Review by Choice Review
This book is something of a reprise of the author's 1997 Unplanned Wars: The Origins of the First and Second Punic Wars, as its subject is the major subject of this book. Hannibal's "dynasty" is indeed a short one, including his father Hamilcar, his brother-in-law Hasdrubal, and Hannibal himself, and encompassing about half a century. In a rather rambling narrative, the author touches on all aspects of the history of Carthage from its founding in about 814 BCE to its destruction by Rome in 146 BCE, but the bulk of the text concerns the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE) and the apparent internal politics of Carthage. Because of the nature of the evidence, the author's opinions and conclusions are necessarily speculative, and scholars will find much with which to disagree, but also much of profit because the discussion is thorough and wide-ranging. The nonexpert will find this very difficult reading, largely because of the complete absence of maps, despite frequent reference in the text to place names, some quite obscure. Summing up: Optional. Graduate students and faculty. J. J. Gabbert Wright State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
