Hannibal Crosses the Alps
A Route Examined and
a Proposed Alternate Route

Modern Historians:
The Island

By Russ Lockwood

Hannibal then marches four days along the banks of the Rhone until he comes to a place called "The Island." Here it is described as a place similar in size and shape to the Nile Delta, with the Rhone and another river forming two sides of the triangle and a range of mountains difficult to approach and penetrate.

Many translations use the name "Isere" for this other river name, which is also referred to as Skaras, Isaras, and Arar in other translations. However, a number of scholars and authors dispute the Isere as the river. Of course, the particular river mentioned in any work depends on where the Rhone was initially crossed. Four main rivers can be used as a reference point: Durance, Aygues, Drome, and Isere. There are other rivers, but apparently smaller, for none call attention to them.

Note, however, the timing and organization of the march. According to Polybius, the infantry and cavalry are already across the river, but the elephants are still on the other side. "At dawn on the day after the assembly had been held, Hannibal dispatched the whole of his cavalry in the direction of the sea to act as a covering force, and moved his infantry out of camp and set them on the march while he himself waited for the elephants and the men that had been left with them to cross the river." [Polybius III, 25]

The elephants presented quite a problem to row across on rafts. In essense, the army built a 200-foot earth-covered pontoon pier and cut the last raft (holding a number of elephants) loose to be towed to the opposite shore. "In this way, and by continuing to attach fresh rafts to the end of the pontoon, they managed to get most of the animals across on these, but some became so terror stricken that they leaped into the river when they were halfway across." [Polybius III, 46]

Polybius' text does not say specifically how long it took to get the elephants across, but it is possible that it may have taken the better part of a day to ferry the elephants across and recall the cavalry that had been sent south, thus giving the infantry an "extra" day of marching. Hannibal was with the elephants and cavalry. This "extra" day could translate into an additional 14km of marching, so the Island could be not just 56km, but 70km away.

Considering that Publius Scipio arrived at the Carthaginian crossing point in three days with light forces (instead of the four it took the Carthaginians), it is likely a four-day march by cavalry and elephants could catch the infantry in five, although it would be a split command for most of the march. Hannibal had split his command at the forced crossing for several days, so it is not out of the ordinary. The text specifically says rearguard, which indicates a distance and time delay between the main force of infantry and the covering force of cavalry and elephants.

It is also possible that Hannibal caught up relatively quickly to his infantry, seeing how Scipio covered four days march in three days with light forces and no baggage. In this scenario, four days marching up the Rhone to the Island is really four days.

Note that Livy places Hannibal's "assembly" after all his forces cross the Rhone, and that the united force marched four days.

One other clue is available: Polybius' number is 1400 stadia from the crossing of the Rhone to the Ascent of the Alps. It is 800 stades from The Island to the Ascent, leaving 600 stades (about 105km) from the crossing to the Island. If the infantry marched one day ahead (five days total), then 21km a day is a good pace, but not an improbable one. A 26km per day march is a bit much, but not impossible for a short period of time. Hanno's picked force seems to have covered 200 stades (about 35km) in one day to surprise the Volcae, so 21km or 26km per day is quite possible.

Dodge and most others pick the Isere because it closely resembles, or has been manipulated into closely resembling (depending on your point of view), the Skaras, or Isaras, or Arar of ancient text. And the base of mountains is the Mont du Chat. Also, Dodge contends the infantry had a six-day timeframe of marching: "On the seventh day, the infantry set off up the Rhone, and on this and the eighth day the elephants got across. On the ninth, Hannibal, with the cavalry and the elephant, followed the column as rear guard." (Hannibal, page 199) Why it took two days to get the elephants across is not explained. As Dodge mentioned, time was of the essense since Hannibal knew Scipio and the Romans were on the way.

Modern Historians' Picks

de Beer picks the Aygues, contending Hannibal crossed it to reach the Island. He notes that during an excavation in the town of Maillane for Barthelemy Daillan's house in 1777, an elephant skeleton was found that had been deliberately buried with a copper medallion. Maillane is in between Arles and the Aygues River.

Bradford also picks the Aygues as the other river. He notes that it is spot on eight days march from the sea, it forms a fertile delta, and the Baronnies Mountains form the base of the triangle--although the area was not the size of the Nile Delta. And, in a bit of Latin symantics, he notes the river was often called the Aqua Iquarum, that the Iquarum part fell off, leaving Aqua (meaning water), and that in the Provincal language, it became Aygue (also meaning water). Prevas also indicates the Aygues, noting the distance to the Isere is too great for a four day march.

From Fourques to the Aygues River is about 100km if you generally follow the bends of the river, not "as the crow flies." From Roquemaure to the Drome River is about 120km. The Isere River is another 50km or so north of the Drome River. Hanno did 35km in a day, and it might be possible for a 40km per day march. However, while 35km is for an attack, and with the mitigating factors of a picked force and a Roman army on the move, this greatly accelerates the army's movement over the usual 14km per day average.

Dorey and Dudley pick the Isere-Rhone union as two sides of the Island.

Bath sticks with de Beer and the Aygues-Rhone union as two sides of the Island. Again, if you place the crossing point of the Rhone River at Fourques, Bath states that the march to the Isere is too far to make in four days.

Caven also picks the Aygues-Rhone confluence as the start of the Island.

Connolly selects the Isere, comparing its features to the "Nile Delta" in importance, if only 1/3 the size. The Aygues, he argues, is too small, although he notes it is more abundant in corn production. The Aygues is only ankle deep in the summer--hardly the stuff of the Nile. The Isere also offers a "virtual fortress" of an island.

Hannibal Crosses the Alps A Route Examined and a Proposed Alternate Route

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© Copyright 2002 by Russ Lockwood.
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