Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy

by Dexter Hoyos

Hannibal's enduring reputation as a man and as a general is due to his enemies' fascination with him. The way his legend was shaped in the Greek and Roman consciousness is one of the book's main themes. Under Hannibal's leadership, Carthage came close to dominating the western Mediterranean; his total victory would have changed the course of history. That he was a brilliant general is unquestioned and his strategy and tactics have been studied as real-life lessons in war even into the modern era (Norman Schwartzkopf is a fan). His political career is less appreciated and his achievements as civilian leader of Carthage in 196-5 BC have been virtually overlooked. The issue of whether he might indeed have changed history had he postponed conflict with Rome and concentrated first on Carthage's own prosperity and safety is explored in this volume as vigorously as the military questions.

Genres: History

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

Dexter Hoyos is retired Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Sydney, Australia. His many books include, most recently, Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy, The Carthaginians, A Companion to the Punic Wars, Livy: Rome's Italian Wars (with J. C. Yardley), and A Companion to Roman Imperialism.

Reviews

[Joce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perceptive biography of Hannibal. Most interestingly, it is told from a sort of "Carthaginian" point of view, with a focus on the internal workings of Carthage as well as avoiding an entirely Rome-centric view of Hannibal's career (i.e. Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae are "victories", not defeats). Although sympathetic to Hannibal, Hoyos is unsycophantic and delivers balanced, and unwavering assessment and critique. Some of the conclusions could have been elaborated somewhat, but they were likely abbreviated due to the book's length/less academically-inclined audience. Stil, Hoyos does not fail to interrogate the source material and other historians' views.