Morbid Romantic

Book Review & Personal Blog

Title: The War with Hannibal: The History of Rome from Its Foundation, Books XXI-XXX
Author(s): Livy
Genre: Nonfiction – History
Finished: February 27, 2010
Rating: 3 Stars

The three Punic Wars Rome fought against Carthage were as iconic to the Romans as they are to us. Romans passed on the stories as part of their historical tradition and even threatened their misbehaving kids with Hannibal the way that we do the boogeyman. The most popular of those three wars saw Hannibal crossing the Alps with his elephants, and then proceeding all the way to Rome. Collecting old Roman allies, Hannibal proves that while he is a good tactician, his strategy skills are lacking. Nevertheless, he is the sort of leader than the Romans can respect even as they fear him. Livy pays homage to this war in typical Livy style, less about the battles and maneuvers than about the dynamics and implications. This text is a great deal easier to read than some of Livy’s other writings, complete with dramatic battle scenes and impressive tactics. It is at times emotional, at times heated, and at times you will wonder who the good buy and bad guys are regardless of Livy’s intent (he does, after all, say there is nothing better than being a Roman). Clearly, in the end, the Romans win and fight the good fight.

But before you begin to think that this is a mere make believe story loosely based on fact, think again. You will get a distinct sense of what it means for a Roman to be a Roman, and come to understand the virtues they prized and vices they condemned. Livy also, whether intentional or not, shows us how the Romans saw the outside world and the other peoples surrounding them. Also, within the social and political context, we see events taking place that were true to life and will have lasting impacts on the political order of Rome later. For instance, the ending of the law that limited terms to once every 10 years. By necessity of war, the law had to be thrown out of the proverbial window. This will have a very negative impact on the Republic and contribute to the later chaos with men like Marius.

You’ll love the Romans and feel nothing but awe for Hannibal despite his overall failure… Livy certainly does!

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