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[PATV] Friday, September 20, 2013 - Extra Credits Season 7, Ep. EH 03: Extra History: The Second Pun
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[PATV] Friday, September 20, 2013 - Extra Credits Season 7, Ep. EH 03: Extra History: The Second Punic War Rages On
Most of the research for these videos comes from: Polybius' The Histories And Livy's History of Rome But if you just want an overview, here's a wikipedia link.
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Oh my stars and garters, this mini-series is brilliant and I hope you do more and more and more and more in the same vein.
Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! Do the Norman Conquest of England next!
A very good series, and I look forward to the next entry. I would certainly show this to any student of this era.
Looking forward to next week's episode! Carthago Delenda Est!
For anyone interested, the History Channel series Decisive Battles (which recreated battles in the ancient world using Rome: Total War) had an episode on the Battle of Cannae.
The people of Rome also weren't dumb. They really needed all of that land that Hannibal was destroying. Rome itself required constant supply of food from outside to feed it's massive population, and Hannibal was destroying that. On top of that Hannibal was a sword hanging above the heads of the Roman people. He was an enemy standing right outside their gates and, despite what he believed, able to take Rome on multiple occasions. Even the delaying tactics that Hannibal took had a similar effect to a long siege on the city of Rome. They really did need to destroy Hannibal.
However, what Fabian did allowed the people of Rome to catch their breath. The time without a major loss set the very circumstances that allowed Varro to build such a large army. Rome was never in such dire straights as late WWI Germany, where writers noted that the streets were devoid of the young and old alike, but they needed time to build up their population and supplies, and Fabian created those circumstances.
Also, something that should be noted is that the surviving soldiers of Cannae weren't allowed to return home and were reconstituted as two legions and sent to Sicily. They actually called to the Senate for years to send them out on a suicide mission seeking a way to kill themselves for the glory of Rome in the manner that was lost to them when they survived Cannae, in order to assuage their anguish and dishonor. Scipio Africanus eventually builds his army with these cursed men.
Also, no one has yet been able to do a military surge that even nears the ability of the Roman Republic. When most people would have given up, and they almost did several times, Rome not only endured but rose up to destroy their enemies and take their stuff.
Great job Extra Credits team, you've earned yourselves a new fan...I have started watching old episodes now
Napoleonic Wars next!!
I hope you're happy. (No really... i do hope so. This was a dirty dirty advertising technique that i'm really kind of OK with)
For sake of historical reference, a lions share of ancient battles were won or lost with only 10-20% of the fighting force dying. Losing 50% was a great loss. Even at the great and lauded Battle of Thermopylae the retreating, surrendering, and withdrawing forces could be estimated at just under half of the total force.
There's Beaten.
There's Decimation.
There's Thermopylae.
And then there's Hannibal.
The reason for that is that a while back, the History Channel did a series on Roman History- and they used Rome 1 for that show, because it was before Rome II was a twinkle in anyone's eye. They're using screencaps and clips from that show. Of course Cannae was included, because it was one of the greatest military victories and defeats in history. So it's not unusual- they didn't make those shots themselves, they borrowed them under fair use from the History Channel.
Also the bit in the first clip about how Rome was a dominate force for 700 years is a bit of a misnomer and open to heavy debate. A better argument would be to say that they were influential till 200AD at a stretch. Rome was certainly influential but more and more the city proved to be an awkward pain in the arse for emperors, that was till Constantine I set up Constaninopal fostering the East West split. That and the military stuff was still not the biggest but you had some big names but it would take to long to get into. As an over view and gaining quick knowledge its good but has some glaring errors that people accept as fact and causes problems down the line.
The History of Rome Podcast does a really good job of explaining it all in a little more detail but not to much. I would really advisee reading Livy as its not so painful to get through. If your on a history kick then read Thucydides for an over view of the Greek wars. And for sheer comedy Ammianus is one of the greatest spin doctors ever. He describes the Roman loss and Adrianopal as the Romans defeating them with love.
Finally classical history! Its so cool!
Actually, it's both because Fabian was doing both. It's a strategy because it was his overall goal, but he used what one could call Fabian tactics to bring about his strategy (that is proton-guerilla warfare).
Strategy is one's overall goal.
Tactics are the motions that bring about said goal.