ARMIES

WHO ARE USING THEIR TERRITORY \h\h\h\h\h\hAS A BATTLEGROUND.

Bettany: SO THE POPULATION HERE WAS PRETTY MUCH WIPED OUT, THEN?

Juan Pedro: YES.

Bettany: THE EVIDENCE FOUND \hBY JUAN PEDRO AND HIS TEAM

IS COMPELLING:

AT THE EXACT HISTORICAL MOMENT

THAT ROMAN WEAPONS APPEAR \h\h\h\hIN THIS LANDSCAPE

NEARLY ALL SIGNS OF LIFE \h\h\h\h\hIN ILLITURGIS

\h\h\h\h\h\hDISAPPEAR FROM THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD.

IT’S SOBERING TO THINK \h\h\h\h\hTHAT SCIPIO,

ONE OF ROME’S GREATEST HEROES,

WAS CAPABLE OF THE COLD-BLOODED MASSACRE OF MEN AND WOMEN

WHO DARED TO DEFY ROME.

\h\h\h\hJUST LISTEN TO WHAT THE ROMAN AUTHOR LIVY WROTE

ABOUT THE BATTLE HERE:

\h\h\h\h\h"NO ONE THOUGHT OF TAKING PRISONERS ALIVE.

NO ONE THOUGHT OF PLUNDER.

THEY SLAUGHTERED THE UNARMED \h\h\h\hAND THE ARMED ALIKE.

THE WOMEN BESIDES THE MEN.

DRIVEN ON BY A CRUEL RAGE,

THEY BUTCHERED THE INFANTS, TOO.

THEY DELIGHTED IN DESTROYING \h\h\hALL TRACES OF THE CITY

\hAND IN BLOTTING OUT THE VERY MEMORY OF THEIR ENEMY’S HOME."

IT’S A VERY POWERFUL BIT \h\h\h\h\h\hOF WRITING,

BUT UP UNTIL NOW WE HAVEN’T \h\hBEEN ABLE TO VERIFY IT.

THE FINDS HERE, THOUGH, TELL US

THAT THIS WAS THE SITE \h\h\hOF AN ATROCITY.

\h\hWORD OF THE MASSACRE SPREAD INCREDIBLY FAST,

AND THIS ACTUALLY BECAME

\h\h\h\hONE OF THE ROMANS’ MOST POWERFUL TOOLS--FEAR.

\hTHE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR-- YOU DON’T MESS WITH ROME.

YOU ARE EITHER WITH THEM \h\h\h\hOR AGAINST THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT’S AN EARLY FORM OF STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM.

SCIPIO’S BLOODY VICTORIES \hIN SPAIN ESTABLISHED HIM

AS ROME’S GREATEST HOPE

\h\h\hFOR DEFEATING HANNIBAL AND THE ARMIES OF CARTHAGE.

NOW THIS FEROCIOUS BATTLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR POWER

WAS ABOUT TO REACH ITS CLIMAX...

\h\h\h\hIN A CONFRONTATION BETWEEN THE TWO GENERALS,

NOT IN ITALY OR SPAIN,

BUT ON THE PLAINS \hOF NORTH AFRICA.

206 BC.

\h\hAFTER FIVE YEARS OF BLOODY FIGHTING,

\h\h\hSCIPIO HAD DEFEATED THE CARTHAGINIAN FORCES IN SPAIN,

\h\h\h\h\hSECURING LAND AND CRITICAL RESOURCES,

INCLUDING SPANISH SILVER MINES, FOR HIS MOTHER CITY.

SCIPIO RETURNED TO ROME A HERO,

DETERMINED TO WIN THE WAR \h\h\h\hAGAINST HANNIBAL,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHO 12 YEARS AFTER CROSSING THE ALPS

WAS STILL AT LARGE IN SOUTHERN ITALY.

\h\h\h\hROME’S LEADERS HAD AVOIDED LAUNCHING

ANOTHER LARGE-SCALE ATTACK \h\h\h\hAGAINST HANNIBAL,

\hTERRIFIED OF REPEATING THE MISTAKES OF CANNAE.

\h\h\h\hSCIPIO, EMBOLDENED BY HIS VICTORIES IN SPAIN,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNOW PROPOSED A RADICAL AND DARING PLAN:

HE WOULD DRAW HANNIBAL \h\h\h\h\hOUT OF ITALY

BY SAILING WITH AN ARMY \h\h\h\hTO NORTH AFRICA

AND ATTACKING CARTHAGE ITSELF.

\h\hFIRST, SCIPIO HAD TO WIN THE APPROVAL OF THE SENATE.

BUT HIS HIGH-STAKES STRATEGY \h\h\h\h\h\hFLEW IN THE FACE

OF EVERYTHING THE OLD SENATOR \h\hFABIUS MAXIMUS STOOD FOR.

\h\hScipio: YOUR STRATEGY OF AVOIDANCE AND RESTRAINT

WILL NEVER RID US OF HANNIBAL.

I WILL STRIKE HIM WHERE HE IS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hMOST VULNERABLE,

IN HIS HOMELAND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFabius Maximus: HANNIBAL ISN’T IN HIS HOMELAND.

HE’S HERE IN ITALY.

IT IS WHERE THE ROMAN ARMY \h\h\h\h\hSHOULD BE, ALSO.

\h\h\h\hNOT IN AFRICA ON SOME VAINGLORIOUS PLUNDERING TRIP.

Scipio: I’VE NO TIME FOR THIS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOLD MAN.

\hTHE SENATE ASKED ME TO SPEAK WITH YOU, AND WE HAVE SPOKEN.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR ROMANS \h\h\hTO BE ROMANS AGAIN.

IT’S AFRICA’S TURN TO BE PUT \h\h\h\h\hTO FIRE AND SWORD!

[DOOR SLAMS]

Bettany: FINALLY, TWO YEARS AFTER HIS RETURN FROM SPAIN,

\h\h\h\hTHE SENATE RELENTED; SCIPIO SET SAIL FOR AFRICA.

\h\hWITH CARTHAGE ITSELF NOW UNDER DIRECT THREAT,

\h\h\hHANNIBAL WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO HIS HOMELAND.

SO FAR, SCIPIO’S AUDACIOUS PLAN APPEARED TO BE WORKING.

AND IN OCTOBER, 202 BC, \hON THE PLAINS OF ZAMA,

ABOUT 80 MILES INLAND \h\h\h\hFROM CARTHAGE,

\h\hTHE TWO ARMIES CAME FACE TO FACE.

\h\hSCIPIO HAD GOT HANNIBAL EXACTLY WHERE HE WANTED HIM.

\hTHE STAGE WAS SET FOR A CRITICAL CLASH

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBETWEEN ROME AND THE ANCIENT POWER OF CARTHAGE.

Mike: THE BATTLE OF ZAMA

WAS AN ENORMOUSLY PERSONAL \h\h\h\h\h\h\hGRUDGE MATCH

BETWEEN HANNIBAL AND SCIPIO.

BOTH OF THESE MEN HAD HISTORY.

AND THEY MET.

\h\h\h\hTHEY ALLEGEDLY MET BEFORE THE BATTLE OF ZAMA.

IT PLAYS INTO ROMANTIC IDEALS \h\h\h\h\hOF ANCIENT WARFARE.

IT’S LIKE TWO TEAM CAPTAINS

\h\h\hHAVING A HANDSHAKE BEFORE A SPORTING MATCH.

Bettany: AND EVEN IF THEY ARE DOING THIS

\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL CIVILIZATIONS,

\hTHIS IS AN AGE WHERE PERSONAL GLORY COUNTS FOR A HUGE AMOUNT.

\hMike: ABSOLUTELY, THE WARRIOR CULTURE.

FOR THESE TWO GIANTS OF GENERALS NOW TO COME FACE TO FACE,

MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE \hTHEY JUST WANTED

TO LOOK EACH OTHER \hIN THE EYE ONCE.

WHO KNOWS?

BUT IT IS A REMARKABLE THING

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THEY HAD A PRIVATE, SOLO MEETING,

BEFORE THIS FINAL, \hDECISIVE BATTLE.

[HORSES WHINNYING]

[DISTANT YELLING]

[HORSE NICKERS]

♪

\h\h\hHannibal: CERTAIN PEACE OR UNCERTAIN HOPE OF VICTORY?

THE FIRST...

I OFFER YOU NOW.

\h\h\hTHE SECOND WOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF THE GODS.

Scipio: HERE ARE MY TERMS--

YOU MUST PUT YOURSELF AND YOUR COUNTRY ENTIRELY AT MY MERCY.

[CHUCKLES]

SO BE IT.

\h\h\h\hBettany: THE BATTLE THAT FOLLOWED THIS LEGENDARY MEETING

WOULD BE A SINGLE DAY OF COMBAT

\hTO DECIDE IF ROME HAD THE WIT AND WILL

TO ACHIEVE ITS BOLDEST AMBITIONS TO DEFEAT THE POWER

\h\h\h\hTHAT HAD TAUGHT ROME HOW A GREAT EMPIRE OPERATED.

AS LIVY MAKES CLEAR, THE STAKES COULD NOT HAVE BEEN HIGHER:

"IF THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL, \h\h\h\hTHEY’D BE VICTORS

NOT ONLY FOR A DAY, \hBUT FOR ALL TIME;

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WOULD KNOW BEFORE THE NEXT DAY ENDED

WHETHER ROME OR CARTHAGE WAS TO GIVE LAWS TO THE NATIONS.

FOR NOT ONLY AFRICA AND ITALY,

THE WHOLE WORLD WOULD BE \hTHE PRIZE OF VICTORY.

GREAT AS IS THE PRIZE, THE PERIL OF DEFEAT WILL BE AS GREAT."

\h\h\hTHIS WAS WRITTEN 200 YEARS AFTER ZAMA,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSO WE KNOW THEN THAT THE BATTLE LOOMED LARGE

IN THE ROMAN IMAGINATION.

BUT I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT PEOPLE AT THE TIME

REALIZED HOW CRITICALLY \h\h\hIMPORTANT IT WAS.

\h\hTHIS WAS THE CULMINATION OF 50 YEARS OF ON-AND-OFF CONFLICT

BETWEEN THE GREATEST POWERS \h\h\hIN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

\hTHIS REALLY WAS WINNER-TAKES-ALL.

♪

THE TWO GREAT ARMIES \hFACED ONE ANOTHER.

HANNIBAL HAD 36,000 TROOPS, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSCIPIO 30,000.

BUT SCIPIO HAD ONE ADVANTAGE,

THANKS TO A POLITICAL \h\h\h\hMASTERSTROKE.

Mike: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SCIPIO LEARNED FROM HANNIBAL

IS TO USE TROOPS FROM OTHER NATIONS, TO USE SPECIALISTS.

YOU HAVE GOT THE NUMIDIANS

\h\h\hWITH THIS VASTLY SUPERIOR CAVALRY FORCE FROM NORTH AFRICA

\h\h\h\h\hWITH THEIR JAVELINS AND THEIR FAST, AGILE HORSES,

\h\h\h\h\hWHO HAD BEEN CRUCIAL IN ALL OF HANNIBAL’S CAMPAIGNS

FOR 16 YEARS THROUGH ITALY, \h\hNOW FIGHTING FOR SCIPIO.

Bettany: AND THE CRITICAL THING ABOUT THIS BATTLE

IS THAT IT REMINDS US

IT’S NOT JUST BRAWN BUT BRAIN \h\h\h\h\hTHAT THE ROMANS USE,

BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN WOOING \h\hTHE NUMIDIANS FOR YEARS.

\hDIPLOMACY IS AS IMPORTANT AS SHEER MILITARY STRENGTH.

\h\h\hMike: ABSOLUTELY. THE TABLES HAVE TURNED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY HAD BEEN HANNIBAL’S SECRET WEAPON;

NOW THEY’RE ROME’S \h\hSECRET WEAPON.

\h\hBettany: COURTESY OF THE HISTORIAN POLYBIUS,

WE HAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE SPEECH EACH GENERAL GAVE TO HIS TROOPS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hScipio: IF YOU OVERCOME YOUR ENEMIES,

YOU WILL GAIN FOR YOURSELVES \h\h\h\h\h\hAND YOUR COUNTRY

THE UNDISPUTED COMMAND \h\h\hAND SOVEREIGNTY

OF THE REST OF THE WORLD!

[YELLING]

[DISTANT YELLING]

♪

Hannibal: THIS IS THE DAY

TO CONFIRM YOUR REPUTATION \h\h\h\hFOR INVINCIBILITY!

FIGHT BRAVELY AND UPHOLD \hYOUR PROUD REPUTATION

AS AN ARMY THAT HAS NEVER...

KNOWN...

DEFEAT!

[YELLING]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

Scipio: FORWARD!

[HORSE WHINNIES]

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hBettany: SCIPIO’S NUMIDIAN CAVALRY

IMMEDIATELY ATTACKED HANNIBAL’S SMALLER CAVALRY FORCE,

PURSUING THEM INTO THE DESERT.

\hBUT AS THEY CHARGED FROM THE BATTLEFIELD,

SCIPIO HAD TEMPORARILY LOST \h\h\h\h\hHIS ONE ADVANTAGE.

NOW THE TWO ARMIES CLASHED.

[YELLING]

[WEAPONS CLASHING]

[YELLING]

THE ROMAN INFANTRY HAD THE EDGE IN DISCIPLINE AND TRAINING,

\h\hBUT THE CARTHAGINIANS FOUGHT DESPERATELY TO SAVE THEIR CITY.

Hannibal: LENGTHEN THE LINE!

\h\hBettany: NOW HANNIBAL ORDERED SOME OF HIS TROOPS

\h\hTO MOVE OUT TO THE WINGS, HOPING TO ENVELOP THE ROMANS,

JUST AS HE’D DONE AT CANNAE.

Hannibal: DON’T LET THEM PASS!

FORWARD!

[GROANING]

[HORSE WHINNIES]

\h\h\h\h\h\hBettany: SO FAR, SCIPIO’S FORCES HAD HELD OUT

AGAINST THE LARGER ARMY.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT SUDDENLY THEY WERE OUTFLANKED BY THE CARTHAGINIANS,

FACING HANNIBAL’S ELITE, BATTLE-HARDENED VETERANS

\h\h\h\hWHO HE’D HELD BACK TO DELIVER A KILLER BLOW.

\h\h\h\hSCIPIO’S DECISION OVER THE NEXT FEW MOMENTS

WOULD DECIDE THE FATE OF TWO GREAT EMPIRES.

AS THE BATTLE OF ZAMA RAGED...

Hannibal: DON’T LET THEM PASS!

\h\hBettany: ROME’S INFANTRY WERE BLOODIED AND EXHAUSTED.

BUT SCIPIO HELD FAST.

[SCREAMING]

Hannibal: FORWARD!

Scipio: COME ON!

COME ON!

[GRUNTING]

FOR VICTORY!

Bettany: WITH ROME’S SUPERIOR \hCAVALRY STILL OUT OF SIGHT,

SCIPIO RUSHED REINFORCEMENTS TO THE CENTER OF THE BATTLEFIELD...

Scipio: COME ON, FORWARD!

IN YOUR FORMATIONS! NOW!

Bettany: ...WHERE HANNIBAL’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hELITE VETERANS

\h\hTHREATENED TO PUNCH THROUGH THE ROMAN LINES.

Scipio: COME ON, COME ON, \h\hTHE CENTER MUST HOLD!

Officer: OUR STRONGEST TROOPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE SO FAR...

Scipio: PUSH!

[CLANGING]

[LABORED BREATHING]

\h\h\hBettany: SCIPIO’S FORCES WERE ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE.

BUT THE TIDE WAS ABOUT TO TURN.

[HORN BLOWING]

[SCREAMING]

[HORN BLOWING]

\h\h[HORN BLOWING, HOOVES THUNDERING]

[YELLING]

THE BATTLE HAD BEEN RAGING \h\h\h\h\hSINCE DAYBREAK.

BY EARLY AFTERNOON THE NUMIDIAN CAVALRY RETURNED TO THE FRAY,

ATTACKING HANNIBAL’S FORCES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE REAR

AND ENCIRCLING HIS TROOPS,

JUST AS 14 YEARS BEFORE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT CANNAE,

HANNIBAL HAD ENCIRCLED \hTHE FORCES OF ROME.

♪

♪

\h\h\hSCIPIO HAD WON A STUNNING VICTORY;

20,000 CARTHAGINIAN TROOPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLAY DEAD.

♪

HANNIBAL’S ARMY HAD BEEN \hCOMPLETELY DESTROYED.

Scipio: VICTORY FOR ROME!

[YELLING]

Bettany: HANNIBAL HIMSELF \h\hESCAPED THE SLAUGHTER,

RIDING STRAIGHT FOR CARTHAGE,

A CITY HE’D NOT SEEN \h\h\hFOR 36 YEARS.

HE’D SURVIVE TO SEE ROME HUMBLE HIS ONCE PROUD HOMELAND.

\h\h\h\h\h\hSCIPIO KNEW WHAT THIS VICTORY MEANT.

\hHE’D ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS ROME’S MOST SUCCESSFUL GENERAL

\hAND HAD CHANGED THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

THE CARTHAGINIANS HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO BEG FOR PEACE;

THEY KNEW THAT THE ALTERNATIVE \h\h\h\h\h\hWAS ANNIHILATION.

CARTHAGE WAS MADE TO PAY \hA MASSIVE INDEMNITY--

\h\h\h\h\h10,000 TALENTS, ABOUT 250 TONS OF SILVER--

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND HAND OVER ALL BUT 10 OF HER WARSHIPS.

\h\h\h\hROME’S TERMS ENSURED THE MIGHTY CITY OF CARTHAGE

\h\h\hWOULD NEVER BE A GREAT POWER AGAIN.

FINALLY, IN 146 BC, \h\h\hROMAN FORCES,

\h\h\hLED BY NONE OTHER THAN SCIPIO’S GRANDSON,

RAZED CARTHAGE TO THE GROUND.

\h\hTHE ENTIRE POPULATION WAS MASSACRED OR ENSLAVED.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SUFFERING MUST HAVE BEEN HIDEOUS.

MEN AND WOMEN WERE STRUNG UP, DISEMBOWELED, RAPED, BEHEADED.

\h\h\h\hMEANWHILE THE ROMANS SET ABOUT REWRITING HISTORY,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPORTRAYING THE CIVILIZED CARTHAGINIANS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS RANK BARBARIANS WHO DESERVED NO MERCY IN DEFEAT.

THE VERY SAME YEAR

\h\h\h\h\hROME ALSO SACKED THE GREEK CITY OF CORINTH,

MAKING GREEK CULTURE THEIR OWN.

SUCH STOMACH-CHURNING FEROCITY \h\h\hAND CYNICAL MYTH-MAKING

WAS ESSENTIAL.

THE TRIUMPHALISM OF A PEOPLE

EMBARKING ON A MASSIVE \h\hIMPERIAL PROJECT.

\h\hAND THAT’S WHAT FOR ME MAKES THIS DAY SO CRUCIAL.

SCIPIO’S VICTORY OVER HANNIBAL

MARKS A TIPPING POINT \h\hIN ROME’S HISTORY,

WHEN AN INFLUENTIAL CITY-STATE

BECOMES AN UNSTOPPABLE \h\h\hIMPERIAL POWER.

IN THEIR DEFEAT OF CARTHAGE,

\h\h\hONE PITILESS DAY ON THE PLAINS OF ZAMA,

WE ALSO SEE KEY FEATURES

OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE STARTING TO EMERGE--

AN IRREPRESSIBLE BELIEF IN THEIR RIGHT TO RULE,

A RUTHLESS DETERMINATION \h\hTO WIN AT ANY COSTS,

AND A COMPLEX IDENTITY--

LIONIZING HONOR AND DECENCY

AS WELL AS INSTIGATING CAMPAIGNS OF VIOLENCE AND TERROR.

WELCOME TO THE BRAVE NEW \h\h\h\h\h\hROMAN WORLD.

NEXT TIME...

ROME’S NEW EMPIRE IS UNDER THREAT...

FROM WITHIN.

\hON THE DAY WHEN A SLAVE ESCAPED...

[SCREAM]

...AND WENT ON TO LEAD A BLOODY REBELLION...

[YELLING]

\h\h\h\h\h...THAT THREATENED TO DESTROY SCIPIO’S LEGACY.

Spartacus: MY NAME IS SPARTACUS.

♪

♪

♪

♪