07-14-2001, 02:20 PM
I don't know why history is so impressed with Hanniblas feat of invading Italy via the Alps, but I have my own reasons for being impressed with it.<br>
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It was a one of history's greatest surprise attacks. The Romans knew that there was going to be anoth war with the Carthaginians. They were fortifying all over Sicily and the west coast of Italy because they expected Hannibal to take the most direct and quickest route into Rome. That would have been via the mediterranean, possible attacking in two fronts from Spain and North Africa.<br>
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The idea to invade by crossing over land and coming in through the circuitous route of the Alpines was a stroke of cunning the Romans weren't used to.<br>
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Historically, Romans had a hard time dealing with the unexpected. They were freaks for controlling every aspect of war. That condition ultimately paid off for them when they were expanding the empire, but in the earlier years versus Carthage and Greece, they had a hard time reacting efficiently to the creative warfare of contemporary civilizations outdating Rome. <p><br><i>SI HOC LEGERE POTES, OPERIS BONI IN REBVS LATINIS FRVCTVOSIS POTIRI POTES.</i></p><i></i>
<br>
It was a one of history's greatest surprise attacks. The Romans knew that there was going to be anoth war with the Carthaginians. They were fortifying all over Sicily and the west coast of Italy because they expected Hannibal to take the most direct and quickest route into Rome. That would have been via the mediterranean, possible attacking in two fronts from Spain and North Africa.<br>
<br>
The idea to invade by crossing over land and coming in through the circuitous route of the Alpines was a stroke of cunning the Romans weren't used to.<br>
<br>
Historically, Romans had a hard time dealing with the unexpected. They were freaks for controlling every aspect of war. That condition ultimately paid off for them when they were expanding the empire, but in the earlier years versus Carthage and Greece, they had a hard time reacting efficiently to the creative warfare of contemporary civilizations outdating Rome. <p><br><i>SI HOC LEGERE POTES, OPERIS BONI IN REBVS LATINIS FRVCTVOSIS POTIRI POTES.</i></p><i></i>
