Cornelius Nepos, Life of Hannibal

Cornelius Nepos, Life of Hannibal
Author: Bret Mulligan
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2015-10-05
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1783741325

Trebia. Trasimene. Cannae. With three stunning victories, Hannibal humbled Rome and nearly shattered its empire. Even today Hannibal's brilliant, if ultimately unsuccessful, campaign against Rome during the Second Punic War (218-202 BC) make him one of history's most celebrated military leaders. This biography by Cornelius Nepos (c. 100-27 BC) sketches Hannibal's life from the time he began traveling with his father's army as a young boy, through his sixteen-year invasion of Italy and his tumultuous political career in Carthage, to his perilous exile and eventual suicide in the East. As Rome completed its bloody transition from dysfunctional republic to stable monarchy, Nepos labored to complete an innovative and influential collection of concise biographies. Putting aside the detailed, chronological accounts of military campaigns and political machinations that characterized most writing about history, Nepos surveyed Roman and Greek history for distinguished men who excelled in a range of prestigious occupations. In the exploits and achievements of these illustrious men, Nepos hoped that his readers would find models for the honorable conduct of their own lives. Although most of Nepos' works have been lost, we are fortunate to have his biography of Hannibal. Nepos offers a surprisingly balanced portrayal of a man that most Roman authors vilified as the most monstrous foe that Rome had ever faced. Nepos' straightforward style and his preference for common vocabulary make Life of Hannibal accessible for those who are just beginning to read continuous Latin prose, while the historical interest of the subject make it compelling for readers of every ability.

Hannibal's War

Hannibal's War
Author: John Francis Lazenby
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Total Pages: 372
Release: 1998
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780806130040

Hannibal is acknowledged to be one of history's greatest generals, and his crossing of the Alps - complete with elephants - to make war against Rome on its home soil is legendary. But even Hannibal met his match in Scipio, and ultimately Carthage was defeated by the rising power of Rome. In Hannibal's War, J. F. Lazenby provides the first scholarly account in English since 1886 solely devoted to the Second Punic War - what some have called the first "world war" for mastery of the Mediterranean world. By closely examining the accounts of Livy and Polybius, supplemented with the fruits of modern research, Lazenby provides a detailed military history of the entire war as it was fought in Italy, Spain, Greece, and North Africa. This edition includes a new preface covering recent research on Hannibal's war against Rome.

Between Rome and Carthage

Between Rome and Carthage
Author: Michael P. Fronda
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2010-06-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 1139488627

Hannibal invaded Italy with the hope of raising widespread rebellions among Rome's subordinate allies. Yet even after crushing the Roman army at Cannae, he was only partially successful. Why did some communities decide to side with Carthage and others to side with Rome? This is the fundamental question posed in this book, and consideration is given to the particular political, diplomatic, military and economic factors that influenced individual communities' decisions. Understanding their motivations reveals much, not just about the war itself, but also about Rome's relations with Italy during the prior two centuries of aggressive expansion. The book sheds new light on Roman imperialism in Italy, the nature of Roman hegemony, and the transformation of Roman Italy in the period leading up to the Social War. It is informed throughout by contemporary political science theory and archaeological evidence, and will be required reading for all historians of the Roman Republic.

The Carthaginians

The Carthaginians
Author: Dexter Hoyos
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 324
Release: 2010-06-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 1136968628

The Carthaginians reveals the complex culture, society and achievements of a famous, yet misunderstood, ancient people. Beginning as Phoenician settlers in North Africa, the Carthaginians then broadened their civilization with influences from neighbouring North African peoples, Egypt, and the Greek world. Their own cultural influence in turn spread across the Western Mediterranean as they imposed dominance over Sardinia, western Sicily, and finally southern Spain. As a stable republic Carthage earned respectful praise from Greek observers, notably Aristotle, and from many Romans – even Cato, otherwise notorious for insisting that ‘Carthage must be destroyed’. Carthage matched the great city-state of Syracuse in power and ambition, then clashed with Rome for mastery of the Mediterranean West. For a time, led by her greatest general Hannibal, she did become the leading power between the Atlantic and the Adriatic. It was chiefly after her destruction in 146 BC that Carthage came to be depicted by Greeks and Romans as an alien civilization, harsh, gloomy and bloodstained. Demonising the victim eased the embarrassment of Rome’s aggression; Virgil in his Aeneid was one of the few to offer a more sensitive vision. Exploring both written and archaeological evidence, The Carthaginians reveals a complex, multicultural and innovative people whose achievements left an indelible impact on their Roman conquerors and on history.

Hannibal's Road

Hannibal's Road
Author: Mike Roberts
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 395
Release: 2017-03-30
Genre: History
ISBN: 1473855969

Many books have been written on the Second Punic War and Hannibal in particular but few give much space to his campaigns in the years from 213 203 BC. Most studies concentrate on Hannibals series of stunning victories in the early stages of the war, culminating at Cannae in 216 BC, then refocus on the activities of his nemesis ,Scipio Africanus, in Spain until the two meet in the final showdown at Zama. But this has led to the neglect of some of the Carthaginian genius most remarkable campaigns. By 212 the wider war was definitely going against the Carthaginians. Yet Hannibal, despite being massively outnumbered and with little support from home, was able to sustain his polyglot army and campaign actively across southern Italy for another ten years. His skilful manoeuvring and victory in numerous engagements kept several veteran armies of the normally aggressive Romans tied up and on the defensive, until Scipios invasion of North Africa pulled him home to defend Carthage. Mike Roberts follows the course of these remarkable events in detail, analysing Hannibals strategy and aims in this phase of the war and revealing a genius that had lost none of its lustre in adversity.

Carthage's Other Wars

Carthage's Other Wars
Author: Dexter Hoyos
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2019-12-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1473890624

“A very good read . . . and a reminder that the Romans were hardly the only imperialist warmongers of the ancient world.” —StrategyPage Carthage was the western Mediterranean’s first superpower, long before Rome, and her military history was powerful, eventful, and checkered even before her “Punic Wars” against Rome. Although characterized in the surviving sources and modern studies as a predominantly mercantile state, Carthage fought many wars, both aggressive and defensive, before and in between the contests with the Roman parvenus. The Greek states of Sicily, above all Syracuse under its tyrants Dionysius the Great and then Agathocles, were her most resolute opponents, but in North Africa itself, in Sardinia, and later on in Spain she won—and sometimes lost—major wars. This is the first full-length study dedicated to these other wars that furthered Carthage’s interests for over half a millennium. Based firmly and analytically on ancient sources, it also offers the insight that Carthage, though usually considered a naval power, did more fighting on land than at sea—and with more success. Includes illustrations

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic

The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic
Author: Harriet I. Flower
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 519
Release: 2014-06-23
Genre: History
ISBN: 1107032245

This second edition examines all aspects of Roman history, and contains a new introduction, three new chapters and updated bibliographies.

Hannibal's Dynasty

Hannibal's Dynasty
Author: Dexter Hoyos
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2005
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780415359580

Hannibal's family dominated Carthage and its empire for the last forty years of the third century BC. This book provides the full story of Carthage's achievement during that time.

A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic

A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic
Author: Valentina Arena
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 628
Release: 2022-01-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1444339656

An insightful and original exploration of Roman Republic politics In A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic, editors Valentina Arena and Jonathan Prag deliver an incisive and original collection of forty contributions from leading academics representing various intellectual and academic traditions. The collected works represent some of the best scholarship in recent decades and adopt a variety of approaches, each of which confronts major problems in the field and contributes to ongoing research. The book represents a new, updated, and comprehensive view of the political world of Republican Rome and some of the included essays are available in English for the first time. Divided into six parts, the discussions consider the institutionalized loci, political actors, and values, rituals, and discourse that characterized Republican Rome. The Companion also offers several case studies and sections on the history of the interpretation of political life in the Roman Republic. Key features include: A thorough introduction to the Roman political world as seen through the wider lenses of Roman political culture Comprehensive explorations of the fundamental components of Roman political culture, including ideas and values, civic and religious rituals, myths, and communicative strategies Practical discussions of Roman Republic institutions, both with reference to their formal rules and prescriptions, and as patterns of social organization In depth examinations of the 'afterlife' of the Roman Republic, both in ancient authors and in early modern and modern times Perfect for students of all levels of the ancient world, A Companion to the Political Culture of the Roman Republic will also earn a place in the libraries of scholars and students of politics, political history, and the history of ideas.