Around this time, the city-state of Carthage, in what is now Tunisia, was battling with the Roman Republic for supremacy in the Mediterranean. A view of the archaeological site where the bone was found in southern Spain. - Agustín Lopez JimenezThe incredible sight of Hannibal’s elephants left its mark on the historical record, but no direct physical evidence of their presence in Western Europe had previously been discovered. “Also, bones from future excavations have to be checked carefully.”Archaeologists found the ankle bone at the Colina de los Quemados archaeological site in the city of Cordoba. “The legend of Hannibal crossing the Alps with 37 elephants has captured people’s imaginations for millennia, the ancient Romans were astonished by it and we remain so today,” she added.

Source: CNN February 20, 2026 17:23 UTC