0:00:07 > 0:00:10We're on a ten-week journey,
0:00:10 > 0:00:15cycling 3,500km on the trail of the great Carthaginian warrior -
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Hannibal.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Over 2,000 years ago,
0:00:19 > 0:00:23Hannibal marched his army from the south of Spain,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26across the Alps, and into Italy.
0:00:26 > 0:00:31He launched a spectacular assault on the heart of Roman power.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Hannibal's brothers, Hasdrubal and Mago, were his generals.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I'm Danny Wood,
0:00:40 > 0:00:44I'm a journalist, and like Hannibal I'm travelling with my brothers -
0:00:44 > 0:00:49Ben, a computer expert, and Sam, an archaeologist.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Hannibal marched with over 100,000 soldiers,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57armed with swords, spears...
0:00:58 > 0:00:59..and 37 elephants.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03We're armed with three bikes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05- Three tents.- And a bike-cam.
0:01:05 > 0:01:12So far, we've cycled 350km up Spain's eastern coast.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Now we're going to ride through two of Europe's most exciting cities,
0:01:16 > 0:01:19both ancient and modern.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22CROWD CHANTS: Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And we'll take on the challenge of the Pyrenees.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Day eight of our journey -
0:01:41 > 0:01:43the River Ebro.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Spain's longest river, the Ebro runs for nearly 1,000km
0:01:50 > 0:01:53across the north of the country.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Hannibal arrived here in June 218BC.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03He'd already conquered the pro-Roman city of Saguntum,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and Rome had declared war on Carthage.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11Now Hannibal was about to launch a new challenge to Roman power.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15Seven years earlier,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17the Carthaginians signed a treaty with Rome
0:02:17 > 0:02:19promising to never cross the Ebro in arms.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24All land north of the Ebro was regarded as under Roman influence.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Hannibal decided to cross this river
0:02:26 > 0:02:28with his vast army of over 100,000 men.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Now war was unavoidable.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Hannibal probably commandeered local fishing boats
0:02:39 > 0:02:42to take him and his vast army across the river.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Luckily for us, there's now a ferry.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19We're now riding through the Ebro River Delta,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and Hannibal and his army also passed through here
0:03:22 > 0:03:27and it's probably reasonably similar to how Hannibal saw it in those days.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31It's very, very flat, lots of water,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and a very pleasant place for a ride, actually, because it's so quiet.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38It's a also a wildlife sanctuary,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42and there's a ton of rice cultivation too.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Interesting place.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58The Roman historian, Livy, tells us that Hannibal
0:03:58 > 0:04:01had a strange and vivid dream near here.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10In his sleep, Hannibal was visited by a young man
0:04:10 > 0:04:13who said he was a guide sent by Jupiter to lead him into Italy.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17He ordered Hannibal to follow him and not turn back.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22Hannibal obeyed, but overcome with curiosity, he turned around.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26He heard crashes of thunder and saw the wreckage of trees and houses.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28And in the midst of all of it was a huge snake,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30destroying everything in its path.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34When Hannibal asked what this vision meant, the young guide answered,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36"the destruction of Rome."
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Hannibal interpreted his dream as a premonition of victory.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44This was divine approval for his vendetta against Rome.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47He was spurred on as never before.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Back in the real world, Hannibal did have the upper hand -
0:04:58 > 0:05:02the Romans had no idea what he was up to.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04They assumed that Hannibal was planning
0:05:04 > 0:05:07to expand Carthaginian territory in Spain.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11So they decided to send one army to confront him there,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15and another to strike at the heart of Carthage in northern Africa.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22The Romans had no idea that Hannibal was planning to invade Italy.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Rome had the greatest navy in the western world,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27they knew he wouldn't dare attack by sea.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31And any notion that Hannibal would cross the Alps with his army on foot
0:05:31 > 0:05:32didn't even occur to them.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35One of the greatest elements of Hannibal's audacious plan
0:05:35 > 0:05:37was the element of complete surprise.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43The Romans thought Hannibal's march was physically impossible.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46We're beginning to see why.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51We're using Ben's hi-tech GPS to find our way,
0:05:51 > 0:05:55but every day seems to take longer than we expected.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Just arrived in another campsite in northern Spain.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03And we've done two consecutive big days of riding,
0:06:03 > 0:06:07and the day before that I can't even remember, starting to get so tired.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11The legs don't feel like they're going to recover overnight any more.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14They feel like they're going to be sore all day tomorrow as well.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17I had two punctures today.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Is that a puncture?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Ah, god, yes. It's flat as!
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Yeah, it's dead as.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28The second one was a bit annoying because we were trying
0:06:28 > 0:06:31to get to the campsite before dark, so it slowed us down.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35I got so angry I nearly threw my bike, actually.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37- That's puncture number- BEEP- six.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38Yeah.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40In how many days?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Well, second one today.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45But it's been a good day. We've had a nice day.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48And we'll go and have a big dinner.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56# Raindrops keep falling on my head
0:06:56 > 0:06:58# I'm just like the guy
0:06:58 > 0:07:02# Whose feet are too big for his bed... #
0:07:02 > 0:07:06Day ten, and it's our first day of rain.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09# Raindrops keep falling on my head
0:07:09 > 0:07:10# They keep falling... #
0:07:10 > 0:07:14We continue up the east coast of Spain, through the city of Tarragona.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24And then onwards through the seaside resort of Sitges.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34It's funny, because drivers don't get more cautious in the wet,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36they seem to turn mad.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39But anyway, we've headed to the coast and we're going up
0:07:39 > 0:07:40through all these seaside resorts.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44They're all empty and it's all pretty dreary and miserable.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46But anyway, it'll hopefully stop soon.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18Four hours later,
0:08:18 > 0:08:23and we're arriving in one of the world's most vibrant and fashionable cities.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31In Hannibal's day, Barcelona was little more than a village.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35According to local legend, it was founded by Hannibal's father,
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Hamilcar.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43Some believe the name Barcelona comes from Hamilcar's family name,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Barca - an ancient word for lightning.
0:08:52 > 0:08:53Barcelona's Carthaginian roots
0:08:53 > 0:08:56can still be found in some unlikely places.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03CHANTING: Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:09:04 > 0:09:08This is Camp Nou, home to FC Barcelona.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Today, Barcelona are playing Madrid.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27This stadium holds almost 100,000 people -
0:09:27 > 0:09:29about the same number as Hannibal's army.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31And they can be just as fierce.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36CHANTING: Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:09:36 > 0:09:39They've no idea they're shouting Hannibal's family name.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Barca! Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Go, Barca! Go, Barca!
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Go, Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Forca Barca!
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Go, Barca! Go, Barcelona!
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- ALL:- Barca! Barca! Barca! Barca!
0:09:55 > 0:09:57- TOGETHER:- # Forca Barca!
0:09:57 > 0:09:58# Da-daa da-daa daa
0:09:58 > 0:10:00# Forca Barca! #
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And the score?
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Madrid - two, Barca - four.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10It's nice to see that Hannibal's spirit lives on
0:10:10 > 0:10:13in this modern army of football fans.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- So we just want to avoid the carretera, don't we?- Yeah.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23We seem to have a nice yellow road...
0:10:23 > 0:10:25'The next morning we're ready for a day in the hills.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29'But Ben's GPS has broken down.'
0:10:29 > 0:10:33Yeah, so I feel a bit guilty about the GPS not telling us
0:10:33 > 0:10:35exactly where we need to go
0:10:35 > 0:10:40and we've ridden, perhaps, 100km extra due to GPS malfunctions.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Well, we need to do to you what they did to Carthaginian generals who failed and crucify you.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Yeah, please.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53We've been trying to find our way up the coastal paths of Spain,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and it's really been quite difficult.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59You, more often than not, end up on a highway for long bursts,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03so we've done what Hannibal did and found ourselves a local guide.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07However, unlike him, who had a local tribesman,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10we've got the local professional mountain-bike rider.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13He just happens to be about 80 years old.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15He's just ahead with Danny.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57# Es una historia eterna
0:11:57 > 0:12:01# Que llena todo el alma... #
0:12:02 > 0:12:07We finally get going and reach the Costa Brava.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10# It's so romantic swaying
0:12:10 > 0:12:12# You're sliding into a love
0:12:12 > 0:12:15# In the silent of night... #
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Hundreds of thousands of people come here every year on holiday.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34But just beyond the beaches
0:12:34 > 0:12:38there's an extraordinary trace of Hannibal's lost world.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51These are the remains of Ampurias or Emporion -
0:12:51 > 0:12:55the most important Ancient Greek colony in Spain.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01By 218BC, the Greek empire was in decline,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04but this colonial outpost
0:13:04 > 0:13:06was still going strong when Hannibal passed by.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13So, Marta, what would Ampurias have been like in Hannibal's time?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Well, in that time, at the end of the third century BC,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Ampurias, Emporion, the Greek Emporion,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21continued to be a very active trading post.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26But at the same time it had political alliances with Rome,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29so the Greeks from Emporion were also worried
0:13:29 > 0:13:31about the military expansion of Hannibal.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34In fact, they sent embassies to Rome
0:13:34 > 0:13:38just after the crossing of the River Ebro by the Carthaginian army.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Right.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42What do we know of the archaeology from Hannibal's time?
0:13:42 > 0:13:46We have one important element - a reinforcement of the city wall.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49It was built in this dangerous moment for the city
0:13:49 > 0:13:52with the advance of the Carthaginian army.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Despite uneasy relations between the Greeks and the Carthaginians,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Hannibal would have felt at home here.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05The Carthaginians were no barbarians -
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Their ancestors developed the alphabet adopted by the Romans,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11the one we still use today.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15And their advanced agricultural techniques
0:14:15 > 0:14:17were adopted by the Romans.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Although Hannibal is best known as a military commander,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26he was also cultured and steeped in Greek learning.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Hannibal even had a Greek tutor and he'd read the works of the authors like Homer.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Ampurias must have seemed like a welcome stop,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36a home away from home on an arduous campaign like his.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47'Before we could leave Ampurias,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50'we were interviewed by the local TV news.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55'For one night only, we became minor celebrities on Costa Brava TV.'
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Hemos empezado en Cartagena,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59y vamos por toda la costa de Espana,
0:14:59 > 0:15:04por los Pirineos, por Francia, por los Alpes, y al final en Tunis.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06REPORTER SPEAKS CATALAN
0:15:19 > 0:15:22We're just getting up and about to pack up our tents
0:15:22 > 0:15:24and get ready for the cycle today.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Got a great campsite actually,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30it's on the water and you could hear the water lapping all night.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34And I love sleeping in a tent - it's good fun and I generally sleep OK.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Danny, on the other hand, We got a great photo of him -
0:15:37 > 0:15:39his face was puffed up, his eyes were totally swollen,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and he's not enjoying camping much, I don't think.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47DJ. Hey, sorry. Time to get up.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Are we actually going to film?
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Yeah, I think so. Here's your outfit.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Oh, thanks.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'The whole camping experience is an interesting one.'
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Last night I didn't have a really good night's sleep,
0:16:01 > 0:16:05and I woke up with the puffiest face I've ever had.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09So, the whole crowded side of a campsite
0:16:09 > 0:16:12does kind of undermine the whole natural experience
0:16:12 > 0:16:15that can be so beautiful when you are camping.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Campsites give me some sort of instant depression.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I suspect it's some childhood issue.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26I remember going on Cub Scout camps
0:16:26 > 0:16:31and after about five hours going to my Scout leader and saying,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33"I want to go home now,"
0:16:33 > 0:16:34and 90% of the time I did.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37My parents would turn up and pick me up and take me home.
0:16:37 > 0:16:43So I think there's some childhood psychological problem I have.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56We're cycling further north, up into the hills above the Costa Brava.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04For Hannibal and his army, this was enemy territory.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Again and again, Hannibal clashed with local tribes,
0:17:12 > 0:17:17including the Ilergetes, the Bargusii, and the Andosini.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Hannibal had to be alert at all times for ambushes.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Hannibal also had to find a way to feed his army of 100,000 men.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34This, plus all the people needed to service such a great army,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36which would have included cooks,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39servants, trades-people, even prostitutes...
0:17:39 > 0:17:41There was also the thousands of animals coming along too,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45which would have included donkeys, horses, and of course,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48the very important elephants which were so key to his vast army.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50This was a city on the move.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Hannibal sent scouts ahead to search for the most fertile areas
0:17:55 > 0:17:57where food would be easiest to locate.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Hannibal's army must have laid waste to whole swathes
0:18:01 > 0:18:05of the countryside in its search for grain and livestock.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08It must have been like a tornado passing through.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12But what would Hannibal's men have eaten?
0:18:18 > 0:18:24Our friend, chef Adam Melonas, is cooking us a Carthaginian feast.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30So, Adam, what have you been preparing for us on the beach here?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Ok, this is a dish called the Trojan Pig.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35So it's a pig cooked on the spit with...
0:18:35 > 0:18:38The insides have been filled with sausages,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41and this would have been served on the head table with the VIPs.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44A knife is inserted in the stomach and cut open,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47so all the sausages fall out onto a platter in front of the people.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50So, are the sausages meant to look like intestines?
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Absolutely.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- God, that's horrible.- Very. In this day and age, yes.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58There weren't many Carthaginian vegetarians, then?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00THEY LAUGH
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Luckily for Adam, none of us are vegetarians...
0:19:04 > 0:19:05yet.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12THEY GROAN
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It's a bit like when Sam's dog had puppies in my bed.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Undeterred, it was time to try the pig.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24Looks good.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31How is it?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33MUFFLED SPEECH
0:19:33 > 0:19:35It's excellent.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36- Really?- Very, very nice.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44It's very, very good.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Wow, that's a massive bit.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Thanks - that's great. Yum.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Mm. That's really good.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59It's delicious. It really is nice.
0:19:59 > 0:20:00Thank you. Hail pig.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05'Dessert was even more challenging.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Gosh, that looks... That looks very, very yummy.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Mm.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19THEY LAUGH
0:20:21 > 0:20:23ALL: To Carthage.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Nothing could stop Hannibal's march north.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41The Ancient Greek historian Polybius notes that, "He took several cities
0:20:41 > 0:20:45"by storm, and completed the campaign with remarkable speed."
0:20:51 > 0:20:55I'm not sure we can say the same thing about ourselves.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07We try to sleep every day, just because it's very tiring.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10And if you can shut your eyes for a while it really
0:21:10 > 0:21:12helps with the afternoon cycling.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15I think Danny sleeps the most, or sleeps the best anyway.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20And he manages to sleep at the drop of a hat, which I find very hard.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I suppose, having lived in Spain for a few years,
0:21:24 > 0:21:29I'm used to having a quick 10 to 15 minute sleep,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31so that coupled with the exhaustion
0:21:31 > 0:21:35of bike riding means I can usually go to sleep pretty easily.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49As he approached the Pyrenees, Hannibal left one of his generals,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Hanno, with 11,000 soldiers
0:21:51 > 0:21:54to hold the land he'd won since crossing the Ebro.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01Then, when Hannibal revealed his intention to cross the Pyrenees
0:22:01 > 0:22:05and the Alps, he faced mutiny.
0:22:05 > 0:22:083,000 men refused to continue.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Hannibal knew there was even tougher terrain ahead,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and he knew he needed complete loyalty.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19So he sent the 3,000 men who refused to advance, along with a further
0:22:19 > 0:22:247,000 soldiers whose loyalty he doubted, back to New Carthage.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30It's a credit to Hannibal's formidable leadership that even
0:22:30 > 0:22:33more of his men didn't turn back.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36He was leading an international army made up of Carthaginians
0:22:36 > 0:22:41along with Numidians, Mauretanians and Iberians.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44They bore no instinctive loyalty to Carthage.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50Livy tells us why Hannibal commanded the respect of his men.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Mounted or unmounted, he was unequalled as a fighting man,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56always the first to attack, the last to leave the field.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00He could endure with equal ease excessive heat or excessive cold.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03When his work was done, then and only then he rested.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06Often he was seen lying in his cloak on the bare ground
0:23:06 > 0:23:07among the common soldiers.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Hannibal would need all his leadership skills
0:23:11 > 0:23:14as he faced the next challenge,
0:23:14 > 0:23:15the Pyrenees.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22We're approaching the Pyrenees through some beautiful vineyards,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24and you can see the foothills directly ahead of us.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26How are you feeling about this, Ben?
0:23:26 > 0:23:29I'm feeling fine. I'm looking forward to the climb, actually.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- And Danny?- I'm thinking of foothills and seeing all these vineyards
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- and looking forward to French wine. - Very good.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- What about you, Sam?- I'm looking forward to climbing hills, actually.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42I'm looking forward to climbing another hill on the bike.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- # Good morning - Good morning... #
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Day 12.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54The morning of the great climb.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58And we're raring to go.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Or we would be if we could find our way out of our tents.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04# Good morning, good morning To you... #
0:24:04 > 0:24:05Morning.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Morning. Very good sleep. Very, very good sleep.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Best one in the tent so far.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I'm off for a shower now.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17# Good morning, good morning... #
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Nice to see you in the morning.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21# Good morning to you. #
0:24:29 > 0:24:33We've been climbing for over an hour now.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Polybius tells us that by this time Hannibal had about 60,000 soldiers
0:24:38 > 0:24:42left, just over half of the number he'd set out with.
0:24:45 > 0:24:51The remaining force began the long climb up into the Pyrenees.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Like much else concerned with Hannibal,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11the actual pass he took across the Pyrenees is disputed.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15But since historians imply that the crossing was easy and event-free,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18it's thought he took the simplest route across.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22We've chosen to take the most scenic route, the coastal pass.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32I imagine this is one time when we can actually say that
0:25:32 > 0:25:35we're probably having pretty similar feelings to Hannibal.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38When he got here, he knew he had miles to go.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40He had the Rhone to cross,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43he had the Alps to go over and we're the same really.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45I mean, it's great to be in the Pyrenees
0:25:45 > 0:25:50and I love cycling in hills, but there's a very long way to go.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55We're just about to cross the Spanish-French border on the Pyrenees.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58I've always loved climbing mountains on the bike, actually,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01but it's different when you're loaded down with all your stuff.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04It takes a bit of the pleasure out, because it's so difficult.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06And you're going so slowly.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09But it's lovely, lovely in the mountains.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17It's something different about being up in the hills here
0:26:17 > 0:26:20in real mountains than it was down the coast of Spain where we were
0:26:20 > 0:26:24in mountainous country, but you don't get quite the feeling
0:26:24 > 0:26:28of height that we've got up here, looking down on those little
0:26:28 > 0:26:31baby trees and the little cars looping around.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33It must have been like that for Hannibal, looking down on his
0:26:33 > 0:26:37soldiers snaking around the passes as he was snaking around
0:26:37 > 0:26:39the higher passes, as we are now.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Finally, we reach the top.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51France ahead, and below. It's time to burn.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Whee!
0:27:00 > 0:27:02HE SCREAMS
0:27:06 > 0:27:10This is unreal! Yes!
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Viva Las Vegas!
0:27:16 > 0:27:17BELL RINGS
0:27:21 > 0:27:25We cycle north into France, to the little, walled town of Elne.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36This was completely alien territory to Hannibal, inhabited by hostile
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and dangerous tribes.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43But Hannibal had sent scouts ahead
0:27:43 > 0:27:47to gauge the mood and strength of the local population.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51Reports had been promising.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Rome didn't have too many supporters in Gaul.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00But when Hannibal arrived here in Elne, he immediately came across
0:28:00 > 0:28:02resistance from a Celtic tribe called the Volcae.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05So he sent a delegation to their leaders,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07saying he'd come as a friend.
0:28:07 > 0:28:08Rome was his only enemy.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11The Volcae leaders gathered at Hannibal's camp.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14The mood was tense, but Hannibal lavished treasures upon them.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17The next day, they agreed to let his army pass.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Now only the Alps stood between Hannibal and Rome.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34In the next programme,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36we cross the Rhone.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42The gloves are off in a race to the top of Mont Ventoux.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45And we prepare to scale the Alps.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:55 > 0:28:57E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk