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Photos: The Wood brothers set off
From left to right: Sam, Danny and Ben prepare to set off on their epic bicycle journey in the footsteps of Hannibal.
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Quote: Hannibal according to Livy
"It is the hereditary custom of Carthage to aid an oppressed people."
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Historical moment: the Siege of Sagunto
Hannibal lay siege to Sagunto for eight months in 219 BC, and although the town was under Roman protection, Rome, negligently, never came to its aid. Hannibal was particularly active during the battle and was seriously wounded by a javelin in the thigh.
According to ancient authors Livy and Augustine, the siege was particularly horrible for the inhabitants - they were forced by starvation to eat the corpses of their relatives. When all was lost, the Saguntines piled their possessions into the main square, set them alight and threw themselves into the flames. Hannibal’s army put to death all remaining men of military age and enslaved the rest of the population. Vicious, perhaps, but this was not unusual for the time.
For Hannibal, his victory was a complete success: spoils to keep his mercenaries happy and plenty to send home to Carthage to secure political support for his upcoming war. The fall of Sagunto is considered the catalyst for the Second Punic War. -
The Call of the Wild
This programme is part of The Call Of The Wild on BBC Four, a celebration of the great British love affair with the countryside – whatever the weather.
Go to The Call of the Wild site -
BBC TV blog
On Hannibal's Trail presenter Ben Wood: "My brothers and I hadn't made a 'film' together since I was 12 and Sam starred as Chuck Norris."
Read Ben Wood's post on the BBC TV blog
Credits
- Presenter
- Danny Wood
- Presenter
- Sam Wood
- Presenter
- Ben Wood
- Director
- Robin Dashwood
- Producer
- Robin Dashwood
- Executive Producer
- Chris Granlund
