In "The Past in The Time Patrol Series" posts, I have not always cited references. However, the relevant passages are easy to find in the early stories. The object of the exercise is to demonstrate how much historical knowledge the Time Patrol series imparts.
The Romans interfered with Carthaginian enterprise south of the Ebro. In 219-218 B.C., Hannibal Barca, governor of Carthaginian Spain, besieged and captured Sagantum, then marched across the Pyrenees, Gaul and the Alps, losing 70,000 infantry and 6000 horses en route. (Anderson does not tell us how many of Hannibal's 37 elephants were lost on this journey.) Despite these heavy losses, Hannibal, with his remaining 20,000 infantry and 6000 cavalry, defeated a superior Roman army at the Battle of Ticinus. The Roman commander, Publius Cornelius Scipio, and his son, Scipio Africanus the Elder, escaped, the son saving the father's life in the retreat. Guerrilla resistance by Quintus Fabius Maximus devastated Italy. Publius Cornelius Scipio weakened Hannibal's base in Spain. Hannibal was cut off in Italy and defeated by Scipio Africanus at Zama.
Hasdrubal Barca arriving in 211 and Hannibal burning Rome in 210 are in Time Patrol memories and records but not in our history.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
The only way I can make sense of Hannibal's army suffering such crushing losses on the march to Italy being the total lack of adequate logistics and lack of supplies.
Hannibal probably lost more than half of those 37 elephants.
Ad astra! Sean
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