Customer Reviews

The Fall of Carthage: The Punic Wars 265-146BC (Cassell Military Paperbacks)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Military history has been slighted in recent years, with the possible exception of John Keegan's insightful books. In part it is because focusing on the role of the military runs counter to the modern bias that social currents determine the nature of wars and not wars the direction of the times. We also embrace a moralistic tendency to believe that violence never really solves anything. But violence has solved many things even in modern times and until we stop resorting to war to resolve inter-state conflicts, the study of war is --or should be-- of importance to us.

Goldsworthy has written a solidly researched, lively (well --fairly lively) and measured history of the Punic Wars (265-146 BC). The three wars encompassed a theater of operations that spanned the south of Europe (Spain, Italy), the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily) and northern Africa, and took more than a century to complete. The wars were the formative conflict of the Roman Republic.

Goldsworthy argues convincingly that Rome eventually destroyed Carthage for four reasons: (1) unlike other ancient states, Rome refused to concede defeat, no matter how badly or frequently its troops were beaten in battle; (2) the Romans excelled in learning from enemies, borrowing their tactics to defeat them; (3) Rome's allies remained true to Rome, regardless of defeat or victory, more often than was true of Carthage's allies; and (4) Rome possessed resources well beyond those of Carthage, both in men and goods, which made it possible for Rome to fight a multi-decade war regardless of the cost.

This is a substantial book, accessible to novice as well as professional. Alas, the days are gone when one could count on school children knowing of the conflict between Carthage and Rome because they'd read about it in their Latin classes, but the story is still well worth telling.

David Keymer
Modesto CA

For anyone who has tried to trudge through Livy's account of the Hannibalian War, Goldsworthy's (AG's) book is extremely helpful.

The ancient historians can be borderline-reliable. AG mentions frequently that timelines or characters are convoluted. He acts as a moderator between the ancient accounts, and giving his own best guess of events. This book is quite readable to amateur Greco-Roman historians like me, and the fact that much is lost from that period gives the whole subject a whiff of mystery.

The first chapter on warfare and politics (they are, of course, mutually inclusive) in the ancient world is valuable. Most striking is the tediousness of preparing for battle: you'll never see this in "Gladiator" or "Troy". These are people and times so profoundly different than ours.

So, if you're in between books about the Greatest Generation, try reading about the generation that lived through Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae, and Zama.

Definitely a great read. Despite the fallacious pitch on the back "The cast of endlessly fascinating characters includes the generals Hannibal and Scipio, as well as treacherous chieftains, beautiful princesses, scheming politicians, and tough professional warriors.", a great and entertaining read. Almost reads like a novel, while still solidly argumented and avoiding the easy melodrama.
Battles of the Antiquity are depicted in detail, consideing logistics and actual hand-to-hand fighting.

Also an analysis that goes beyond the facts to understand social and political conditions. Sources are compared, decisions are dicussed, plausible explanations are proposed, but the author always manages not to appear as the pedant know-it-all but as a modern teacher who challenges the reader, and offers various reasons for enigmatic political or strategic decisions.

A highly entertaining and intellectually refreshing read, thank you Mr Goldsworthy. I will investigate your other books.

Adrian Goldsworthy provides an entertaining and accessible account of the Punic Wars, which those with no classical education should find an interesting read. Goldsworthy himself points out the fact that the British education system would have rendered this account unnecessary fifty years ago, but the decline of Latin as a school subject has left a generation (at least) unfamiliar with this long conflict.

Goldsworthy attempts to identify the facts of the battles as distinct from the conjecture, and is at pains to point out the limits of knowledge today (even with the benefits of archaeology to help lift some of the uncertainty). He also makes it clear that we must regard the sources as being tainted from the victor's perspective - for of course no Punic accounts of the conflicts survive. He uses general knowledge of the period to explain the context in which the wars were taking place, and how the changes in technology led to changes in the way in which war was being carried out.

This well-rounded account is supplemented with maps of the several of the battles, facilitating comprehension. However, there are no diagrams or pictures of other aspects of the time (a reproduction of a Trireme, for instance would have been a useful supplement to the lengthy descriptions of the text). This omission aside, the book is a good general read, going beyond a simple recitation of events, which serves to put the wars in an appropriate context.

From some of the reviews I read on Amazon, it seems that there are those who are unhappy with any kind of history unless it's an exhaustive treatise filled with hair-splitting `nuance.' Indeed, I think some of these reviewers take themselves far too seriously - writing absurdly complex reviews in an apparent attempt to impress others with their own latent literary talent and/or intellectual capacity.

History can and should be accessible and entertaining for people. Why would you intentionally set out to write, much less purchase something that's a struggle to read? Personally, I enjoy histories that are both informative and fun to read - histories that give you a sense of what the individuals involved felt, who they were, how they lived, what they thought, what motivated them, the magnitude of the challenges that faced them, the consequences of their actions, etc. Regrettably some of that information is often illusive, particularly in the ancient world, but a clever writer can leave you feeling immersed in the story and connected to the figures involved.

Goldsworthy's book doesn't quite do that, but neither is it a total drag. The story itself is so fascinating that the mere narrative is entertaining enough to keep you interested, and while there are plenty of names (including plenty of duplicates), dates and antiquated place names, it is fairly easy to stay engaged and follow the story - particularly in the latter half of the book.

Where the book fell short of my expectations was in the actual fall of the city of Carthage, which underwent a brutal and heroic multi-year siege; the city being reduced from some 500,000 inhabitants to a mere 55,000 at its capitulation. Goldsworthy fails to cover this in much detail, but given the book's focus on campaigning and tactics, it is perhaps less important to him.

All in all I would say this is a strong history with good information, sound reasoning, and based on an inherently entertaining and interesting subject that thankfully keeps readers engaged even if the writing is perhaps slightly dry at times. I would purchase a Goldworthy book again, and would recommend this book for someone interested in the nuts and bolts of the Punic Wars, but not someone wishing to be regaled by stories of Hannibalic heroism.

This book was originally published under the title "The Punic Wars", which I think better describes the book than the "Fall of Carthage" because the book is about all three of the Punic Wars. Most books on the Punic Wars deal only with the second one - the one with Hannibal and the elephants crossing the Alps. As the author points out, we know much more about the second war, so it is not surprising that this one gets much more attention. However, the first and third wars are important and should not be ignored. The first explains why the second occurred and the third finishes the story of the conflict. This book is very interesting and I learned a lot more than just about the battles of the Punic Wars. I learned about the Roman army of the period, about the Roman political system and politics of the time, and why these wars were fought and their consequences.

The fact that this is a republication of a book is important, because this version has been shrunk down in physical size (but not page length). The original is, according to the Amazon description, 9.2x6.3 inches, whereas this book is only 7.7x5 inches. To achieve this smaller size, the size of the print has been reduced, as have the margins. The inner margin is only 3/8 inch from the spine of the book, compared to a more typical 5/8 inch. Why do I mention this? Well, the smaller print makes the book harder to read and more importantly I had to break the spine of the book to be able to see the material at the inner margin. Thus, it is doubtful that the book can stand up to a second reading. This is OK for a novel that one might throw away after reading, but it is not for a book that one might want to keep for reference.

As noted in the title of this review, this is an academic treatment. Most non-academic treatments provide a straightforward narrative based on the author's view of the history. Professor Goldsworthy presents all interpretations of the history. Thus, much of the book contains sentences of the sort - A believes ..., whereas C believes..., and D believes..., and I believe that ... is closest to the truth because... This approach interrupts the narrative, but it is a fairer approach in that it makes it clear that there is a great difference of opinion about many aspects of the Punic wars (as is the case for all of the history of antiquity). This is what I mean by the book being an academic treatment. Some readers will like this approach; others will feel that what they were expecting to be an exciting story of battles becomes dry history.

Also as noted in the title of this review, this is a military history, as opposed to one that focuses on political, social, or religious aspects of the period being covered. This is not to say that these aspects are not considered, only that they are discussed in the context of the military conflict. (A great deal of information is provided about the political system and the politics of this period - information that is essential for understanding the military aspects of the war.) There are very good appendices that contains a description of the political system of the republic, the organization of a Roman Consular Army of the period, and a detailed chronology of events.

While this is a military history it does not focus entirely on the fighting involved with the pivotal battles, such as Cannae. There is a 24-page chapter on Cannae, but it is devoted to much more than the battle itself. It covers the military and political events leading up to it and the extremely important consequences of the battle, but the battle itself is covered in only seven pages. There is one map that concerns Cannae, with a very small insert showing the initial disposition of forces. (There are a total of 16 clearly drawn maps in the book, but no photographs of ancient ruins, or artifacts. Likewise, there are also no drawings of soldiers in battle dress or alike.) You will learn much more that just about the fighting, but the treatment is less exciting that one that focuses on the battle itself.

While the author makes pains to state that he is interested in the Punic Wars in their own right, as opposed to any contrast with modern conflicts, the last few pages of the book briefly compare these wars to WWI and WWII. The comparisons are striking, as are the lessons to be learned; pointing up the need to understand the lessons of history. I recommend this book to those who want to learn the lesson that these wars teach. However, it is not as exciting as some books about this period, but this in more than made up for with the wealth of information that is provided. I liked the honest admission of where the historical sources are lacking or contradictory. There is a clear analysis of the factors that brought on the wars, the factors that led to one side or the other being victorious in a given battle and why the Romans ultimately won, in spite of suffering horrendous losses.

I would have given the book five stars were it not for its shrunk down size. I would have gladly paid a few dollars more to get a book that would last for a second or third reading.

Adrian Goldsworthy has combined ancient sources and modern interpretations to give us a breathtaking account of the three wars which raged between Rome and its Mediterranean rival, Carthage over the course of a century. One of his strengths is his ability to describe the complex logistics and manoeuvres of the significant battles of this era. He also gives perceptive accounts of the political machinations which brought about the policies, alliances and betrayals of the period.
The most successful and effective general of the entire tale, is Hannibal, one of the Barca family, and Goldsworthy gives him his due, describing the tactics by which he invaded Rome from Spain, and humiliated legion after Roman legion. However the narrative is clear that Hannibal's invasion was a gamble - he ditched his heavier equipment in order to speed the crossing of the Alps, and arrived in Rome without the ability or inclination to capture population centres. It is here that Goldsworthy's admiration of the sheer obduracy of the Romans shines through. Hannibal, with Italy at his feet, after destroying many legions, sent negotiators to treat with Rome. To his astonishment, the negotiators were sent away, unheard. The Romans simply would not be defeated, Hannibal was impotent to take the city, and though he roamed undefeated in the Italian peninsula for many years, his enemy would not give up.
There are detailed accounts of the rise and re-election of various Roman consuls and generals, the authoritarian nature of the elected elite, and the various factions which ruled Rome. I found it interesting that those plebs who did achieve elective office and military leadership, sometimes found that while their ascent was meteoric, their lack of privileged family backround could prove their undoing when events moved against them.
It has been said that history is written by the victors, and the book is significantly less descriptive and detailed when dealing with Carthaginian affairs. However I think the spirit of the Romans shines through, their ability to describe their own society, their sheer self-belief led to their creating and leaving detailed accounts of themselves and their society in a way which was unmatched among their neighbouring societies.
Overall this is an excellent survey of the events, and contains significant pointers for a deeper study of the various elements.

Adrian Goldsworthy has written an interesting and most credible history of the Punic Wars, one of the most important stretches in Roman history. What makes Goldsworthy's book worth reading?

First, he seems to have gone to great lengths to critcally assess available evidence and then present the story of these fabled conflicts as accurately as is possible. Second, he avoids the pitfall of burying the reader in a blizzard of names, dates, and locations, thereby allowing me to follow the action and personalities. He makes a concerted effort to help the reader from confusing the many Scipios, Hamilcars, Hannos, etc with each other. He picks out that which is really important and summarizes the rest. Finally, he looks at these wars in the context of the cultures that were fighting them, pointing out how cultural attitudes affected outcomes -- a refreshing approach.

In summary, this book gives a reliable, interesting, and accessible review of the Punic Wars. My one criticism is that this tome rarely grabs the reader in the way that some history books do (such as Peter Massey's Dreadnought or McCullough's John Adams). In defense of the author, he does not have the flood of primary materials that these authors had. Nonetheless, it was not a book that I felt compelled to pick up every evening, hence 4 stars instead of 5.

Steven Mlodinow

As in all of Goldsworthy's titles, this is a solid book about the beginning and end of the great city of Carthage. The main part of the book deals with the second Punic war. Goldsworthy's books as always are well researched and written. This is an easy read and student of this time will find out a lot of information about the first and third war with Rome in which not much is written. A definite recommendation to anyone interested in this period of history

When I first purchased this book, I was a bit hesitant as I thought that I have read so much on the subject already. Yet I am glad I did. The book is well written and explains the subject well.

I would highly recommend it.