How good a statesman was Hannibal?
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Secondary historians
In the past, it was common for historians to regard Hannibal as a great
statesman, as well as a great general:
Contemporary Writers
Modern
Historians disagree about the validity of the extant record - some regarding
it as so biased and fictional as to be virtually worthless, with others
seeing it as more-or-less a true record from the Roman's-point-of-view. Polybius, Book 1, Chapter 3
Where he records them at all, Polybius generally records Hannibal's diplomatic successes as 'just happening', and at Nagarraga he portrays a man 'begging' for his country's safety ... and then suggesting totally unreasonable, too-lenient terms.
You be the Judge
This is a matter on which you can make your own judgement.
Consider this list of diplomatic/political actions by Hannibal:
1 He rejected the Roman ambassadors who came to ask him to raise the siege
of Saguntum
2 He organised his support in Carthage to ensure he was supported, despite Hanno's opposition
3 He made alliances with the Gauls before setting off from Spain
4 [Livy only] he negotiated successfuly at
Iliberi with the tribes of the
Pyrenees
5 He made arrangements with the tribes of
southern France
6 He formed an alliance with Magilus and
the Boii before he crossed the Alps
7 He was invited to adjudicate between the [Allobrigian?] brothers, and
formed an alliance
8 He saw through the false alliance offered by an Alpine tribe
9 Once in Italy, he secured alliances with the
Cisalpine Gauls by a mixture of terror,
leniency, military success, and posing as a liberator
10 After Cannae, he formed an Italian
League with a number of southern Italian cities,including
11 An alliance with Capua
12 [Livy only] he maintained his support in the Carthaginian government, so
that they continued to support him and send reinforcements
13 He made an treaty of friendship with
Philip of Macedon
15 He was reprimanded for using violence against one of the Mighty Ones
16 After the Peace Treaty, he became Suffete in Carthage and set about
reforming the government and making it more democratic.
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Links:
It is VITAL that you read the commentary on the conference between Hannibal and Scipio, here.
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Task 1. Discuss with a friend the actions on the list above of Hannibal's diplomatic/political actions. • For each, discuss what it shows about Hannibal's ability
as a statesman. (If you wish, you can consult the original record in
Polybius and Livy here.) 2. Write an answer to the following question: ''An illustrious statesman.' How far do the ancient sources support this opinion of Hannibal? In your answer you should: • give a brief account of Hannibal's actions as a politician and diplomat; • explain whether these should be regarded as 'illustrious'; • show knowledge of the relevant sections of Polybius and Livy; • consider how reliable you think these sources are. [30]
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