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Great Captains
Hannibal
Hannibal is often called the finest general the world has ever known. Setting out from Carthaginian-dominated Spain with a small army of select troops, he fought his way over the Pyrenees and crossed the Alps with elephants and a full baggage train. Theodore Dodge retraced this route from Carthage to Italy, paying particular attention to the famous crossing of the Alps, and wrote what remains unequalled as the most comprehensive and readable study of history's greatest general.
704 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1891
About the author
Theodore Ayrault Dodge
83 books41 followersTheodore Ayrault Dodge was an American officer and military historian. He fought as an Union officer in the American Civil War, and lost his leg at the Battle of Gettysburg; as a writer, he devoted his writings to both the American Civil War and the great generals of Ancient and European history.
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January 3, 2014
Hannibal by Theodore Ayrault Dodge - Insight Into a Thousand Books
Theodore Ayrault Dodge joined the Infantry as an enlisted soldier in the New York all Volunteer infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He rose to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel and lost his leg at the Battle of Gettysburg. He had received his military education in Berlin and the University College London and the University of Heidelberg. If you’re a Heinlein “Glory Road” fan, he’s a Heidelberg man. His military carrier did not end with the loss of his leg. He served at the War Department from 1864 and received a commission in the US Army in 1866 retiring as a Major in 1870. He wrote a twelve volume work called “A History of the Art Of War” that discussed generals from Alexander to Napoleon. He wrote a sympathetic opinion of Robert E. Lee and his journals written when he was part of the Army of the Potomac and Gettysburg have been cited by noted historians of his age and ages past. The second of his twelve volume observation of the Art of War discussed Hannibal and, this is that volume.
Dodge is a slave to minutia and detail. He tends to run through the supply train then go back over the roles of each different unit and major player, regardless of how much the overlapped. It is easy to get caught up in the attention to detail here, and I nearly did. Then, strangely, Hannibal began to take shape as a person, a very remarkable person. A boy wizard general like Alexander before him, once given the go-ahead to harass and invade the Roman Empire crossed the Alps and did not return again until many years later. He fought the Romans and their Allies, the Lombards, Gauls and other Germanic tribesmen with his own, very diverse multi-national force from North Africa.
Despite his obsession with minute details, Dodge manages sort through differing reports from the two leading Roman Historians who wrote about Hannibal settling disputed evidence with a very practical warrior’s sense of what’s likely, and unleashed the Romantic Noble Warrior in his heart. One might argue that he blended a romanticized version of Robert E. Lee into his vision of Hannibal and not be far from the truth. One might say that he made up a lot of facts because there is scarce evidence to support any version of Hannibal’s conquests. Well you could say that, but it’s not exactly true.
And of course, all of those arguments, while even possibly valid, will miss the true value of a book like this.
The beauty of Dodge’s work is that it gives those people who write fiction stories, be they fantasy, Science Fiction or historical fiction, a frame that they can use to help imagine a great hero in an impossible situation defying the odds, not for a month or a year, but for more than a decade. Hannibal was the Resistance fighting the Empire in Star Wars. He was “Black Jack Geary” from Jack Campbell’s wonderful “Lost Fleet Series” hopelessly lost behind enemy lines, with no hope of relief battling his way back to safe space. He’s Adamma from Battlestar Galactica 2005, the television series starring Edward James Olmos leading his rag-tag fugitive fleet, seeking a safe haven from the hoards of Cylons chasing them. He’s “Hile Troy” from Stephen R. Donaldson’s “Wounded land” series battling the forces of the Despiser (and one of the few heroes we could like from that series). In Dodge’s Hannibal I can see Robert E. Lee, faced with a choice between duty and the land that he was born and raised in fighting the overpowering union army as much as Sherman disappearing in South Carolina only to reappear in Vicksburg with Ulysses Grant. I can even see Thorgrim the king leading his riders to rescue Minas Tirith at least for one battle’s worth looking like Hannibal, invincible against all Sauron’s might.
And here, is one hero, cut much like those I’ve loved in books, except this one is real taking on the enormous might of the Roman Empire. The best strategy the Roman’s ever came up with was, “if it’s Hannibal, do not engage, don’t’ fight and we can’t get beat,” at least until Scipio Africanus figured out that, with Hannibal in Italy, then there was nobody guarding Carthage. Her is our charismatic leader who holds the alliance together like Captain Ready in the Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson. Hannibal. Who else is there?
So, one can read this and yawn at the numbers and details of the soldiers. If you don’t like to read about military maneuvers in battles or how Hannibal’s Phalanx would have fared against a properly organized and trained Greek Phalanx, then remember. There is so much more in this book. So much to draw from as inspiration if you’re a writer who dares to write a hero through impossible odds and needs a realistic example of how it all comes together.
And the best tidbit of information, the one thing that I didn’t already know about Hannibal is that he lived as a mercenary general fighting with Judea and other nations in the middle east long after his foray into Italy and died an old man after a long and fruitful life.
It’s worth reading at least once.
Theodore Ayrault Dodge joined the Infantry as an enlisted soldier in the New York all Volunteer infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He rose to the rank of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel and lost his leg at the Battle of Gettysburg. He had received his military education in Berlin and the University College London and the University of Heidelberg. If you’re a Heinlein “Glory Road” fan, he’s a Heidelberg man. His military carrier did not end with the loss of his leg. He served at the War Department from 1864 and received a commission in the US Army in 1866 retiring as a Major in 1870. He wrote a twelve volume work called “A History of the Art Of War” that discussed generals from Alexander to Napoleon. He wrote a sympathetic opinion of Robert E. Lee and his journals written when he was part of the Army of the Potomac and Gettysburg have been cited by noted historians of his age and ages past. The second of his twelve volume observation of the Art of War discussed Hannibal and, this is that volume.
Dodge is a slave to minutia and detail. He tends to run through the supply train then go back over the roles of each different unit and major player, regardless of how much the overlapped. It is easy to get caught up in the attention to detail here, and I nearly did. Then, strangely, Hannibal began to take shape as a person, a very remarkable person. A boy wizard general like Alexander before him, once given the go-ahead to harass and invade the Roman Empire crossed the Alps and did not return again until many years later. He fought the Romans and their Allies, the Lombards, Gauls and other Germanic tribesmen with his own, very diverse multi-national force from North Africa.
Despite his obsession with minute details, Dodge manages sort through differing reports from the two leading Roman Historians who wrote about Hannibal settling disputed evidence with a very practical warrior’s sense of what’s likely, and unleashed the Romantic Noble Warrior in his heart. One might argue that he blended a romanticized version of Robert E. Lee into his vision of Hannibal and not be far from the truth. One might say that he made up a lot of facts because there is scarce evidence to support any version of Hannibal’s conquests. Well you could say that, but it’s not exactly true.
And of course, all of those arguments, while even possibly valid, will miss the true value of a book like this.
The beauty of Dodge’s work is that it gives those people who write fiction stories, be they fantasy, Science Fiction or historical fiction, a frame that they can use to help imagine a great hero in an impossible situation defying the odds, not for a month or a year, but for more than a decade. Hannibal was the Resistance fighting the Empire in Star Wars. He was “Black Jack Geary” from Jack Campbell’s wonderful “Lost Fleet Series” hopelessly lost behind enemy lines, with no hope of relief battling his way back to safe space. He’s Adamma from Battlestar Galactica 2005, the television series starring Edward James Olmos leading his rag-tag fugitive fleet, seeking a safe haven from the hoards of Cylons chasing them. He’s “Hile Troy” from Stephen R. Donaldson’s “Wounded land” series battling the forces of the Despiser (and one of the few heroes we could like from that series). In Dodge’s Hannibal I can see Robert E. Lee, faced with a choice between duty and the land that he was born and raised in fighting the overpowering union army as much as Sherman disappearing in South Carolina only to reappear in Vicksburg with Ulysses Grant. I can even see Thorgrim the king leading his riders to rescue Minas Tirith at least for one battle’s worth looking like Hannibal, invincible against all Sauron’s might.
And here, is one hero, cut much like those I’ve loved in books, except this one is real taking on the enormous might of the Roman Empire. The best strategy the Roman’s ever came up with was, “if it’s Hannibal, do not engage, don’t’ fight and we can’t get beat,” at least until Scipio Africanus figured out that, with Hannibal in Italy, then there was nobody guarding Carthage. Her is our charismatic leader who holds the alliance together like Captain Ready in the Destroyermen series by Taylor Anderson. Hannibal. Who else is there?
So, one can read this and yawn at the numbers and details of the soldiers. If you don’t like to read about military maneuvers in battles or how Hannibal’s Phalanx would have fared against a properly organized and trained Greek Phalanx, then remember. There is so much more in this book. So much to draw from as inspiration if you’re a writer who dares to write a hero through impossible odds and needs a realistic example of how it all comes together.
And the best tidbit of information, the one thing that I didn’t already know about Hannibal is that he lived as a mercenary general fighting with Judea and other nations in the middle east long after his foray into Italy and died an old man after a long and fruitful life.
It’s worth reading at least once.
September 21, 2018
This is an incredibly detailed work about Hannibal's military operations in the war that we know as the Second Punic War, but Rome knew as "The War Against Hannibal". That ought to tell you about his greatness, and especially the great fear he managed to instill in the strongest military power in the world, at the time of their prime. While much of the writing is concerned with military operations, strategy, logistics and operations theaters, it does not skimp on a fine analysis of the men involved, their motives, and their characters. Hannibal - for good reason - will forever be one of the greatest generals of the world. In my opinion, he stands unmatched to this day.
June 25, 2024
"I always liked Hannibal best of all the classical figures in the military history of the Roman Empire, because he comes down to us only in the written memoirs of his enemies. And if they thought he was such a good leader, he must have been a hell of a leader"
President, Dwight D. Eisenhower
This biography of the Great Carthaginian general is both Exhaustive and Exhausting. While it covers battles like Cannae in considerable depth, it also covers everything down to the buckles on Hannibal's sandals in excruciating detail. Ok that last comment is an exaggeration because as old Dwight identified what we know of Hannibal comes only from the Romans, and they didn't comment on his footwear. Despite his whole life story being written by his arch nemesis the man we see is still one of the greatest generals ever to command a force.
Hannibal is the architect and victor of the greatest battle ever fought. A battle so famous that the ghosts of Cannae stalk the battlefield even today. Generals millennia hence continue to try to emulate it. Famously in WWI, the German command raced to get around the French and recreate that vaunted double envelopment. And while some armies have recreated, none have ever done it so perfectly or against such horrible odds. As Dodge says.
"He alone of all the leaders of history fought against a power and against armies which were unequivocally his superiors in intelligence, breadth, discipline, military training - in every quality except only his individual genius."
Dodge does take his sweet time doing some scene setting. We get a good 80 pages merely on the make-up and methods of the Roman army. Not Hannibal's army but that of his opposition. Dodge gives us a small overview of the Carthaginian forces and in fairness to him pretty much all we know about them we know from the Romans. Even still, the subject of this biography doesn't really make an appearance until about 150 pages in. A pretty big run-up. It's also important to note that this biography is the second of 12 books on the great generals of history. It sits between the first volume on Alexander the Great and the third volume on Julius Caesar. There's considerable comparisons made with the other two great leaders and outside those two, Napoleon and Frederick come in for the most positive comparisons. When talking of Hannibal's bad luck Dodge compares it to Alexander's seemingly endless supply of it.
"If Alexander was born under a lucky star, so, assuredly, was Hannibal born under a luckless one. It seems as if Fortune delighted to betray him and to thwart his best-laid plans. While fortune is largely of man's own making, it cannot be admitted that there is not in war, as there is in all human events, such an element as simple luck."
There were a few little peccadilloes I picked up on. You could be fooled by Dodge for thinking that all war is fought solely for booty. I mean booty in the sense of plunder, not that other type of booty. The word booty is used nearly every other page once the campaigning starts. It's almost like Hannibal is some pirate on the seven seas constantly making off with his booty, and stealing the Roman's booty, and shaking his little booty (yes that kind of booty).
Another word which peppers this text is Debouching. There's just an enormous amount of debouching going on. That is emerging from a confined space into a wide open area. Troops seem to be constantly debouching.
In another seriously tedious section, Dodge spends about 20 pages labouring away to identify beyond all reasonable doubt exactly which pass over the Alps Hannibal took. While his dedication to historical accuracy is commendable, it's also extremely boring. There'd be less effort in actually taking a troop of elephants over the Alps yourself than battling through Dodge's case for the passage over the Little St. Bernard pass. Dodge also has a tendency to state and re-state, to explicate and explain, to define and redefine, to essentially debouch his theories into the wide open space of your mind.
Hannibal it should be noted was what would be called a nepo baby in today's world. His father Hamilcar Barca (last name means lightning) was an incredibly successful general that essentially conquered the Iberian peninsula and turned Carthage into a true superpower. Here the comparison with Alexander is the most natural as he too inherited so much from his father Phillip and like Hannibal took it to heights their fathers only dreamed of.
On top of the brilliant mind and Stirling education Hannibal received from his father he also kindled this seemingly deep hatred of Rome. It's never quite clear how hot those flames were but Dodge certainly believes vengeance was deep in the heart of Hannibal.
Rome had absolute material preponderance. All Hannibal had to oppose this was his burning genius. And in his greatest successes he never forgot this limitation to his power; nor did his divine fury ever mislead him.
One of Hannibal's most famous quotes is:
"I have come not to make war on the Italians, but to aid the Italians against Rome."
Dodge consistently shows how cautious and well-tempered Hannibal is and I find it hard to believe his genius was driven by some dark pit of fury against Rome. I would say, rather that he deemed his actions necessary to protect the future of Carthage.
Dodge does show incredible caution in taking anything Livy says as fact. His historiographical nous is based in his own involvement in the American Civil War. Thus when calling into disrepute some of Livy's comments we get.
"But during the past thirty years, we Americans have seen so many utterly unreliable statements with regard to our civil war put before the public in good faith by well-equipped witnesses of the event, that it appears wise to distrust the statements of one of Hannibal's worst enemies, unless we find them well vouched for by the attendant circumstances."
The final chapter of the book is a short aside about the Phalanx vs the Legion, an issue which seems to burn like some unholy fire in Dodge's mind. While the debate remains unsolved as Dodge tells us so many times "the best phalanx never fought against the best legion", he still wants to explore every dead end. The most interesting part of this discussion is how the Roman army degenerated from it's peak during the Republic when essentially it went from citizens with skin in the game to professional soldiers. The best quote about peak Republican Roman army is:
For the Roman actual war was but a bloody repetition of his daily drill, as his daily drill was but a bloodless campaign.
But then that bad guy capitalism takes over. Imagine telling a legionnaire he was part of the proletariat.
"We shall see, in the succeeding century, when the material of the legion degenerated from the citizen whose service was a privilege rather than a burden, to the proletariat who enlisted as a means of a better livelihood, and the individuality of the soldier could no longer be depended on, that the mobility of the legion disappeared. The men were no more to be relied upon unless held close in hand by the general commanding, and unless they were massed for mutual support. The intervals between maniples became dangerous; they were gradually decreased and finally given up; the legion reverted to a body resembling the old Dorian phalanx from which it had sprung. The period of its elastic structure was coincident with the service privilege of the Roman citizen. So long as the terms citizen and soldier were equivalents, so long lasted the best period of the legion. The great victories it later won, the splendid work of which it was capable, were no longer due to the rank and file, to the Roman burgess, that perfect type of the citizen-soldier, but distinctly to the skill of the leader, to the talent of such men as Marius, Sulla, Pompey, to the genius of Caesar."
There is a huge amount on Rome in this book, arguably more than on Hannibal, again the sources dictate that outcome. The last chapter also serves as testament to Hannibal's greatest legacy; his role as the most important of Rome's teachers. It was Hannibal who schooled the Romans in the art of war. Without him, I might not be writing this review using this alphabet, nor would our years be broken into Roman months, or would we live in societies governed by senates and the rule of law as it is. Hannibal was the indomitable force who taught Rome the art of war and thus allowed her to create an empire spanning centuries. His name remained the bogey man of children at play in Rome and Hannibal at the Gates was the cliché used for Rome's greatest crises. Such a force was he that Cato uttered the immortal Carthago delenda est. And Carthage was destroyed, from its rubble, other civilisations emerged, notably the cathedral in Pisa is made from Carthaginian stone.
Dodge is scathing of Carthage's refusal to truly support Hannibal when he was quite obviously their greatest chance of avoiding their doom. 15 years he spent on the Italian peninsula never losing a battle. The Romans largely adopted a similar strategy to the one Trump identified against Covid. Just as Trump said if we conduct less tests we'll have less positive results, the Romans decided that if they didn't fight Hannibal they couldn't lose to him. The Fabian strategy would be replicated by the Russians against Napoleon, by Washington against the British and countless other times through history. For 15 long years Hannibal lived as the scourge of Rome, in their heartland, never fully victorious and never defeated. 15 years of limbo. Of hope. As Dodge says, at the end;
"The Romans had little to fear from Hannibal's army. This had been so weakened that it had aught left but the strong will of its commander. The body was hectic, wasted, exhausted by long marches, desperate fighting and constant privation; but as the heart of the man will surmount the weakness of the body, - as you may read in the flashing eye the unaltered devotion to the cause, the unflagging courage and the unchanged ability to do great deeds, so was Hannibal the soul and impulse of this army. "
Reading this biography I was reminded of Churchill's tribute to the RAF in the Battle of Britain.
'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few'.
You could say of Hannibal that "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to just one man."
July 17, 2007
written by a retired union general, this is the definitive account of hannibal's campaigns. Dodge's Hannibal made me fall in love with the ancient world and was one of the first steps i took that ultimately led me to st. john's.
July 26, 2013
Hannibal Barca's life was incredible. This book is the third I have read on Hannibal, and I think I enjoyed it the most. The beginning was a little tedious, going through all the Roman fighting arrangements (especially over an audiobook). Once Dodge got into the 2nd Punic War, his insight was invaluable. He clearly illustrated the motives and circumstances that forced Hannibal's actions. His analysis of Hannibal and Alexander at the end was interesting as well. His insight on Hannibal's occupation of Italy after Cannae was the best I have read. I didn't necessarily care for his style of writing, but overall, a great account of Hannibal and Carthage.
March 24, 2016
Sorry to say that I couldn't finish this one. While I know Dodge is traditionally acknowledged as a heavy-hitter in the field, I found so many glaring errors by chapter 5 that it left me feeling like he was hand-waving, without real command of the sources, relying on the ignorance of his audience to carry the narrative. This left me with a sour taste in my mouth. Pedagogic to the point of being patronizing. Skip it.
June 15, 2021
Exceptionally well-written book that presents a wonderfully detailed writeup of Hannibal and his campaigns. Would recommend it to anyone interested in the world's most famous Carthaginian.
February 10, 2014
review in Spanish for the benefit of Spaniards
En primer lugar, si se ha leído la biografía que ya mencioné de Escipión el Africano, éste debe ser el siguiente libro, porque hay una rivalidad -sino entre los personajes históricos allá en el Olimpo- entre ambos historiadores por llevarse los laureles del primer puesto para su protegido. Dodge es un historiador bastante anterior a Lidell Hart, y le recome que su predecesor no haya otorgado el respeto que su protegido, Escipión, se merece.
Dodge es también un experto en cuestiones militares, no sólo como historiador. Su pasión por el antiguo héroe cartaginés es muy evidente, un poco demasiado, no lo digo por quitarle la razón, sino porque no queda muy fino que un historiador se demuestre tan acérrimo. La lectura es llevadera, coge impulso cuanto más cerca de las batallas importantes, allá por la mitad del libro. La primera mitad tiene mucho de explicación sobre cómo eran los ejércitos cartagineses, sus soldados, sus armas, etc, etc, y podo sobre el personaje en sí. Cosa que puede interesar, pero que al lector generalista ya no le resulta fácil de seguir.
Las andanzas de Aníbal por Italia y luego por el norte de África las sigue al autor casi al milímetro. Sólo es de lamentar que, finalizadas las batallas, perdida la guerra contra Roma, se pierdan los pasos de nuestro héroe cartaginés y casi sin despedirse. Yo estaba muy interesado en saber algo de su última etapa de vida, como protegido de no sé qué rey, como mercenario, creo. Aún vivió el hombre bastantes años, y se cree que se envenenó para no ser atrapados por su eterno enemiga, Roma, pero de todos esto no nos dice nada. Habrá que encontrarlo en elguna novela histórica, me temo.
En primer lugar, si se ha leído la biografía que ya mencioné de Escipión el Africano, éste debe ser el siguiente libro, porque hay una rivalidad -sino entre los personajes históricos allá en el Olimpo- entre ambos historiadores por llevarse los laureles del primer puesto para su protegido. Dodge es un historiador bastante anterior a Lidell Hart, y le recome que su predecesor no haya otorgado el respeto que su protegido, Escipión, se merece.
Dodge es también un experto en cuestiones militares, no sólo como historiador. Su pasión por el antiguo héroe cartaginés es muy evidente, un poco demasiado, no lo digo por quitarle la razón, sino porque no queda muy fino que un historiador se demuestre tan acérrimo. La lectura es llevadera, coge impulso cuanto más cerca de las batallas importantes, allá por la mitad del libro. La primera mitad tiene mucho de explicación sobre cómo eran los ejércitos cartagineses, sus soldados, sus armas, etc, etc, y podo sobre el personaje en sí. Cosa que puede interesar, pero que al lector generalista ya no le resulta fácil de seguir.
Las andanzas de Aníbal por Italia y luego por el norte de África las sigue al autor casi al milímetro. Sólo es de lamentar que, finalizadas las batallas, perdida la guerra contra Roma, se pierdan los pasos de nuestro héroe cartaginés y casi sin despedirse. Yo estaba muy interesado en saber algo de su última etapa de vida, como protegido de no sé qué rey, como mercenario, creo. Aún vivió el hombre bastantes años, y se cree que se envenenó para no ser atrapados por su eterno enemiga, Roma, pero de todos esto no nos dice nada. Habrá que encontrarlo en elguna novela histórica, me temo.
March 18, 2012
Fair warning: I created this ebook version - but then I only do that for books I love! Dodge was a retired army officer, and puts a lot of thought into explaining Hannibal's strategic problems, and his solutions to them (many of which were "first-evers" in known history, e.g. first-ever army ambush at Trasimene, first-ever double encirclement at Cannae). He also explores the fifteen years of "small war" after Cannae, which many other authors skip over. Finally, he manages to cram in over 200 pictures, maps, and diagrams to keep things moving.
June 3, 2009
There are many great books on Hannibal, and this is one of them. It is difficult to get through at times, but it provides a great deal of information on this intriguing man who had such an impact on history. Reading this together with a good book on his nemesis, Scipio Africanus, is highly recommended as it puts it all into perspective. While they consider Hannibal one of the world’s greatest generals and strategists, the man who defeated him, Scipio, goes almost unnoticed in history.
October 15, 2014
Dodge is a great writer. Granted it takes a little while to get used to his style now since he wrote everything almost a century ago. But is exceptionally nice to read military history written by a soldier. They point things out in a way that makes sense to people I think. They emphasize the importance of strategy, tactics, supply lines etc.
Everything that I've read by Dodge has been exceptional and this is no different. I recommend this to all fans of military history.
Everything that I've read by Dodge has been exceptional and this is no different. I recommend this to all fans of military history.
July 13, 2015
This book will be liked by those who are interested in the art of war. Battles are loving detailed and diagrammed. For myself, I learned more, very much more, than I ever wanted to know about the Roman legions. And to top it off after 200 pages still had not gotten more than a mention of Hannibal.
For those who are interested in battle strategy, this book can't be beat.
For those who are interested in battle strategy, this book can't be beat.
August 25, 2017
Hannibal: A History of the Art of War, written by Theodore Ayrault Dodge, though is not the best book I’ve read about the Carthaginian general and his campaign against Rome after his brazenly crossing his army through the Alps, is a very respectable and informative one. It takes the reader from the early military histories of both Rome and Carthage, detailing through the centuries of evolution of their respective societies, especially of their armies, briefly summing up the first Punic War and then going into the second Punic War where the title figure comes in to play, and thus is what the bulk of the book is about. Though this was written over a century ago, some probably inflated battle-figure numbers are taken at face value, and some dates of significant events are off, albeit just by a matter of months (for example on the battle of Cannae it lists as June of 216 BC instead of the date assumed my modern historians of August 216 BC) it’s still is a strong source on the topic; though it can get a little wordy and repetitive in its expressing of opinion at some points (in I guess an older-fashioned kind of biographical style).
Hannibal is a remarkable figure, certainly earning his rank among the greatest military commanders of all time. The bold decision to trek across the Alps, with an army in the tens of thousands, and successfully doing it by itself would have had him earned him praise in the annals of history. But beyond that, he turned out to be one of the greatest military tacticians in the history of warfare. He bested Roman armies that were multiple times his army’s size, and didn’t only win but decimated the opposition. But as much effect as he had on his own successes, he had just as much on the Romans, as he forced them to change their strategy, taught them that they should isolate him, and how and when to fight him on the battlefield at selective times. The famed leader Scipio (for whom the book makes the case perhaps gets too much credit for Rome’s ultimate success) rose in status, though not him, nor Fabius (of the famed Fabian strategy of war of attrition) nor anybody else can come close to Hannibal’s influence of that time.
The Second Punic War was truly regional, stretching from Italy to Spain to Sicily to northern Africa, and contained many more complex dynamics than I can talk about in this review. This book has good information setting up background of conflict, great history on the colossal war itself, and a good if preachy section at the end summarizing the conflict and broadening on certain themes touched throughout. Bottom line: anyone with interest in history of war, or history generally, should read about the remarkable figure and story of Hannibal, whether from a source like this one, or a modern one like Ghosts of Cannae or The Punic Wars—two of the better non-fiction titles about the war—written by Robert L. O’Connell and Adrian Goldsworthy respectively.
Hannibal is a remarkable figure, certainly earning his rank among the greatest military commanders of all time. The bold decision to trek across the Alps, with an army in the tens of thousands, and successfully doing it by itself would have had him earned him praise in the annals of history. But beyond that, he turned out to be one of the greatest military tacticians in the history of warfare. He bested Roman armies that were multiple times his army’s size, and didn’t only win but decimated the opposition. But as much effect as he had on his own successes, he had just as much on the Romans, as he forced them to change their strategy, taught them that they should isolate him, and how and when to fight him on the battlefield at selective times. The famed leader Scipio (for whom the book makes the case perhaps gets too much credit for Rome’s ultimate success) rose in status, though not him, nor Fabius (of the famed Fabian strategy of war of attrition) nor anybody else can come close to Hannibal’s influence of that time.
The Second Punic War was truly regional, stretching from Italy to Spain to Sicily to northern Africa, and contained many more complex dynamics than I can talk about in this review. This book has good information setting up background of conflict, great history on the colossal war itself, and a good if preachy section at the end summarizing the conflict and broadening on certain themes touched throughout. Bottom line: anyone with interest in history of war, or history generally, should read about the remarkable figure and story of Hannibal, whether from a source like this one, or a modern one like Ghosts of Cannae or The Punic Wars—two of the better non-fiction titles about the war—written by Robert L. O’Connell and Adrian Goldsworthy respectively.
January 4, 2024
I feel (in some ways) the same about this book as about WEB DuBois' biography of John Brown. Both writers stake what is now a position largely anathema to the critics of the figures at their heart; both argue that the men they chronicle were essentially good and had a firm grasp of the stakes of their times that others simply did not possess; both say the military strategies plotted by their subjects were basically correct and that the contours of their failure prove the central correctness of the strategic conception.
Brown, likely the greatest white American to ever live, fought for justice in a sense we can understand. But Hannibal comes down to us as the shining example of a moral order that is beyond the capacity of the citizens of an industrial democracy to imagine.
Hannibal is not an historical figure, he is a literary character. Polybius is the only source with a fair claim to the recency of events and the survey of the ground and characters, and 2,200 years have obliterated the other possible sources. We are left with the reception of Hannibal, since Dodge was working before the great revolutions in historical research, archaeology and studies of antiquity. So this is not a history with any real claim to anything other than textual accuracy and the instincts of a soldier, it is a portrait. Hannibal survives the calumnies of his enemies and the gaps of the historical record because he is what we all wish we could be in our moments of defeat: strong, yet not terrible, brilliant, yet not Mad, defeated, yet dignified.
Dodge's work is always constrained by the prose of his age and the intellectual habits of military historians who worked before Delbruck and of political historians who worked before the lessons of Marxism were assimilated by the academy. But if you're down for a 19th century bourgeois Republican's interpretation of the greatest general known to western audience, this is the work for you.
Brown, likely the greatest white American to ever live, fought for justice in a sense we can understand. But Hannibal comes down to us as the shining example of a moral order that is beyond the capacity of the citizens of an industrial democracy to imagine.
Hannibal is not an historical figure, he is a literary character. Polybius is the only source with a fair claim to the recency of events and the survey of the ground and characters, and 2,200 years have obliterated the other possible sources. We are left with the reception of Hannibal, since Dodge was working before the great revolutions in historical research, archaeology and studies of antiquity. So this is not a history with any real claim to anything other than textual accuracy and the instincts of a soldier, it is a portrait. Hannibal survives the calumnies of his enemies and the gaps of the historical record because he is what we all wish we could be in our moments of defeat: strong, yet not terrible, brilliant, yet not Mad, defeated, yet dignified.
Dodge's work is always constrained by the prose of his age and the intellectual habits of military historians who worked before Delbruck and of political historians who worked before the lessons of Marxism were assimilated by the academy. But if you're down for a 19th century bourgeois Republican's interpretation of the greatest general known to western audience, this is the work for you.
February 6, 2021
Where are the maps?
This is an exhaustive and scholarly examination of the 2nd Punic war between Carthage and Rome. It goes into considerable detail on all subjects relevant to this conflict. The author was a Union officer in the American civil war and writes in a charming Victorian voice. He clearly loves his subject. I would have given this book five stars but for the glaring and unforgivable lack of maps. Any book on military history needs clear and legible maps for the reader to understand what's going on. The print version has these maps and I am simply amazed that the kindle version omits them. Nevertheless, if you are interested in this conflict, which was the prelude to Roman conquest of the Mediterranean, I recommend this book highly. I also recommend the author's other books on Alexander, Caesar, etc.
This is an exhaustive and scholarly examination of the 2nd Punic war between Carthage and Rome. It goes into considerable detail on all subjects relevant to this conflict. The author was a Union officer in the American civil war and writes in a charming Victorian voice. He clearly loves his subject. I would have given this book five stars but for the glaring and unforgivable lack of maps. Any book on military history needs clear and legible maps for the reader to understand what's going on. The print version has these maps and I am simply amazed that the kindle version omits them. Nevertheless, if you are interested in this conflict, which was the prelude to Roman conquest of the Mediterranean, I recommend this book highly. I also recommend the author's other books on Alexander, Caesar, etc.
March 25, 2018
The one star rating is entirely for this edition. The Kindle edition is an un-edited OCR with many, many errors. Rome frequently appears as Pome or Borne, Scipio as Soipio or Seipio. But shows as bnt and hut, np is up, beaching is reaching. So many errors make the already dense 19th century history difficult.
The book itself is well-written, well-researched and while Dodge frequently repeats himself I take that to be on a par with the writing of the time. I heartily recommend this narration of the Second Punic War but don't try to do it on the cheap with the buck Kindle edition. Pay the money to get a hard copy.
The book itself is well-written, well-researched and while Dodge frequently repeats himself I take that to be on a par with the writing of the time. I heartily recommend this narration of the Second Punic War but don't try to do it on the cheap with the buck Kindle edition. Pay the money to get a hard copy.
March 29, 2021
A slow starter with archiac written Enlish but worth sticking with.
Not only does Dodge tell us what his sources (Livy etc) say about the wars of Hannibal, but more importantly what they don't say. As the primary sources are written by the vistors we don't get too much insight as to Hannibal as a person, however thorugh his actions, Dodge manages to bring Barca to life. As a bonus Dodge discusses the legion vs phalanex and wars against Macedon and the Selucids (who he refers to as the Syrians) which is sure to stir up heated debates with wargamers and 'Ancients era' PC strategy game fans.
Not only does Dodge tell us what his sources (Livy etc) say about the wars of Hannibal, but more importantly what they don't say. As the primary sources are written by the vistors we don't get too much insight as to Hannibal as a person, however thorugh his actions, Dodge manages to bring Barca to life. As a bonus Dodge discusses the legion vs phalanex and wars against Macedon and the Selucids (who he refers to as the Syrians) which is sure to stir up heated debates with wargamers and 'Ancients era' PC strategy game fans.
April 4, 2024
Great details in every battle
So many details were described in each battle where historical evidence is available. Hannibal's story reminds me of the great admiral of Korea, Lee Soon-Shin, who also won many impossible battles against Japanese navy while not receiving any support from his own government.
So many details were described in each battle where historical evidence is available. Hannibal's story reminds me of the great admiral of Korea, Lee Soon-Shin, who also won many impossible battles against Japanese navy while not receiving any support from his own government.
May 7, 2024
Men would rather cross the Alps with a ragtag army of 25,000 men and elephants, destroy multiple Roman armies, raid and pillage up and down the Italian peninsula, and in so doing provide an invaluable lesson in strategy the bitter fruits of which would fuel the ingenuity and success of a globe-bestriding empire than go to therapy.
May 29, 2018
A very interesting book about Hannibal. the author seems to discredit Scipio Africanus a bit too much to my liking, but with the amount of information about the second punic war, it is more than bearablr.
June 23, 2012
Just finished this excellent book. It’s a story of a genius (Hannibal Barca) who undertook an impossible mission (defeating Rome) and in the process created what we know today as military strategy. The writer (a Union officer from the US Civil War) describes Hannibal's life in extensive detail. He is especially focused on Hannibal's 16 year war against Rome. There is a detailed and breathtaking description of Hannibal's march across the Alps leading 100,000 soldiers 10,000 cavalry and 200 elephants. That feat alone would place Hannibal in military history. This was followed by several crushing victories over Roman armies which were not prepared for the Carthaginian general's strategic war, his cunning and his power. Hannibal crushed the Romans at Lake Trasimene, at Geronium and of course at Cannae in a battle still studied at military academies for its brilliant strategy and the surrounding and destruction of a much larger Roman army by a brilliant Carthaginian maneuver. Historians often wonder why Hannibal did not march on Rome right after his famous win at Cannae. The author claims this was good strategic thinking by Hannibal who must have known that he would face an army up to 10 times his if Rome had to fight for her life. He was apparently hoping instead to destabilize the Latin Alliance and then dictate peace terms to Rome. He had some successes in this including getting Capua, the second largest city in the alliance, to turn on Rome and side with Carthage. But it would not be enough. For 15 years Hannibal and his army fought in Italy and the Romans eventually stalled the Carthaginian genius by refusing to meet him head on in a battle. Rome was so awed by Hannibal's military skills that they dared not fight him despite having a massive advantage in troop numbers. They simply followed Hannibal around Italy, skirmished occasionally and prevented him from destroying the alliance and sacking Rome. But they dared not fight Hannibal head on. It proved enough. Carthage was run by a group of corrupt oligarchs (does this sound familiar......) who were more concerned in fighting for Spain and keeping its resources as a trade colony than with supporting the campaign in Italy. For this, Carthage paid a price. Defeated in Spain, Carthage was forced to recall Hannibal to defend the city against the Romans led by Scipio. By this time the Carthaginian army was no match for the Romans having been depleted and exhausted by a 15 year campaign in Italy and the local conscripts were not experienced. The Battle of Zama was Hannibal's only defeat. Even that was based on some luck as the battle had been even until Roman cavalry returned from a pursuit unexpectedly and turned the battle.
Hannibal then spent some years in government and was close to returning Carthage to greater power, but the Romans would not let that be. They hounded Hannibal until cornering him and forcing him to commit suicide at age 64.
The author has a deep respect for his subject, almost a reverence. This helps the book also. The subject is well worthy of this reverence in my opinion. Hannibal was truly one of history's great leaders and this book makes his achievements clear in a great way.
Hannibal then spent some years in government and was close to returning Carthage to greater power, but the Romans would not let that be. They hounded Hannibal until cornering him and forcing him to commit suicide at age 64.
The author has a deep respect for his subject, almost a reverence. This helps the book also. The subject is well worthy of this reverence in my opinion. Hannibal was truly one of history's great leaders and this book makes his achievements clear in a great way.
March 2, 2017
Outstanding look at the Carthaginian General, Rome's nemesis. I did my Senior Thesis on Hannibal Barca at the University of Nevada-Reno.
April 10, 2016
First off I'd really like to give this book 3 1/2 stars. It's really in the middle of the two. The book is one of Dodge's 12 volume History of the Art of War which has been broken up into individual biographies. As such it has a significant amount of detail, about 20%, on the history of both Rome and Carthage as well as the differences in their respective military establishments. It is a typical 19th century "popular" history so it doesn't contain numerous footnotes one would expect from a more scholarly work. As this was just one part of a multi-volume work on the art of war, it is often less of a biography and more of a history. The illustrations and maps are very helpful if dated.
I found the author's insights to be well presented. When ancient writers disagree, he does a good job of explaining why he prefers one over the other. He also tends to analyze what data is available and draw his own conclusions. For example, on the second battle of Nola against the Roman,
Marcellus, the author does a good job of explaining why it was probably a draw and not a Roman victory.
The major drawback, in my opinion, is that the author is too repetitive. He frequently repeats his opinions of persons and political systems. The second weakness is the age of the book. Though the author uses what were "current" examples when written they are now very dated. So for the
modern reader this can be confusing if the reader is unfamiliar with the U.S. civil war or Napoleon's campaigns.
In summation, I would recommend this book but with the caveats already mentioned.
I found the author's insights to be well presented. When ancient writers disagree, he does a good job of explaining why he prefers one over the other. He also tends to analyze what data is available and draw his own conclusions. For example, on the second battle of Nola against the Roman,
Marcellus, the author does a good job of explaining why it was probably a draw and not a Roman victory.
The major drawback, in my opinion, is that the author is too repetitive. He frequently repeats his opinions of persons and political systems. The second weakness is the age of the book. Though the author uses what were "current" examples when written they are now very dated. So for the
modern reader this can be confusing if the reader is unfamiliar with the U.S. civil war or Napoleon's campaigns.
In summation, I would recommend this book but with the caveats already mentioned.
September 11, 2014
I suspect that Hannibal reads better than it listens to. As an audiobook, it is a longer, more endless drudge than the Carthaginian General's Journey over the Alps. Dodge spares no detail, and begins his book with a lengthy discussion of the history of the military of Rome and of Carthage, detailing their units and formations and how they evolved over the centuries, as well as their arms and examples of their early wars, all sprinkled with much meticulously pronounced Latin. Further, each chapter begins with a lengthy summary of the chapter to follow, which gives the actual listening to the book an odd sense of deja vu.
The information presented is thorough, but -- in audio form -- came across as unengaging, the language a bit end-of-the-last-century stilted. Bill Wallace's narration is clear and precise, but there's not a lot he can do to make it more exciting, esp. when he has to pause a few times seemingly every paragraph to give the original Latin term for an English translation that's just been given.
I made it a quarter of the way through, so perhaps it livens up later on. It does sound like it carries a wealth of information for a military scholar of the era, thus an "Okay" rating, but I cannot recommend it as an audiobook.
The information presented is thorough, but -- in audio form -- came across as unengaging, the language a bit end-of-the-last-century stilted. Bill Wallace's narration is clear and precise, but there's not a lot he can do to make it more exciting, esp. when he has to pause a few times seemingly every paragraph to give the original Latin term for an English translation that's just been given.
I made it a quarter of the way through, so perhaps it livens up later on. It does sound like it carries a wealth of information for a military scholar of the era, thus an "Okay" rating, but I cannot recommend it as an audiobook.
January 7, 2020
Dodge did a fantastic job with his overview of Hannibal, specifically the Second Punic War. In truth, not much is known about Hannibal so he goes into great depth about the prelude to the war and its details as well. His work is extremely educational regarding the typical discussion of Cannae, Trasimane, Trebia, and the Alps, but he goes into great detail regarding the following dozen years, discussing instances that do not get noted during most history works which merely overview this war.
The only complaint would be a clear favor being shown to Hannibal himself, though Dodge goes to great lengths to justify his favoritism. Beyond that, he speaks well of the Romans on the other end in several instances, though he does not view Scipio with a great positivity. Nonetheless, Dodge gives a great overview of this war, breathing life to it and its combatants.
The only complaint would be a clear favor being shown to Hannibal himself, though Dodge goes to great lengths to justify his favoritism. Beyond that, he speaks well of the Romans on the other end in several instances, though he does not view Scipio with a great positivity. Nonetheless, Dodge gives a great overview of this war, breathing life to it and its combatants.
May 17, 2015
Just as in his classic work on Alexander the Great, Dodge against impresses, entertains, and captivates his audience with both his thorough detail and his narrative energy that, in this volume, takes the reader from Hannibal's early days fighting the rebellious tribes of the Iberian peninsula, to his daring (and almost reckless were it not so expertly done) crossing of the Alps, through all of his victories bearing testament to the Carthaginian general's near unmatched tactical prowess that shook the marble columns of Rome to their core. This is the definitive work on Hannibal's campaigns and for anyone interested in the man who inhabits the highest echelon of history's strategists, the Punic Wars, or in ancient/classical history in general should read this book!
February 8, 2012
This is an amazing and eye-opening book detailing the Second Punic War and one of the greatest of history's generals, Hannibal. Dodge goes to the utmost length to explain the tactical limitations of the time and how much of a military genius Hannibal truly was. It is also an interesting read in regards to the Romans of the time. I for one found the warmongering, imperialist Romans to be very interesting, as it showed the basis of why they went on to form one of history's greatest empires. All in all, a extremely interesting read for anyone interested in history or warfare in general.
September 10, 2015
Detailed and well-explained life of Hannibal to the extent that history allows.
The campaign of Hannibal during the Second Punic War is extensively detailed. war arrangements and logistics, tactics and battles are carefully explained.
I missed some more details about the last part of Hannibal life after the battle of Zama but probably not much remains about that period.
Very interesting comparison of Hannibal, Napoleon and Alexander.
A great book, most of it is even better than Games of Thrones.
The campaign of Hannibal during the Second Punic War is extensively detailed. war arrangements and logistics, tactics and battles are carefully explained.
I missed some more details about the last part of Hannibal life after the battle of Zama but probably not much remains about that period.
Very interesting comparison of Hannibal, Napoleon and Alexander.
A great book, most of it is even better than Games of Thrones.
October 9, 2015
I cannot even recall how I stumbled upon reading this one, but it was a great find. I enjoyed the tremendous detail provided by the author. His additional ability to mix some storytelling into so many facts made it an fast read. The story is truly amazing in and of itself - and perhaps the only thing keeping it from a modern major movie retelling is the failure of its subject to accomplish anything more than teaching his foes to fight.
If you like military strategy, early Roman culture, larger than life characters - you will enjoy this one.
If you like military strategy, early Roman culture, larger than life characters - you will enjoy this one.
December 18, 2015
Hannibal
Es un excelente libro histórico y militar que nos muestra de manera didáctica el porque Hannibal debe ser considerado como un formador de la. Estrategia militar y cuáles deben ser las aptitudes de un Comandante. Las enseñanzas que nos presenta Dodge creo que siguen siendo valderas a la actualidad en que el poder político determina el éxito o fracaso de su Ejército en las operaciones militares.
Es un excelente libro histórico y militar que nos muestra de manera didáctica el porque Hannibal debe ser considerado como un formador de la. Estrategia militar y cuáles deben ser las aptitudes de un Comandante. Las enseñanzas que nos presenta Dodge creo que siguen siendo valderas a la actualidad en que el poder político determina el éxito o fracaso de su Ejército en las operaciones militares.
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