Famed for his epic march across the Pyrenees and Alps to confront his Roman foes on their home territory, legendary Carthaginian commander Hannibal Barca is the subject of an ambitious docudrama, screening at 19.55 on PBS on the 4^th and 5^th of July.

Two centuries before the birth of Christ, with Carthage eclipsed and humiliated after the First Punic War, the young Hannibal devised an audacious plan to strike back against Rome. Having led some 40,000 foot soldiers and 37 elephants into the heart of his rivals’ empire, he succeeded in shattering the Roman myth of invincibility with a savage campaign that came close to outright victory. The latest historical research, CGI and dramatic reconstructions bring new life to one of the ancient world’s most brilliant military strategists – HANNIBAL