Did Hannibal effectively lose his 16-year war in its first 16
weeks? Before entering Italy?
Before even questioning troop-numbers in Polybius’ account of that Second Punic War, the first task is just understanding them, of course. Nothing seems to make that faster, or more fun, than Joseph Charles Minard’s innovative ‘flow chart’ map, in 1869 (the thinner the arrow gets, the thinner the ranks). Here’s an English-translation, with website
background. Some of us absolutely
need big pictures with small words. Thanks/Merci Joe!