Hannibal's War, Books 21-30

Livy

OUP Oxford, Jan 12, 2006 - Biography & Autobiography - 740 pages

Livy's great history of Rome contains, in Books 21 to 30, the definitive ancient account of Hannibal's invasion of Italy in 218 BC, and the war he fought with the Romans over the following sixteen years.
Livy's gripping storytelling vividly conveys the drama of the great battles, and individuals as well as events are brought powerfully to slife.
This new translation captures the brilliance of Livy's style, and is accompanied by a fascinating introduction and notes. The comprehensive introduction examines Livy, his work, his historical accuracy, his sources, and the course of Hannibal's campaign by a scholar well known for his work on Hannibal and his times. The edition includes a glossary of Roman and Carthaginian terms, a chronological table, an index, a series of detailed maps, and a discussion of the route of Hannibal from the south of Spain over the Alps to Italy. This wonderfully complete edition is perfect for lovers of classical literature, those with an interest in ancient or military history, and students in an array of classes.

Contents

• Maps: 1
• HANNIBALS WAR: 1
• Appendix 1 List of Variations from the Teubner Text: 619
• Appendix 2 Hannibals Route over the Alps: 620
• Explanatory Notes: 631
• Glossary: 715
• Index: 727

About the author

Very little is known about the life of Livy (Titus Livius) other than that he was born in Patavium (modern-day Padua) and lived most of his life in Rome. It is clear from his writings that he was familiar with ancient Greek and Latin literature and was, in fact, influenced by Cicero. Although Livy produced several works on philosophy and literary criticism, his masterpiece and life work of 40 years was his "History of Rome", which covers a vast sweep of Rome's history from its origins to Livy's own time. Of the original 142 books that made up the work, only 35 are extant---Books 1--10 and 20--45---which treat the years 753--293 b.c. and 218--167 b.c. Fragments of others, however, do remain, and summaries exist of all but one. When he wrote the history, Livy, who extolled the virtues of discipline, piety, and patriotism, believed that Rome was in a state of decline and moral decay. Wealth and luxury, he wrote, had led to "the dark dawning of our modern day, when we can neither endure our vices nor face the remedies needed to cure them." According to modern standards, Livy was neither an impressive nor critical historian. He perpetuated many inaccuracies. This, however, does not greatly minimize the value of his writing. His acumen lay in his vibrant style, his keen eye for character, and his gift for dramatic composition.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Hannibal's War, Books 21-30; Hannibal's War; Oxford World's Classics
• Author: Livy
• Editors: Dexter Hoyos, B. Dexter Hoyos
• Translated by: J.C. Yardley
• Contributors: Dexter Hoyos, B. Dexter Hoyos
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2006
• ISBN: 0192831593, 9780192831590
• Length: 740 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Historical; History / Ancient / Rome; Law / Essays; Literary Collections / Essays; Literary Criticism / Ancient & Classical