A History Of: Hannibal and the Punic Wars is a biweekly biography of everybody's favourite Carthaginian general. We follow Hannibal throughout his campaigns as well as looking at the Punic Wars at large. This is done through a mixture of lecture style episodes as well as more relaxed Let's Talk episodes; in which I invite guests onto the show to talk about Hannibal, Rome, Carthage, the Punic Wars and the ancient world in general. Please note, I have recently upgraded my recording equipment and am updating the back-catalogue. Presently episodes 4 through 17 need to be re-recorded; so bear with me.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
This week we celebrate the show hitting 25 episodes by doing our first ever 'Let's Talk' episode. I invite my lovely friend Hannie onto the show and we talk about Rome for 2 hours, answering your questions. Topics discussed include the weather, is Rome Overrated, could Hannibal have won the Punic wars, football managers, Albert the Fifth Musketeer, green-orange colour blindness, how the show is made, the length of my beard and which actor should play Hannibal in film. Cameos are made by Zack Twa...
This week we cover Hannibal's actions after crossing the Alps and the first battle of the war, the Battle of the Ticinus, fought between Hannibal and Publius Cornelius Scipio. We also introduce his son, a certain Scipio Africanus.
This week we cover treacherous Gallic tribes, Hannibal's treacherous crossing of the Alps and the song Treacherous by Taylor Swift. Featuring special guest Robin Pierson of the podcast, The History of Byzantium.
This week we cover the Gallic revolt of 218 BC, as well as bringing Hannibal over the Rhone and introducing the elephants. But, this is not the most important thing. Also announced is the first ever TheHistoryOf Podcast meet up! We will be hanging out with Jamie Jeffers of the British History Podcast at 5PM on the 25th of November in the Black Swan Inn, York. It should be a ton of fun and I hope to see you there! Also announced is the 25th Episode Specular! I would love to have a bit of a Q and ...
This week we begin Hannibal's journey to Italy. We assess his options in the winter of 219-218 and find out why he had to invade Italy by land. We then follow him as he travels to Gades, before heading north and crossing the Ebro.
This week we slow down the pace. Having looked at the break out of the Second Punic War last episode, we now look at the specifics of the siege of Saguntum. Also included is a description of the podcast's facelift and a preview of the second Project History Cage Match.
This week we begin the Second Punic War. We have an overview of Hannibal's character, then go into some detail about whether Hannibal was planning war with Rome, who broke the Iber treaty and who started the Second Punic War.
This week we look at Hasdrubal's consolidation of the Carthaginian position in Spain, briefly mention the Ebro Treaty and go on a very pleasant tangent about the Spanish Navy.
This week we look at the Hamilcar's invasion of Spain. We examine the situation in Spain, and Hamilcar's motives. We look in detail about why it is unlikely Hamilcar was plotting revenge. Featuring as a special guest Ray Harris of the History Of WWII Podcast.
This week we look at the Mercenary War in Carthage, as well as including a special feature. 10 minutes of the first 'Project History Cage Match', staring myself, Jamie Jeffers, Roifield Brown, Zack Twamley and Ray Harris.
This week topics discussed include classic moments in English football comentary and the European economy in 1946. We also get into Rome's invasions of Sardina, Illyria and the Po Valley.
This week the siege of Lilybaeum comes to an end through matters elsewhere. We introduce Hamilcar Barca and end the First Punic War with the Battle of the Aegates Islands. Featuring Special guest Zack Twamley from the When Diplomacy Fails Podcast.
This week we cover Rome's attempts to recover after the invasion of Africa, and attempts to recover from that recovery and then recover from that recovery etc. Featuring special guest Jordan Harbour of the Twilight Histories Podcast.
This week we finish our introduction of the Romans. We take a look at Roman history from the revolution which threw out the kings through to the conquest of southern Italy.
This episode provides an essential introduction to the Roman Republic's constitutional framework, explaining how power was balanced between the people (through assemblies like the Comitia Centuriata and Tributa, and Concilium Plebis), the elected magistrates (including consuls, praetors, censors, aediles, quaestors, tribunes, promagistrates, and dictators), and the Senate. It highlights the de facto power of the Senate, despite its de jure advisory role, and touches on the Roman worldview of Mos Maiorum. This foundational understanding is crucial for grasping the political landscape of the Punic Wars.
Hello and welcome to A History Of: Hannibal. In this episode we introduce the series, say what we will be covering and cover our two main sources for the period, Polybius and Livy.
