The Second Punic War - OverSimplified (Part 2)

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Also, make sure to grab our Roman Consul Youtooz before it's too late. Don't make me mention it a third time, or I'll you know what.

(ominous music) (dramatic music) Hannibal's army had survived its famous crossing of the Alps, and he was now in Italy.

With Hannibal's arrival, the Roman Consul Scipio hit the ground running. In typical Roman fashion he marched his army straight at the enemy, and Hannibal began preparing for his first combat with Rome on Italian soil.

Before the battle, Hannibal wanted to inspire his men, so he staged a gladiatorial death match between captured Celt prisoners with the winner getting prizes and freedom.

He then explained that the whole thing was a metaphor. "A metaphor, for what?" "You, these warriors are you.

You're trapped in Italy with no escape. Your only choice now is to fight and win." "What about the dead guy?"

"That's you if you don't win." "And the prizes?" "That's what you stand to gain by winning." "And the fact that I've soiled myself in all this excitement?"

"That, no, that's not part of the metaphor." "Okay." Hannibal also smashed in the head of a goat, again for inspiration.

Scipio, on the other hand, now arriving in the area, opted for the more classic route of a rousing pre-battle speech.

"Look at the men. Weak, starved by the Alps, while we are the strongest military in the world. This will be easy.

Like 10,000 horse-sized ducks fighting a baby sized baby. It'll be like Mike Tyson in his prime, kicking a baby.