...and now, today's segment of Centaurs in History!

We turn our focus to Europe, in what is modern-day Italy. Let's turn back the clock to the year 150 BC, to the time when this area was controlled to a large extent by the Roman Empire, or the Republic as it was also called. Rome was not the only powerful city-state in this part of Europe at the time, however. The city-state of Carthage, which was established in the 8th century BC, had grown to be the most powerful city in the Western Mediterranean by this time. Carthage's arch-rival was Rome, the two clashing over land constantly.

In 218 BC, Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, marched his soldiers into Italy and sacked Rome, leaving parts of the city in near-ruins. Shocked and outraged, the Senators of Rome sent out scouts to all the nearby vassal city-states, as well as lands that supported the Romans, to recruit soldiers.

One city that provided soldiers was located in the land known as Thessaly. From the various cities in Thessaly came hundreds of centaur stallions, ready to defend Rome. Many of these soldiers had been left refugees after their cities were ravaged by incursions from nearby Macedonia. Thessaly, a neutral state, had defended itself, but the Thessalian centaurs suffered great losses, and wanted revenge.

With thousands of soldiers under his direction, Hannibal was making his way toward the city of Rome once again. When they arrived in the city, Hannibal's soldiers clashed with Roman soldiers, who were supported by shock troops of Thessalian centaurs. The Roman generals utilized the great speed and strength of the centaurs to close flanks on the Carthaginian armies, herding them into indefensible positions, from which centaur archers picked off many of the Carthaginian soldiers. Combined with the human soldiers from Rome, the Carthaginian forces were turned away from Rome and were forced to retreat back to Carthage, leaving Rome to celebrate victory.

Despite their crushing defeat of Carthage, Rome's government had never been designed to rule an empire as large as Rome now encompassed. Refusing further aid from the centaurs, even expunging their existence from Roman history books, the unwieldy Roman government collapsed around 45 BC.

Well now, wasn't that fun? Tune in for the next installment of Centaurs in History, where we'll talk about more great stuff you won't find in human history books.

If we ever do it again. What do you think?

Ciao!