Always happy to share the tidbits I’ve picked up over the years! Funny enough, according to Greek and Roman sources (which are, of course, biased), peace was never seriously considered by the Roman Republic despite their massive losses. When the Roman general Varro at Cannae, one of the worst defeats of the war, came back in shame to Rome, the Roman people actually praised him for not giving into despair after the loss and killing himself (as might otherwise be acceptable) and choosing to continue the fight to preserve the Republic instead.

Pride is a hell of a drug.