The flash-point of the Second Punic War was Spain. Hannibal was the leader of the Carthaginian territories in Spain which belonged to his family. He seized a city in Spain which was an ally of Rome. Rome tried to negotiate, but these failed and she declared war. The war was expected to be fought in Spain. Rome sent a naval expedition to Spain. The surprise was threefold:
1) The Romans did not expect Hannibal to attack Italy.
1) The speed of the march was astonishing. By the time the Roman fleet reached Massalia (Marseilles) for a stopover, Hannibal had already reached southeastern France.
2) Nobody thought that it was possible to cross the Alps with an army in the winter.

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