Bone find proves Hannibal’s war elephants

An elephant foot bone found by archaeologists in Spain may be the first concrete proof that the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal led his troop of armoured pachyderms through ancient Europe

Hannibal: Believed to have taken his army from imperial city Carthage, in modern day Tunisia, into Europe, crossing the Alps with 37 elephants in 218 BC, during Second Punic War

Córdoba: 2,200-year-old specimen discovered at Iron Age site of Colina de los Quemados, believed to be from animal that died before reaching the Alps

Specimen: 10 cm cube-shaped bone identified as third carpal from elephant’s right foreleg

Second Punic War (218-201 BC)
Carthaginian territory
Roman territory
Hannibal’s route
Major battles

Trebia
218 BC
Lake Trasimene
217 BC
Rome
Cannae
216 BC
Zama
202 BC
Carthago Nova
Saguntum
219 BC
Carthago
ALPS

125 miles
200km

Sources: Journal of Archaeological Science, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Picture: Henri-Paul Motte
© GRAPHIC NEWS