Customer Reviews

Hannibal's Dynasty: Power and Politics in the Western Mediterranean, 247-183 BC

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This book is an excellent source for anyone who wishes to learn more about the Barca family and the dynamics of its relationship to Carthage during the first two Punic Wars. Hoyos takes all of the primary sources still available today dealing with the Punic Wars (Polybios, Cassius Dio, Livy, etc.) and pieces together the most plausible explanation for how and why the first two Punic Wars occured. Perhaps the most important section of the book deals with Hamilcar and Hasdrubal's relationship with Carthage. Hoyos suggests that Carthage was divided into two camps (both of which desired to dominate Carthaginian politics), the Barcas and the followers of Hanno 'the Great'. This factional infighting goes a long was to explaining why, during the first and second Punic Wars, Carthage took such long periods of inaction towards Rome. Also, as stated earlier, since Hoyos takes all surviving primary sources concerning the first two Punic Wars he is able to give the most plausible narrative of the events. This is especially important because many of the primary sources contradict one another in their narratives. Naval sizes, dates of battles and other events are often confused or misrepresented in the primary sources. So what Hoyos does is to present the reader with all of the accounts and argues in favor for what he has decieded to be as the most plausible account of the wars. Even if the reader does not agree with Hoyos' interpretation, since he has laid out the evidence used to come to those conclusions, the reader is able to use the same evidence to come to one's own conclusions.
In short, this is an extremly valueable secondary source that can be quite helpfull to anyone interested in the history of the first two Punic Wars.