In the stillness following the destruction of their greatest army at the Battle of Cannae, the Romans faced an awful choice. The triumphant Hannibal stood poised to march on Rome herself and besiege the capital, and there was little the surviving remnants of legionaries could do to stop him. The Italian allies had already begun to waiver in their resolve, and some even among Rome's patricians began to advocate for abandoning Italy entirely. In this hour of doubt, Hannibal's envoys arrived to discuss peace terms. However, Romans such as Publius Cornelius Scipio and Titus Manlius Torquatus would hear no talk of peace or flight. The Carthaginian delegate was coldly told to return home, and the Senate refused to ransom the Roman prisoners in Hannibal's hands despite their heart-rending pleas. There would be no admission of defeat - Rome would fight until the bitter end.
Link to the Episode 42 page on the Layman's Historian website
Recommended further reading:
The Histories by Polybius
Hannibal's War by Titus Livius
A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos
Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos
Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles
Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers
Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers
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Episode 32 - All the Nations of the Earth: The Carthaginian Army under Hannibal
Episode 31 - Men of Iron: The Polybian Roman Legion
Episode 30 - How We Know What We Know (About the Punic Wars)
Episode 29 - The Barcid Revolution
Episode 28 - The Truceless War: Part II
Episode 27 - The Truceless War: Part I
Episode 26 - Hamilcar Barca and the End of Carthaginian Sicily
Episode 25 - Gridlock
Episode 24 - Spartans and Elephants
Episode 23 - Clash of the Titans
Episode 22 - Rome takes to the Sea
Episode 21 - At Acragas
Episode 20 - So It Begins
Episode 19 - Pyrrhus of Epirus: Part II
Episode 18 - Pyrrhus of Epirus: Part I
Episode 17 - The Senate and the People of Rome
Episode 16 - The Diadochi: Heirs of Alexander
Episode 15 - The Keltoi: The Terror of Civilization
Episode 14 - North Africa and Spain
Episode 13 - Carthage: Her City, Her People, and Her Soul
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