Once upon a time, there lived a Carthaginian general and statesman. Born in 247 BC, he would wage war against the Roman Empire for decades, notably during the Second Punic War. Hannibal Barca was his name. Today, his tactics still wow historians, especially his choice to invade Italy by crossing the Alps with North African war elephants. His methods have also wowed Denzel Washington and Vin Diesel, both of whom have tried to bring him to the big screen. Only the former appears to have succeeded.