Hannibal Crosses the Alps: The Invasion of Italy and the Punic Wars - Paperback

by John Prevas (Author)

When he left his Spanish base one spring day in 218 B.C. with his 100,000-man army of mercenaries, officers, and elephants, Hannibal was launching not just the main offensive of the Second Punic War but also one of the great military journeys in ancient history. His masterful advance through rough terrain and fierce Celtic tribes proved his worth as a leader, but it was his extraordinary passage through the Alps--still considered treacherous even by modern climbers--that made him a legend. John Prevas combines rigorous research of ancient sources with his own excursions through the icy peaks to bring to life this awesome trek, solving the centuries-old question of Hannibal's exact route and shedding fresh light on the cultures of Rome and Carthage along the way. Here is the finest kind of history, sure to appeal to readers of Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire: alive with grand strategy, the clash of empires, fabulous courage, and the towering figure of Hannibal Barca.

Author Biography

John Prevas is a New York Times bestselling author whose first book, Hannibal Crosses the Alps, ignited the debate among academics over which pass Hannibal used -- a debate which continues today. He has been featured in a documentary about Hannibal filmed in the Alps by the BBC and has spoken on Hannibal as a leadership figure to United Nations ambassadors, the Smithsonian Institute, the Hoover Institute at Stanford University, the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, and at Forbes CEO conferences. Prevas has appeared on the History Channel, CNN, CNN International, NPR, C-Span's Book TV, and Fox Television.