Elephant bone from Cordoba | Photo: Rafael Martínez
In 2019, an elephant bone was discovered in Cordoba (south of Spain), which caused a great stir among scientists. Some people suspect that it could have belonged to one of the animals from the time of the Second Punic War.
The bone measures 15 by 8 cm and was discovered under the remains of a collapsed ancient wall. Researchers are still trying to find out what species of elephant the bone belonged to and when the animal died.
One of the concepts talks about the times of Hannibal and rivalry with Rome in the years 218-201 BCE. Another version is, for example, 143-133 BCE, when during the Numantine War the Celtiberians received elephants as support from the kings of North Africa in their fight against Rome. The bone may also have belonged to an elephant, which may have taken part in the events of the Roman Civil War (49 BCE).
Additionally, apart from the elephant bone, seventeen projectiles – probably fired from catapults – and a fragment of a spear were found under the walls.
- "Ancient Warfare Magazine", XVI.6
