In Search of Hannibal (Barca, not Lecter)

I've been listening to an interesting series of lectures by Patrick Hart, an expert on Alpine archaeology who is trying to trace the route that Hannibal took through the Alps to invade Rome. His lectures are very detailed, bringing historical (mainly through the work of Polybius), scientific (mainly geological), and archaeological (terrain, geography, numismatics) evidence to bear on a question that has fascinated adventurers, emperors (Napoleon), scholars, and armchair Walter Mittys for over a few thousand years.

I especially enjoyed his first lecture, which covers the Phoenician heritage of Carthage with a special focus on the god Baal (associated with lightning) and its relation to later Greek and Roman gods (Zeus and Jupiter). Pretty interesting stuff. Also, his description of the strategic position of Spain and its mineral wealth (silver, lead, copper) in the geopolitical struggle between Rome and Carthage is fascinating. One thing I never thought about was the degree to which silver mining was part of the Spanish experience thousands of years before they started exploiting the silver, gold, and human beings of the Americas.

Hart is now being sponsored by National Geographic to find the route that Hannibal took through the Alps. What he most hopes to find is: 1) a stash of Punic coins; 2) human or elephant bones (also tusks); or 3) charcoal from the huge encampments of Hannibal's 20,000+ army.

Hannibal (Stanford Continuing Studies Program, need iTunes to open)

How did Hannibal cross the Alps? (single lecture Hart gave at Stanford on his conjectures of Hannibal's route)