Had Hannibal accidentally squandered Carthage’s power? Paradoxically, were the legendary victories of the legendary strategist the cause of the downfall of this immensely wealthy trading empire? Why didn’t Hannibal attack Rome at the height of his victory? Why wasn’t Hannibal’s military genius enough to defeat a rising Rome?
This documentary tells the story of the rise of the small commercial city-state of Carthage to become one of the richest and most powerful seafaring nations in the Mediterranean. Rome’s defeat seemed almost inevitable after the battle of the great Carthaginian general Hannibal, but Rome emerged victorious.
This documentary reveals entirely new questions: not only historians, but also psychologists, scientists and doctors are putting together images of the past. Archaeologists feed the data into elaborate computer animations that recreate fascinating events from the past.
With the help of computers, we pass through the duelist’s eyes directly into the brain, where – in the fraction of a second before a decision is made – possible alternatives are devised as historical visions: “What if… What? – an entertaining and scientific question that awakens the audience’s imagination – and impressively demonstrates how developments in the world today hang in the balance in a brief historical moment.
