Scientists have discovered a 2,000-year-old pile of feces that is blowing the lid off an old Hannibal mystery.

The sample of horse feces has explained just how Carthaginian General Hannibal was able to lead an army of 40,000 men, including horses and elephants, across the Alps to attack the Roman army, according to a Queen’s University Belfast statement.

It was a brilliant move that almost allowed Hannibal to smash Roman army and take over Rome itself, resulting in him becoming one of the most legendary generals in world history.

Hannibal made the journey from Spain through the French and Italian Alps, a treacherous journey for one man let along an army of 40,000.

Researchers wanted to retrace Hannibal’s journey, but no one has been quite sure of its exact route. However, the team was able to find 2,000-year-old horse feces in a remote mountain pass called Col de la Traversette. Then, the team found a churned up layer in a peatland swamp, indicating a lot of people or animals had moved over top of it.

The team hopes to also find evidence of elephant dung, which would confirm the discovery.