Which famous military commander marched an army, which included war elephants, over the Alps during the Second Punic War?

The story behind the answer

Hannibal Barca, the Carthaginian commander, famously led his army—including war elephants—over the Alps in 218 BCE to strike Rome from an unexpected direction during the Second Punic War. This audacious march from Iberia (Spain) through the Pyrenees and Alps stunned the Romans and set up Hannibal’s major victories at Trebia, Lake Trasimene, and Cannae. Alexander the Great fought in Asia a century earlier, while Germanicus and Tiberius were Roman figures from a later era.

Though many elephants and soldiers perished in the crossing, the feat became a symbol of strategic daring. Memory tip: “Hannibal handled the Alps with elephants”—the alliteration links the name to the deed and the mountains he conquered.