Miles has accomplished a rare feat. He has revisited the history of Carthage and, using the most recent archeological research, constructed an entirely new analysis of the city-state’s history. Rather than focusing on the Punic Wars, Miles begins his analysis with the birth of Carthage and follows its development up to and after its destruction by Rome. In addition, he reveals how the mythos of Heracles/Hercules was deeply ingrained in the peoples who inhabited Mediterranean lands and how absolutely essential it was for the most powerful players, e.g., Greece, Carthage, and Rome, to claim respectability and rightness for their actions by claiming Heracles/Hercules as a progenitor and sponsor. Miles' approach is truly enlightening and it’s an exhilarating read.