Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0070070644, Hardcover)

During the second century B.C., the North African city of Carthage was a powerful commercial center. One of its leading citizens was Hannibal. Carthagian excursions into Roman territory led to the Punic Wars and Hannibal was called into service.

Ernle Bradford examines the campaign during the Second Punic War when Hannibal set out to invade Italy with a small force of select troops, crossing the Alps with a full baggage train intending to take Rome. For 16 years the campaign continued and Bradford examines the tactics of the major battles and traces the reasons why Hannibal failed to conquer the Romans.