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| Dung clue to Hannibal's Alpine crossing | Dung clue to Hannibal's Alpine crossing |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Scientists may be closer to revealing the route taken by Hannibal as he crossed the Alps to attack ancient Rome. | |
| A team says they have found a churned up layer of soil at an Alpine pass near the French-Italian border that dates to the time of Hannibal's invasion. | A team says they have found a churned up layer of soil at an Alpine pass near the French-Italian border that dates to the time of Hannibal's invasion. |
| In Archaeometry journal, they say the disturbed sediment was rich in microbes that are common in horse manure. | In Archaeometry journal, they say the disturbed sediment was rich in microbes that are common in horse manure. |
| Hannibal's third century BC campaign is seen as one of the greatest military endeavours in antiquity. | Hannibal's third century BC campaign is seen as one of the greatest military endeavours in antiquity. |
| He was commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army during its second war with Rome (218-201 BC). Carthage was located in present-day Tunisia and was Rome's main military rival at the time. | He was commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army during its second war with Rome (218-201 BC). Carthage was located in present-day Tunisia and was Rome's main military rival at the time. |
| In an audacious manoeuvre, Hannibal led about 30,000 troops, 15,000 horses and 37 elephants across the Alps to challenge Roman power on home soil. | In an audacious manoeuvre, Hannibal led about 30,000 troops, 15,000 horses and 37 elephants across the Alps to challenge Roman power on home soil. |
| It was very nearly a masterstroke: in a series of battles, the Carthaginians brought the Roman military to its knees. But Hannibal was ultimately defeated at the battle of Zama in 202 BC. | It was very nearly a masterstroke: in a series of battles, the Carthaginians brought the Roman military to its knees. But Hannibal was ultimately defeated at the battle of Zama in 202 BC. |
| Historians, statesmen and academics have long argued about the route Hannibal took across the Alps. Firm archaeological evidence has been difficult to find. | Historians, statesmen and academics have long argued about the route Hannibal took across the Alps. Firm archaeological evidence has been difficult to find. |
| But an international team has now argued that the military commander led his troops across the Col de Traversette mountain pass at an altitude of 3,000m. | But an international team has now argued that the military commander led his troops across the Col de Traversette mountain pass at an altitude of 3,000m. |
| The results may not yet be a smoking gun, but the researchers are hopeful of finding other evidence from the deposit, such as tapeworm eggs from horses - or even elephants. | The results may not yet be a smoking gun, but the researchers are hopeful of finding other evidence from the deposit, such as tapeworm eggs from horses - or even elephants. |
| They found a churned-up mass of sediment in a 1m-thick mire at Col de Traversette that could be directly dated to the time of the invasion. | They found a churned-up mass of sediment in a 1m-thick mire at Col de Traversette that could be directly dated to the time of the invasion. |
| Dr Chris Allen, from Queen's University Belfast, said the layer had been produced by "the constant movement of thousands of animals and humans". | Dr Chris Allen, from Queen's University Belfast, said the layer had been produced by "the constant movement of thousands of animals and humans". |
| "Over 70% of the microbes in horse manure are from a group known as the Clostridia, that are very stable in soil - surviving for thousands of years," he said. | "Over 70% of the microbes in horse manure are from a group known as the Clostridia, that are very stable in soil - surviving for thousands of years," he said. |
| "We found scientifically significant evidence of these same bugs in a genetic microbial signature precisely dating to the time of the Punic invasion." | "We found scientifically significant evidence of these same bugs in a genetic microbial signature precisely dating to the time of the Punic invasion." |
| This crossing point was first proposed over a half century ago by the British biologist Sir Gavin de Beer, but it has not been widely accepted by the academic community. | This crossing point was first proposed over a half century ago by the British biologist Sir Gavin de Beer, but it has not been widely accepted by the academic community. |