The Legacy of Hannibal
Washington DC Conference
by Philip J. Viverito
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The Legacy of Hannibal Seminar, held in Washington, D.C. late in October is without a doubt one the highlights of our year. We got to meet new people, interact with a wonderful ensemble of speakers and helped entertain and enlighten an audience of over 80 people on the Punic War Period and Hannibal. The program was hosted at the Tunisian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and was the lead story in the October Classical Hack News Letter. His Excellency Ambassador Hatem Atallah introduced Fred Hubig and Philip Viverito who began filling in the audience with details about the Punic world prior to the first Punic War. The audience was briefed on the important aspects of the pre war years in regard to Trade and Prosperity, the session topic. Important concepts dealt with Rome as something of an isolationist and land locked power while Carthage was an entrepreneur unrivaled by any other western trading center of the time. Sitting on the edge of the desert along the north coast of North Africa Carthage established trade east and west, south and north. Sicily, dividing the eastern and western Mediterranean sea basins would become the bone of contention between the cosmopolitan city of Carthage and the Republic of Rome.
The second session, Fire in the Mediterranean: The First Punic War, elaborated on the naval developments of Carthage and then Rome. The Romans owed much of their skill in naval warfare to the Carthaginians and the Greek Cities of Magna Grecia. A model of a warship was used to explain how Rome, so used to land warfare, was able to wage war on Carthage at sea. Rome used its ships as fighting platforms. Putting crows or corvii (shown to the right) on their ships the Romans were able to defeat Carthage at sea and to force Carthage to a harsh peace.
The afternoon saw a wonderful lunch hosted by the His Excellency and expertly directed by his attentive Embassy staff. The food was outstanding, simply top notch. John Prevas Returning to the program the audience was entertained by an impassioned and brilliant talk on Taking the Fight to the Enemy by John Prevas. Prevas is an excellent speaker who knows his topic and using an impressive slide show dramatized the difficulties Hannibal and his army had to endure to transverse the Alps and then drop down into Italy. Prevas is a noted author in Classical Studies and his work Hannibal Crosses the Alps is a must read.
Session four Rome Counterattacks was presented by Hubig and Viverito who explained in detail and with some spirit the particular tactical abilities of both the Punic and Roman Armies. The main thrust of the session utilized a miniature battlefield laid out by Viverito and then the working of the armies were illustrated from this. Viverito speaking It was a unique display the type of which is seldom seen at lectures. Hannibal's out of the box thinking on the battlefield was clearly explained and illustrated using the miniatures.
The last session, The Lasting Legacy of Hannibal, was eloquently delivered by Ambassador Atallah. The Ambassador deftly summed up all that was said with some succinct comments tying the significance of the Legacy together. As a vehicle for this he elaborated the significance of the foundation story of Carthage (from both Punic and Roman sources) and then developed the importance of Hannibal not just as a great hero of Tunisia but as a person. Hannibal died far from home, in a foreign land hunted down by Rome. Ambassaor Atallah As Hannibal lived his life so he would end it; on his own terms, true to himself and by his own hand. Hannibal's legacy is his example; acting with honor in times of glory and resolve in times of reversal. Hannibal's life of accomplishment shines through the centuries; obscured in literature but what remains is radiant. Participant Questions The day ended with a question and answer period open to the floor. There was a general interest in tactics and how Hannibal was able to defeat considerably larger armies than his own. Prevas developed points of the savagery of the mercenary forces of Hannibal as well as Hubig clearly detailing concepts on the mercenary as an important and often honorable element to all armies which fought in the Punic Wars. Viverito drew parallels to Hannibal and Jackson in the valley as well as refining the impact of Rome's necessity to use Carthage as a vehicle to draw a direct line and creating a divine link to the Trojan War and the Gods. Virgil, he explained, took the Carthaginian foundation epic and by changing the Carthaginian details generated a Roman version used to embellish her own foundation epic in the time of Augustus Caesar. Another important aspect of the legacy was that Carthage managed to rise once more to power a hundred years after the fall of Carthage, becoming the second city of the Empire. It was surprising how the audience stuck right to the end of the program and their interest did not seem to diminish through out the day. The Program was concluded with Fred Hubig giving Ambassador Atallah a token gift of a finely painted figurine of a Carthaginian soldier. John Prevas summed up his thanks too. Viverito made final thanks and comments on the professional direction of the Embassy staff, The Ambassador's gracious hosting of the event and with the help of Ms. Melody Curtis, of the Smithsonian, how none of this could have happened. Back to Table of Contents -- Classical Hack Newsletter # 4 Back to Classical Hack Newsletter List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by Phil Viverito. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |
"But once a man takes up the role of the historian... He will often have to speak well of his enemies and even award them the highest praise should their actions demand this...", wrote the Greek historian Polybius. It is ironic that the way a person lives his life transcends our ideas and ideals on success. Hannibal is just such a person. Hannibal for better or worse Hannibal helped make his world and consequently laid out the path which lead to our own world.
Fire In the Mediterranean
Taking the Fight to the Enemy
Rome Counter Attacks
The Lasting Legacy of Hannibal