Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome

While Hannibal Barca may be famous for crossing the Italian Alps and almost conquering Rome, questions about his life and legacy remain unanswered and under-explored. Where, for example, did he and his family come from? What caused the Punic Wars to break out between Rome and Carthage, and to what extent did the conflict shape Hannibal's early life and beliefs? What did Romans think of Hannibal's invasion, the defection of allies, and grave human losses across Italy? How did the Carthaginian army manage to control the Italian peninsula in the Second Punic War, in the first place? And perhaps most important, why did Hannibal and his army ultimately fail in their long and impressive fight against Rome?

Answer these questions and more in Hannibal: The Military Genius Who Almost Conquered Rome, a 15-lecture course on the legendary Carthaginian general who devastated the Italian peninsula in the Second Punic War. With Eve MacDonald, Senior Lecturer in Ancient History at Cardiff University, as your expert guide, learn about Hannibal's family background and upbringing. Follow the young commander as he and an impressive cadre of calvary men, foot soldiers, and even elephants crossed the treacherous Alps. Reconstruct key battles in the Italian, Iberian, and North African theaters. See the conflict through Roman eyes, understanding strategy and state of mind from the other side. And investigate what became of both Hannibal and Carthage after the dust of combat and conquest had settled.