Rome mocked Carthage's every word and twisted every treaty. The time was ripe for Hannibal to fulfill his promise to the Goddess Tanit and free Carthage from her oppressive conquerors. Trained from birth to lead an army, Hannibal promised to be the greatest general since Alexander of Macedon. It was time to prove his brilliance to the world. But Scipio couldn't allow that to happen. The very fabric of Roman society was slowly ripping apart and Scipio swore to mighty Mars Himself that he would stop it--if only his countrymen would give him a chance. While grieving the loss of his best friend, his mentor and even his own father, Scipio studied the devastating defeats meted out by Hannibal and learned how to defeat him. Forged By Lightning tells the story of two brilliant generals as they battle each other during the Second Punic War--a war that shook Rome to its core.'