By 219 BC, Hannibal had gathered an enormous army to take on the might of the Roman Empire. Historians estimate it had as many as 90,000 men and, crucially, 37 war elephants. 🎥Hannibal's March on Rome | Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation

Hannibal's crushing victory over Rome at the Battle of Cannae on August 2, 216 BCE, is one of the most celebrated tactical feats in military history. Leading a Carthaginian army of about 50,000 men, Hannibal faced a Roman force nearly double in size, numbering around 86,000. Hannibal executed a brilliant double envelopment strategy, luring the Romans into a trap. He positioned his troops in a crescent shape, gradually retreating to draw the Roman forces inward. As the Roman legions advanced, Han