Q: Why did the five-ton, razor-tusked war elephant cross the road?
A: Because NOTHING COULD STOP HIM
This video explores the training and tactics of war elephants in the ancient Mediterranean world, and explains why these unpredictable killing machines weren’t always helpful allies.
Suggested Reading
John M. Kistler, War Elephants (London, 2006)
Adrienne Mayor, Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World (New York, 2003)
H. H. Scullard, The Elephant in the Greek and Roman World (London, 1974)
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