Hannibal's trek across the alps: Geomorphological Analysis of sites of geoarchaeological interest

International audienceA ~2200 year-old question related to Hannibal's invasion route across the Alps into Italia, has been argued by classicists without recovery of material evidence. A comparison of topographical descriptions in the ancient literature with environmental parameters in the Alps, attempted here for the first time, provides a database against which various pathways can be assessed. Identification of sites using geological, geomorphological, astronomical, chemical and petrological methods leads to the exclusion of certain transit points and targeting of others where geoarchaeological excavation might yield important evidence related to the military culture of ancient Carthage

Hannibal and the Alps: unravelling the invasion route

Over the last two millennia all the proposed invasion routes followed by the Punic Army in 218bchave been based on historical and topographic analysis provided by Polybius and Livy, the two main ancient sources. Because Polybius actually followed the invasion route 60 years after the trek he is considered the prime authority. Livy never left his residence in Padua and studied the invasion from sources no longer available to us. Neither source provides a name for the approach route and ultimate col of transit into Italia but Polybius does state the col is the highest in the Alps' tas hyperbolas tas anōtatō tōn Alpéon. Several other ancient authors including Varro, Servius and Strabo list the cols from south to north as Col de Larche, Hannibal's Pass, Col de Montgenèvre and Col de Mt Cenis, thus limiting Hannibal's Pass to one of the three major cols south of the Col de Montgenèvre, which are from south to north, Col Agnel, Col de la Traversette and Col de la Croix. Invoking available geological and environmental evidence tied to descriptions in the ancient literature it is apparent Hannibal, either by design or happenstance, approached the Alps through the Queyras, the ultimate col of passage being the Col de la Traversette at nearly 3000 m above sea level. The implications of this find for geoarchaeology are enormous and offer the opportunity to find artefacts that will undoubtedly offer new insights into the military culture of ancient Carthage

Historical archaeology of the Hannibalic invasion of Italia: technical applications

Open access article. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC 3.0 US) appliesPrevious attempts to plot the exact invasion route of the Punic army in 218 B.c. have been limited, with one excep- tion (de Beer 1967, 1969), to analysis of topography and previous historical arguments based on the interpretation of classical texts written by Polybius and livy. eliciting environmental information from classical literature led to a focus on environmental landmarks, including the rockfall that blocked the army on the lee side of the alps, a firing event described by livy, and the regrouping area where the army rested after conflict with the gauls and the trek over a major col of passage into italia.The use of various scientific methods to analyze these three major sites/events has led to a conclusive identification of the invasion route, and sites of interest to geoarchaeologistsYe

Hannibal's trek across the Alps: geomorphological analysis of sites of geoarchaeological interest

Open access article. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) appliesA ~2200 year-old question related to Hannibal’s invasion route across the Alps into Italia, has been argued by classicists without recovery of material evidence. A comparison of topographical descriptions in the ancient literature with environmental parameters in the Alps, attempted here for the first time, provides a database against which various pathways can be assessed. Identification of sites using geological, geomorphological, astronomical, chemical and petrological methods leads to the exclusion of certain transit points and targeting of others where geoarchaeological excavation might yield important evidence related to the military culture of ancient CarthageYe