Between Rome and Carthage: Southern Italy during the Second Punic War

by Michael P. Fronda

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.

Genres: History, Ancient History

404 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2010

Reviews

[Mark Dunstan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book which contributes greatly to the just why Hannibal's strategy failed as it traces the history and previous alliances of those cities and towns on the Italian Peninsular where Hannibal operated for most of the war, and looks at the Roman response and politics. Highly recommend this one!