The story in brief
Two cities, one sea, three wars. A boy swears an oath at an altar, marches elephants over the Alps and destroys Roman armies for fifteen years. Rome refuses to break, and in the end Carthage pays for it with everything.
The chapters
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Chapter 1 · 5 min · Free
Two Powers, One Sea
A city of sailors, a city of farmers, and an island between them.
Sources: Polybius 1.10–63, 1.88, 3.10, 3.28
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Chapter 2 · 5 min · Free
The Boy’s Oath
A nine-year-old at an altar, and a promise that will cost Rome dearly.
Sources: Polybius 3.9–56, 10.3; Livy 21.1–46; Appian, Hannibalic War 4
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Chapter 3 · 5 min
The Trap at Cannae
Three battles, three disasters, and the most copied trap in military history.
Sources: Polybius 3.70–118; Livy 21.52–22.61; Plutarch, Fabius Maximus 3–16
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Chapter 4 · 5 min
Rome Refuses to Break
Rome loses its greatest army, and simply refuses to lose the war.
Sources: Livy 22.56–61, 26.10–19, 27.43–51, 30.12–37; Polybius 10.2–20, 15.1–19
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Chapter 5 · 5 min
Carthage Must Be Destroyed
One stubborn senator, one fig, and the end of a city nearly 700 years old.
Sources: Livy 33.45–49, 39.51; Plutarch, Cato the Elder 26–27; Appian, Punic Wars 67–136; Polybius 36.16
Who’s who
The people you meet. Each one is a hero card you can collect.
- Hamilcar BarcaGeneral · Father · Lightning
- Scipio AfricanusSoldier at Seventeen · Conqueror of Spain · Victor of Zama
- Fabius MaximusDictator · The Delayer · Shield of Rome
- MasinissaPrince · Horseman · King of Numidia
- Cato the ElderCensor · Farmer · Carthage’s Last Enemy
- HannibalGeneral · Exile · Rome’s Nightmare
What you’ll be able to tell
This story belongs to the journey “The Republic”. By the end of it, you can tell what crossing the Rubicon really meant, and why it was a crime.
Stories in this journey
- Hannibal at the Gates: Rome vs Carthage
- Caesar: The Rubicon and the Ides
Sources
- Polybius, Histories 1–3, 10, 15, 36
- Livy 21–30
- Plutarch, Fabius Maximus and Cato the Elder
- Appian, Punic Wars
