Hannibal's march into Italy is legendary. The Roman Senate felt secure from land invasion and took too few precautions. Their confidence is understandable. There was Hannibal in Spain. He had to fight his way through a Roman army, cross the Pyrenees (themselves a difficult range of mountains), then fight his way across southern France, for this area was under Roman control, then cross the formidable Alps.

The scope of the accomplishment is sometimes overlooked in survey textbooks. Crossing the Alps was remarkable, but Hannibal did much more than that.

When word came that Hannibal had escaped from Spain, Rome was concerned but not panicked. The Senate sent a second army to hold the bridges at the Rhône River. This river is deep and swift in its lower courses. The Romans were sure they could prevent Hannibal from crossing, then defeat him in their own good time in southern Gaul.

Again Hannibal fooled them. He sent his brother northward, avoiding Roman sentries, and crossed the river on pontoons and by swimming. Hanno (the brother) then ambushed the Gauls who were supposed to be guarding that crossing, then Hannibal followed with the rest of his army. He even got the elephants across on a ferry by building a large raft and covering it with earth so that the beasts thought they were still on solid ground. He was across the Rhône and now nothing stood between him and Italy. Except the Alps.

The crossing of the Alps was a heroic effort. Many classical authors told the story; the account by Livy is as good as any. The mountains themselves were dangerous, of course, but they were made even more dangerous by the fact that local tribes cheerfully fought anyone who entered their mountains, so Hannibal had to fight his way over the mountains. He arrived in Italy with only 26,000 men and about two dozen elephants. So, while it is true that Hannibal brought his elephants across the Alps, he did so only at great loss. Most died before they ever reached Cisapline Gaul (northern Italy).