Roman Republic · 218-217 BC

Hannibal crosses the Alps

In 218 BC Hannibal led an army with elephants from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy. Students trace the route, weigh the losses and see why the march shocked Rome.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
50 minutes
Ages
10–13
On the map
3 steps, 218 BC to 217 BC
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

In 218 BC Hannibal led an army with elephants from Spain over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy. Students trace the route, weigh the losses and see why the march shocked Rome.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Trace Hannibal's route from Carthago Nova to northern Italy on the map.
  • Explain why Hannibal chose the land route over the Alps instead of the sea.
  • Describe the battles of the Trebia and Lake Trasimene and how Rome reacted.
2

Explore the map

15 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

218 BC

The starting point

Open the map in 218 BC and find Carthago Nova (Cartagena) on the southeast coast of Spain. Hannibal's march began here in spring 218 BC. Which mountain ranges stand between him and Rome?

Open this view on the map
b

218 BC

Into the mountains

Zoom in on the western Alps. Historians still argue about which pass Hannibal used. Look at the mountains: why was a crossing in autumn so dangerous?

Open this view on the map
c

217 BC

Battles in Italy

Turn on Historical Events and choose Battles. Find the Trebia (218 BC) and Lake Trasimene (217 BC). In which direction is Hannibal moving?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

15 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. Rome ruled the sea after the First Punic War. How did that force Hannibal to go by land?
  2. Hannibal left Spain with tens of thousands of soldiers. Polybius says about 26,000 reached Italy. What could have caused such losses?
  3. Many Gauls in northern Italy joined Hannibal after he arrived. Why might they have welcomed an enemy of Rome?
  4. After Trasimene, Rome chose Fabius Maximus, who avoided big battles. Was "delay" a coward's plan or a clever one?
  5. Why do you think Hannibal's crossing of the Alps is still famous after more than 2,000 years?
4

Game round

10 min

Play the Hannibal Barca round in Rule History together. Let students vote on each decision before you click. Compare: which of Hannibal's choices worked, and which turned out to be mistakes?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

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