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

Conclusion and Bibliography

By Russ Lockwood

Conclusion

So ended one of the most audacious marches in history, immortalizing Hannibal and stirring up considerable controversy in the process. Lockwood's proposed route centers on the belief that Hannibal was not interested in wide marches into the hinterland of Gaul--that he wanted to get to Italy and get there as quickly as possible. The Gallic tribes north of the Pyrenees may have delayed him and a Roman consular army under Scipio may have caused him to detour north, but Hannibal would ever head eastward as soon as possible to clear the Alps before winter remains solid.

Exaggeration in the name of Roman patriotism played a part in the recording of Hannibal's exploits. Both Polybius and Livy are suspect in this arena, and if numbers count, lower rather than higher estimates should be used. Just as distances might be stretched, so too are the distances marched stretched. The further an army--ancient or modern--marches, the greater the attrition rate. The faster it marches, the greater the attrition rate. The rougher the terrain, the greater the attrition rate. Hannibal knew this, which is why he stopped to let stragglers return and rest for the next segment.

Hannibal would go on to become one of the great captains of history, keeping a coalition of troops together for 15 years, winning improbable victories while ultimately losing the war.

Bibliography

Bath, Tony. Hannibal's Campaigns. 1981 (Reprint: 1992).
Bradford, Ernle. Hannibal. 1981
Brion, Marcel. (translated by S.G. Colverson) Provence. 1956.
Bury, J.B. The Ancient Greek Historians: Polybius (Lecture VI). 1958
Caven, Brian. The Punic Wars. 1982 (Reprint: 1992).
Connolly, Peter. Greece and Rome at War. 1981.
Cornell, Tim and John Matthews. Atlas of the Roman World. 1982 (Reprint: 1992).
de Beer, Sir Gavin. Alps and Elephants: Hannibal's March. 1955.
de Beer, Sir Gavin. Hannibal: Challenging Rome's Supremacy. 1969.
Delbruck, Hans. (translated by Walter J. Renfroe, jr.) Warfare in Antiquity. 1975 (Reprint: 1990).
Dodge, Theodore. Hannibal. 1891 (Reprint: 1995).
Dorey, T. A. and D. R. Dudley. Rome Against Carthage. 1972.
Dupuy, Trevor. The Military Life of Hannibal: Father of Strategy. 1969.
Grant, Michael. A Guide to the Ancient World: A Dictionary of Classical Place Names. 1986 (Reprint: 1997).
Griess, Thomas E. ed. West Point Military History Series: Ancient and Medieval Warfare. 1984.
Humphries, Rolfe. trans. The Satires of Juvenal. 1958.
Lancel, Serge. Hannibal. 1998.
Lazenby, J.F. Hannibal's War. 1998.
Lendering, Jona. Hannibal's Route Across the Alps (web site summarizes Connolly). 1993.
Lewis, Naphtali and Meyer Reinhold. eds. Roman Civilization: Selected Readings. Volume I. 1990.
Livy. The War with Hannibal. 1965 (Penguin Reprint: 1988).
Michelin Tourist and Motoring Atlas. Europe. 2000.
Polybius. The Rise of the Roman Empire. (Penguin Reprint) 1987.
Prevas, John. Hannibal Crosses the Alps: The Enigma Re-Examined. 1998.
Rossiter, Stuart. ed. The South of France: Provence and the French Alps. 1966.

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

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