Researchers have found a possible solution to the mystery of the exact route taken by the Carthaginian commander Hannibal as he crossed the Alps in 218 BC, in one of the greatest military maneuvers in ancient history.
In their study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers relied on an innovative mathematical model that combines body mass and terrain slope, using data derived from modern African elephants to estimate the amount of energy that each of the four possible routes might consume, due to the scarcity of historical and archaeological evidence about this extraordinary journey.
Hannibal, then 28 years old, led a huge army of 40,000 soldiers, 7,000 horses and 37 war elephants on a daring journey across the Alps, braving the rugged terrain and bitter cold, to enter Italy from the north via the Po Valley, avoiding engagement with the forces of Rome and its allies, and avoiding the risk of crossing the Mediterranean Sea where naval control was in favor of the Romans.
Energy calculations revealed that the most efficient and least energy-consuming route was the Col de la Traversette, a mountain pass linking France and Italy at an altitude of 2,947 meters, which would have consumed 11% to 19% less energy compared to other options.
This reinforces the hypothesis that Hannibal took this route, especially since it surpasses the most common route in previous theories, the "Col du Clapier," which turned out to be one of the most arduous routes.
