She notes that "We learn from Plautus that the Carthaginian men of Hannibal's time were culturally different from their Greek and Roman counterparts. Particularly interesting are the differences between the economies of Carthage (mercantile) and Rome (agrarian), and the stereotype of the Carthaginian merchant in Roman literature. She also elucidates connections between Etruscan, Greek, and Carthaginian cultures as compared with Rome's. MacDonald examines the foundational myth of the Punic avenger in Vergil's Aeneid and the influence of John Dryden's 1697 translation of the epic in modern times. Asking whether Hannibal's characteristics conform to a stereotype of a Carthaginian or actually created that stereotype, she concludes that "the narrative of the life and death of Hannibal has come down to us filtered through a Roman lens but was deeply rooted in Carthaginian culture and traditions" (6).Ĭhapter 1, "Hannibal and Carthage," concerns the "rich cultural heritage and origins of Carthage shaped Hannibal's early life and were fundamental to his education and the creation of his identity" (7). MacDonald correctly identifies Polybius as "the most reliable of all the ancient sources on Hannibal" (2). Unfortunately, nearly all are pro-Roman, since Carthaginian records or histories were lost or destroyed. The introduction surveys the qualities attributed to Hannibal by the ancient sources.
Occasional redundancies do not detract from the book, which will appeal to a general public interested in the Punic Wars, as well as specialists looking for new insights.
In a lucid, readable narrative, the author gives enough detail without swamping the reader with minutiae. of Reading) takes an innovative approach, casting Hannibal as an integral player in the Hellenistic culture of his day. This new biography of Hannibal enters a crowded field of over a hundred books on the Carthaginian general whose exploits have stirred the popular imagination for centuries.
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