Well, Roman hasn't been sacked yet, mostly because practically all mu other cities were being attacked. In Iberia things are going well, I repelled about three attacks with minimal losses. The sacking of two roman towns even allowed me to buy a new iberian infantry unit! On the down side: Sardinia is lost to the scipii and the Brutii are besieging my second city in North Africa.. With no hope actually, 2 units against 12-something hastati, with only palisades.

On the east Egypt is coming, with a full stack. My town there only has pallisades there but a decent army, so good hopes of holding out a couple of years. I gave Cyrenea to the Greeks, nice to have some friends over.. (figured they might hate the egyptians..)

Meanwhile in Italy..

I had a great battle after I sacked two Julii cities, because the senate noticed I gave one of these cities to the Greeks, they promptly raced towards it with a full stack of one of their armies, you know, one with 3 or 4 units of each unit type: 4 hastatis, 3 principii, 3 triarii, 2 velites, and 5 general units! All with double chevrons and stuff. picture:



I'm a bit reluctant to use elephants in mortal combat, they're nice creatures.. Horses too, of course, well, whatever..
But they came in handy here. The romans came to me in neat colums, 3 hastati broad. Most of their generals charged me on the flanks and in the center before their infantry arrived. Two could be stopped in their tracks by my two elephant units (supported by infantry) and the other three were outflanked by my cavalry or spiked by my medium spearmen (which are excellent, I must say).
The rest of the battle was a classical envelopment of the flanks, a bit like Cannae actually, with my cav slamming the rear and iberian infantry neatly enclosing them from the flanks. The anvil was provided by my war elephants. Two or three of their generals escaped. A bit disappointed, if this was Rome's best.. But after all, Hannibal slaughtered Rome's best in astounding numbers (80.000 roman soldiers) at the battle of Cannae, so it's not that unrealistic.

Now, Rome is under siege, and will be Carthagian tonight (if the Brutii and Scipii haven't got any of those stacks left they're sending at me in the southern med). Or Greek, or Gaulic, I might give it away. On the other hand, seeing my home cities under siege all the time, I might consider moving to Rome!. Perhaps try to keep my silver mines in Iberia but other than that, leave Africa to the Africans! And the romans if they want it. Hmm, That's an idea.. Has anyone done something like it? I'd like to hear your comments.
One other thing, my 'Hannibal' is now among others an 'Eagle collector', nicknamed Hanno of the Eagles, for having won more than two eagles: