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Were Hannibal's war elephants African or Asian?

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If he had had a choice, Hannibal would presumably have gone into battle with Indian elephants, which had been used effectively a century before in charging against the forces of Alexander the Great. read more

In all likelihood, the Carthaginian war elephants were primarily African. It was much harder to tame and obtain an elephant from India, but there is also evidence that Asian elephants were traded abroad. There is even some accounts suggesting Hannibal’s favourite and last remaining elephant was an Asian one. read more

Once there were elephants nearly everywhere, but by the time of Hannibal's march in 218 B.C. they had already dwindled to the two species extant today, the Indian, or Asian, elephants and the African ones. read more

Some Asian elephants were traded westwards to the Mediterranean markets; Pliny the Elder stated that the Sri Lankan elephants, for example, were larger, fiercer and better for war than local elephants. read more

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