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travelling from Spain to Italy). In addition Hannibal had a pragmatic necessity for
secrecy and keeping the Alpine route open, preferably without the risk of ambush, to
ensure the safe arrival of further supplies or reinforcements from Spain. A measure of
Hannibal‟s success at maintaining the necessary security is that some eleven years after
he crossed the Alps, Hasdrubal brought an army into Italy „following Hannibal‟s route‟
apparently without difficulty (Livy, 27.39.7; Appian, Hann. 7.52.1).
In Livy‟s version, Hannibal‟s aim for secrecy is made easier by the reaction of P.
Cornelius Scipio who arrived at the Carthaginian camp on the Rhône three days after
Hannibal‟s departure. Scipio decides against pursuing Hannibal into the Alps (Livy,
21.32.1-3). While this might be prudent in terms of avoiding being ambushed in a valley
or similar, there is no indication that Scipio sent scouts to follow Hannibal. Once
Hannibal knew he was not being followed he was at liberty to disseminate whatever
information he chose about the route and the conditions. It reflects well on Hannibal‟s
leadership skills and control of his publicity that neither Polybius nor Livy finds a
coherent answer to the actual route used to cross the Alps, and it should be no surprise
that modern scholars cannot agree on the route either. 181 Polybius indirectly
acknowledges his lack of information about the actual route through a digression that
argues including place-names of unknown countries would be meaningless to his
readers (Hist. 3.36.1-5).
There were potential advantages for Hannibal to have his crossing described as steep
and treacherous because the higher and steeper the pass, the more ice, „snow all year‟ on
difficult pathways combined with appalling weather conditions conveys the idea of
superior power and be a testimony to his strength.
On the other hand, his enemies might hope that his army was severely weakened by
the experience (long, arduous journeys may be either toughening or weakening,
depending on an author‟s viewpoint). Rumours of a divine guide add to the sense of
mystery and help create a more spectacular event, and his feat becomes all the more
impressive when followed by military success in Italy.
181 A few examples for the pass used by Hannibal: De Beer, 1955, and Brown, 1965, 41: Traversette;
Hoyte, 1960; Proctor, 1971: Clapier; Walbank, I, 382-7: Cenis or Clapier, but notes Meltzer and
Kahrstedt, 1913, 181: „Das Problem ist literarhistorisch, nicht topographisch.‟ Lancel, 1998, 80: Savine-
Coche, cf. Lancel, 1995, 385 reads the Punica describing a geographical route up the Durance river valley
and a possible crossing at the Mont Genèvre pass (Pun. 3.503-4; 3.512-5). Others do not discuss the route:
Hoyos, 2003, 98-113; Walbank, 1985, 117-119, acknowledges the route cannot be known. Prevas, 1998,
65: „there are only literary representations for Hannibal actually crossing the Alps.‟
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