Hannibal
Author: Leonard Cottrell
Synopsis
In the year 216 B.C., Hannibal of Carthage, faced with an
opposing Roman army twice the size of his own, outwitted
the enemy at Cannae by means of a strategy which has
become a classic of its kind. As a result of his famous
double pincer maneuver, 70,000 Roman soldiers died within
the space of a few hours on a field the size of New
York's Central Park. Yet, as devastating and startling as
Cannae was, it was only one of a long list of incredible
achievements. Hannibals fantastic 1,000-mile march across
the Alps from Spain to Italy was one of the wonders of
ancient times. He began his hazardous journey with 90,000
infantry, 12,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants. By the time
he reached the Valley of the Po, more than 30,000 troops
and many of his elephants had perished, but he still
managed to stay in Italy for sixteen years.Blending
biography and military adventure, Hannibal is a portrait
of a military genius who was also a highly civilized man.
The son of Hamilcar Barca, a famous general in his own
right, Hannibal was a student of the Greek classics.
But his father's lifelong grudge against
Rome fostered in the son a deep hatred for that Republic
and a fierce determination to subdue it forever. This
resulted in the bloody battles of Lake Trasimene,
Campania, Nole, Capua, and Zama, all of which Leonard
Cottrell describes with vigor and authority. In gathering
material for Hannibal, Cottrell traveled the entire route
that Hannibal took across the Alps, thus bringing to his
account a valuable firsthand knowledge of his subject.
With the drama and authenticity for which he is famous,
Leonard Cottrell describes Hannibal's amazing campaign, a
saga of victory after victory which fell just short of
its ultimate goal: the annihilation of Rome.
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