Hannibal's Oath: The Life and Wars of Rome's Greatest Enemy

by John Prevas

According to the ancient sources, Hannibal was nine years old when his father led him to the temple at Carthage and dipped the young boy's hands in the blood of the sacrificial victim. Before those gods, Hannibal swore an oath of eternal hatred toward Rome. Few images in history have managed to capture and hold the popular imagination quite like that of Hannibal, the fearless North African, perched on a monstrous elephant, leading his mercenaries over the Alps, and then, against all odds, descending the ice-covered peaks to challenge Rome in her own backyard for mastery of the ancient world. It was a bold move, and it established Hannibal as one of history's greatest commanders. But this same brilliant tactician is also one of history's most tragic figures; fate condemned him to win his battles but not his war against Rome. An internationally recognized expert on Hannibal for nearly thirty years, historian John Prevas has visited every Hannibal-related site and mountain pass, from Tunisia to Italy, Spain to Turkey, seeking evidence to dispel the myths surrounding Hannibal's character and his wars.Hannibal's Oath is an easily readable yet comprehensive biography of this iconic military leader--an epic account of a monumental and tragic life.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Historical, Roman History, World History, Ancient

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2017

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and true study of Hannibal, one of ancient Rome's greatest enemies, a brilliant general and, according to John Prevas, a "larger-than-life action hero from the past."

Prevas did the translations from period and later documents, historical research and traveled to the places where Hannibal went, to create one of the most insightful, non-fiction examinations of Hannibal that I've ever read.

It all started with Hannibal's father, Hamilcar. "Hamilcar was furious at what he saw as Roman bad faith, but powerless to intervene at the moment, he chose to bide his time and find another way to even the score." loc 290, ebook. Spoiler alert (if you don't know ancient history): Hamilcar had a bunch of kids and made them swear to destroy Rome. The boys, he groomed as warriors; the girls, he married off advantageously to help his sons.

"As the rituals neared completion, Hamilcar called for Hannibal, then only nine years of age, to join him at the altar. There, the young boy begged his father to take him to Spain, and Hamilcar consented on the condition that Hannibal pledge to the god he would always be an enemy to Rome and to anyone who stood with Rome." loc 323, ebook. No pressure or anything.

The Barcas, Hamilcar's family, create a foothold in Spain. It is from there, that Hannibal will eventually attack the Romans by, famously, crossing the Alps- with elephants in tow.

Anything to do with Hannibal's elephants were my favorite parts of this book. "The elephants were often plied with wine before battle to stimulate their aggression, and while the wine might have done that to some degree, it also seems to have contributed to their tendency to panic and then rampage during the mayhem of the fighting." loc 713, ebook.

Drunk, rampaging elephants! It doesn't get much more dramatic than that.

Though written more like a textbook than a historical fiction (which is my favorite way to learn about history), I still learned a lot from Hannibal's Oath and enjoyed it.

Recommended for classic majors, elephant lovers and fans of ancient history.

Reminder: the short quotations I cited in this review may change in the final printed version. Thank you to NetGalley and Da Capo Press for a free advance reader's copy of this book.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vincere scis, Hannibal, Victoria uti nescis.

You know how to win, Hannibal, but not how to use victory.

I love reading about history and war because it makes me feel better about how deplorably we as humans are doing, right now. There's something about the never-ending cavalcade of conquest, unbridled greed, and violence that soothes me.



For the non-experts and forgetful, all the ancient geographical names and political/ethnic groups are given their contemporary names as well so that it's easy to follow along how much we have NOT changed. Bless us humans. Additionally, the writing is that of a friendly confidential, eminently readable and filled with snippets of gossip and what not to liven up the bare facts. Want to tell me about the scurrilous rumors surrounding great leaders' sexuality from Alexander the Great to Hamilcar to Julius Caesar with charming old world insults--Absolutely yes, thank you.

"[H]usband to many a woman and wife to many a man." re: Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great had much the same reputation.



And frankly, human sacrifice never gets old. I'm not talking about the noble kind, but rather the good ole appease the gods with blood and flesh of the pre-substantiation kind. It wasn't always symbolic. And that's just the beginning! I mean Hannibal's adherence to his oath makes the Godfather movies look unfocused and soft by comparison.

Spoiler, not spoiler: Italy 2200 years later is still a collective of semi-autonomous city states. Again, supply chain management--this is how wars are lost. Best part is how each player looks at the chessboard and sees a totally different game. No one imagined the Alps were passable.

Plus, we are blessed with gems like this:

It was no longer a battle, it was a massacre--un sanguinoso--a bloodbath, lending its name to a nearby town, Sanguineto.

Best yet, as every good soldier knows--you need an exit strategy. And at the end, Hannibal was prepared. If you're looking for a hard academic read or military science breakdown, then this is probably not your book, but the interested layperson is going to find this a quick and informative read.

One of my favorite generals




~~ARC provided by NetGalley~~

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many people, the total sum of my Hannibal related knowledge is that he undertook a journey over the Alps with a large, diverse army (including elephants) in order to stick it to Rome in their own back yard. After that, he won big a few times, then lost just as large. In a expertly researched and well written book, Prevas aims to fill in the details and ensure Hannibal's reputation as one of the great military leaders is as well known as those of Caesar and Alexander [loc 3424].

As a result of this intention, Prevas tales a generally positive view of Hannibal's abilities and actions, though he never shies away from presenting the complexities of the man and the atrocities committed by his army. Saguntum fell and Hannibal's soldiers unleashed their fury on its survivors in an orgy of looting, rape, and murder. Hannibal ordered his soldiers to put every adult male in the city to death and the surviving women and children were distributed among the victors as spoils of war. [loc 574] He may have been fighting what he considered to be a war of liberation, but thousands of people were killed, including 48000 enemy troops during his win at Cannae in 216 BCE. Prevas argues that Hannibal was successful because he was able to surprise-It was Hannibal who always chose when, there, and how to fight-not his enemy [loc 1290]. This certainly seems to be true for the larger set piece battles, but the losses he suffered during the march over the Alps, of possibly half of his forces, from skirmishes, weather, and other assorted difficulties shows he was far from perfect. As does his overall game plan to pile on the pressure, motivating allies to abandon Rome and fight for their own freedom against Roman oppression; despite periodic successes, there was never a widespread revolution against Roman control, and as a strategy, it failed.

However, right to his death, there were some who considered Hannibal a threat. He was the bogeyman who would never stop in his promise to fight Rome, a larger than life figure amongst the superstitious Romans, a battlefield commander with superhuman qualities who could not be defeated by mere mortals. After his decisive defeat by Scipio Africanus at Zama in 202 BCE, he took a leading position as sufet in Carthage, though betrayal by the local elite led him to exile, where he offered his aid to other anti-Roman leaders, such as the Seleucid king, Antiochus III. Roman victories pushed him further from civilisation and the final push came when the Senate voted to allow Flaminius to fetch Hannibal from his small castle on the coast along the gulf of Izmit, some thirty miles west of Nicomedia. In the end, Hannibal killed himself rather than be captured, his oath to fight the Romans till death intact. [loc 3322]

Prevas has very much succeeded in making the book accessible to popular as well as academic audience. The text is heavily based upon and gives reference to the extant written sources, with explanatory notes and a good bibliography. Interspersed are snippets from his own travels in the areas he is discussing, modern place names, local stories, science experiments, contemporary and modern anecdotes- all adding up to both a fun and multi sourced read. Prevas personally followed Hanibal's route many times and this allowed him to posit locations for specific attacks based on both his readings and his experiences of the geography, providing strong arguments against the suggestions of other historians. Overall, an excellent assessment of Hannibal that should bring him to a wider audience.

ARC via Netgalley.

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thank you to John Prevas, Da Capo Press, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

A legendary general, Hannibal led one of the most infamous invasions of ancient history, taking an army of mixed heritage over the Alps straight to Rome's doorstep. Reared by a fearsome leader of Carthage, Hannibal was nine years old when he began to hate Rome. This resentment festered until he was twenty-six and made commander of Carthage's forces. He was a fair and optimistic leader, inspiring his soldiers to push themselves through hardships and to view death as no option. Obstacles to Hannibal were simply temporary setbacks. He was strategic, calculating, and unconventional-all traits that assisted in his various victories, especially since the Romans were known to be impulsive and disorganized.
The second Punic war continued for sixteen years until Hannibal finally faced a devastating loss and was recalled to Carthage. He then lived his life like an exile, inciting revolt against Rome in the cities where he stayed until he was finally corned. When he lost all hope of survival he made the ultimate choice.
Prevas took time to research his book, which is much appreciated. He walked the same paths; deduced appropriate ancient bridgeheads; climbed the Alps trails; read historical sources in the classic languages. I feel like he knows what he's talking about. I trust the information in this book.
Prevas writes in a relaxed style; everyone can enjoy this book and learn about this captivating personality of ancient history. Previous knowledge is not necessary. It's even appropriate for students. Well done, Prevas!

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My knowledge of Hannibal was very limited when I picked up this book. He crossed the Alps in winter, with elephants. The End.

John Prevas has added immensely to my knowledge, enough so that I could probably hold my own at a cocktail party if the discussion warranted.

Hannibal was a fierce commander, and yet also known as a gentle man. What made him one of the best military minds in history? It was the ability to not only think outside the box, but climb out of that box and push forward, or backward, or whichever direction he needed to go. Hannibal was a man of action-but he always had a plan before he took any action.

This was not a page turner, but a calculated study of the man. An ambitious attempt at explaining a man born in the year 247 BC. Well worth the time for those of you who have the interest to stick with it.

[Alex Sarll]

Broadly speaking, I’m pretty good on Imperial Rome but hopeless on the Republic bar a couple of glimmers. One of which isn’t mentioned at all here; that to get the elephants down some passages of the Alps, Hannibal’s army essentially made them giant snowboards. I do hope this hasn't been disproved since I heard it from my classics teacher. Anyway, that whole Alps business turns out to have been one of those strategies (see also: Gallipoli) which exists somewhere in the shadowlands between audacity and fucking stupidity. Yes, attacking from an unexpected angle is a great idea – but losing half your force before you even get to Italy, not so much. And many of them perished in the *second* ambush in a gorge by mountain tribes, which is where you start to think, never mind military genius, shouldn’t anyone basically competent be on the look-out by that point? Still, Hannibal did at least turn it around and do likewise to the Romans at Trasimene…and so it keeps going. Hannibal will alternate some brilliant gambit (sending the foe in the wrong direction as they chase after cattle with torches on their horns) with something obviously stupid. In the former category, consider the fake retreat; it’s a classic, it’s probably been used since before we were fully human. It worked for William at Hastings, and it’s probably working today for some leader whose name we’ll never know in some godforsaken little war somewhere. But it’s never worked with quite such breathtaking, apocalyptic success as it did for Hannibal at Cannae.

And yet – having pulled off that perfect victory, Hannibal still can’t win the war. He doesn’t have the heavy equipment to besiege Rome, so instead he spends the best part of a decade titting about in Italy, trying to splinter Rome’s alliances, seemingly never grasping that while he can rock up at any given city and reward them for deserting Rome, he doesn’t have the manpower or infrastructure to build a rival confederation, so all that’s going to happen is the Romans will then turn up and punish them for collaborating with Hannibal, while he’s off doing the same somewhere else. Not to mention that having a marauding ancient army raping, looting and pillaging in the neighbourhood was never exactly the surest way to win hearts and minds, so the whole business becomes a losing game for everyone. Though I do like the way that Hannibal made sure never to attack the estates of his foe Fabius, which combined with Fabius’ strategy of waiting Hannibal out, would lead to awkward accusations of collusion for Fabius back in Rome. Not that it seems to have taken that much – the degree of petty infighting in Republican politics is a fright, and Scipio Africanus would later face similar bullshit despite his success against Hannibal (or maybe even because of it – because the vultures all wanted a piece of the spoils opened up by victory, and how dare the man who actually earned it get in their way?). But clever as that was in the short term, there’s an interesting aside about how the war's devastation, the ensuing conscription, and the increase in slavery led to the collapse of smallholding as a viable living, and greater centralisation - so you can point to Hannibal's attempt to break Rome's power as a key factor in creating the Empire. Nice work, mate. No, really, excellent job there. And so the book slogs dutifully through a decade plus of pointless attrition, Hannibal starting one half-arsed siege after another only to then abandon it and go do one elsewhere. Finally the attention span, the whining about the lack of support from home for a war that it must have been increasingly obvious even at the time was unwinnable, starts to remind one more than anything of Trump. Though in Hannibal’s defence, once he’s back in Carthage and running for consul-equivalent, claiming to be against the oligarchs from whom he came – after he gets in, he really does try to drain the swamp. With about as much success as going against vested interests generally meets, true, but at least he tried.

That’s not the only prefiguring of later history, either. The prelude of the First Punic War is oddly reminiscent of the First World War; Hannibal's father Hamilcar, leading the fight against Rome, is basically screwed once the Romans get his supply lines. But he still perceives the politicians' readiness to quit, their acceptance of an unequal peace, their forfeiture of colonies and trade routes to the enemy, as a stab in the back (of course, for all the upheaval in 1918 Germany, at least they didn't also have to put up with atrocities by their unpaid mercenaries, which only their recently-undermined general could end). And from this, the supposed oath of the title, where Hamilcar made Hannibal and his brothers swear undying enmity towards Rome. Which leads one to ask - if this was the case, why did Hannibal spend those 14 years in Italy giving every indication that he wanted to end Roman hegemony, but had no intention of eradicating the city itself? Was it one of those ‘Ah, but letting them live would be the real punishment!’ ideas, as beloved of fictional characters who are also idiots who don’t know where that story inevitably ends? True, after Hannibal's Second Punic War, vanquished Carthage experienced an economic boom much like that Germany and Japan had following the Second World War. But still, you can tell the third war and utter destruction are waiting…before which point, one earnestly hopes, the later re-enactment diverges.
(One further parallel, not on that same timeline: among Roman-allied cities, it was generally the poor who were keener on leaving Rome for Carthage, despite Hannibal's promises that this would mean greater autonomy often proving hollow. At which point I couldn't help but start thinking of the whole business as ‘Rexit')

You may have noticed there that Hamilcar Barca and his son Hannibal have annoyingly similar names; well, they’re not the only ones. One of Hannibal’s brothers, true, is called Mago, but he’s very much the exception, and at times the story recalls those section of Wolf Hall where you wonder whether Henry became king simply by virtue of being the only man in England not named Thomas. The other brother, you see, is Hasdrubal (who would cross the Alps quicker, and with fewer losses, than his more famous brother. Sure, that may have been because the way was cleared and the locals twatted by Hannibal already, but it still seems unfair that disastrously first trumps competently second in the world’s memory). Oh, and the Barca clan’s big political opponent in Carthage is called Hanno, as is Hannibal’s cavalry commander. But you must be sure not to confuse any of these men with Hamilcar the Carthaginian (a shadowy figure reprising Hannibal’s Italian harassments, with improbable numbers of troops, in a small number of the sources); or Hannibal’s subordinate Hannibal Monomachus (the one who suggested the army could feed on their dead as they crossed the Alps. One wonders if this gave Thomas Harris ideas); or Hannibal’s brother in law Hasdrubal the Handsome (who as well as being married to one of Hannibal's sisters, was reputedly the lover both of Hannibal’s father and later of Hannibal himself).

Hasdrubal the Handsome is definitely one of the characters I’d want to foreground if making this story into the HBO drama – or Renaissance tragedy – it deserves to be. And if you cast it right, there would be some fabulous scenes – not just the big battles, either. The meeting before Hannibal’s big defeat at Zama, say, where the man behind all those grand gambles tries to convince the younger Scipio that it’s better not to chance what he’s already achieved, to play it safe and accept peace…was Hannibal trying to psych Scipio out? Had he really learned his lesson? Had he simply lost his nerve? Given what a fiasco Zama was for the Carthaginians (helped partly by the Roman troops specifically detailed to throw javelins up the elephants’ bums), it’s tempting to say it was the nerve, but then even after that, on the run, fighting a naval battle (which had never previously been his department), Hannibal was coming up with cunning methods for a decapitation strike, and deploying snake bombs in a manner which would give even Samuel L Jackson pause. And then too, those last years of exile would make a great miniseries in themselves, with Hannibal an uneasy guest at the court of Antiochus, a younger man (and a monarch) convinced that while Hannibal was good, he was himself even better.
(This is the same Antiochus who would subsequently lose Greece to the Romans by fighting a battle at Thermopylae, arguably the most famous geography-is-really-important-here battlefield in history…and falling for the exact same tactic which undid Leonidas centuries earlier. Even compared to some of Hannibal’s fuck-ups, that’s impressively shit)

As I say, this isn’t even vaguely my period, so I can’t comment on how well John Prevas has served it. This book’s USP seems to be that, as well as reading the sources, the author has himself toured the locations. This does enable an assessment of conditions and a new take on rival theories, but with no pics in the Netgalley ARC, didn't profit this reader as much as it might have done. Similarly, the finished copy may excise some of the repetitions between sections which creep in here, or do something about that curious afterword which compares Hannibal to Caesar and Alexander (fair enough in itself) and goes on to suggest they both died violently, by assassination - which is at best questionable in Alexander's case. But the biggest omission is that, while Prevas makes clear the reasons Hannibal could never win in Italy - principally, the ease of reinforcement for the Romans, and the lack of siege machinery - it's never really explained why the same limiting factors didn't apply to Scipio in Africa, and leave proceedings at stalemate. A frustrating omission – not that the whole story wasn’t frustrating, but otherwise that was mostly Hannibal’s fault, not the author’s.

[Laura L. Van Dam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS
Great account of the rise and fall of Carthago. It is very well researched and contains a lot of original info i had never read before about Hannibal and this era in general. The author even disagrees with most historians in some passages, adding facts and sources he researched himself and ideas he got by researching on the actual ground of facts and battles; i found this amazing.
Besides, it is well written and easy to read. Despite the plethora of characters that appear in the book, it was never confusing.
Also, his portrait of Hannibal is well balanced, showing his strong points and his weaknesses alike, something i value a lot in biographies.
The only thing i missed is that i would have liked a lot of maps. The sites in which the story develops are not always well known and maps or pictures of the sites as they look today would have been a great addition.
*Note: I want to thank the publisher and the author who sent me a free advanced reading copy of the book in exchange for a honest review*

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice and easy read.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little more detail about military strategy and just how to cross the alps than I'd prefer, but I get that most people care quite a lot more about those things than I do. This was quick and readable nonfiction book that did give me the sense that these history stories are really dramatic and entertaining, so why isn't there a big epic Hannibal blockbuster yet? Elephants! A giant dinner party suicide! Hannibal and his army coming out of the fog to trap the Romans! This is good stuff!

[Bien · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Maharabal was boos over de aarzeling van zijn aanvoerder. 'Vincere scis, Hannibal, victoria uti nescis.' (Je weet hoe je moet winnen Hannibal, maar je weet niet wat je met een overwinning moet doen)."
Prettig geschreven boek (niet hoogdravend maar ook niet te populair) en een fascinerende geschiedenis. Het verveelt geen moment, sterker nog: het is zo interessant en staat zo vol geweldige weetjes dat het moeilijk weg te leggen is.
De schrijver is overal waar Hannibal is geweest, ook zelf geweest en merkt daar af en toe op terloopse wijze iets over op. Geestig is het stukje over hoe hij meer dan twintig keer de Alpenpas is overgestoken naar Italië en dat het mogelijk is om daar "een stevige lunch of pasta met saus" te eten en vervolgens weer over de pas terug naar Frankrijk te gaan "voor een laat avondeten".

[Stephen Morrissey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crossing the Alps. Cannae. Great leaders have a way of rendering wholly new meanings to places and things, and few military leaders have achieved that monumentalizing effect better than Hannibal Barca.

For a highly accessible, clear, and whirlwind introduction to Hannibal's life and exploits during the Second Punic War and beyond, look no further than John Prevas's book. Prevas makes clear from the introduction that this is not a book meant for meandering academics steeped in Punic knowledge, and he accomplishes his mission in presenting an engrossing introduction to Hannibal, as a person, as a military commander, and as an adversary to the burgeoning Roman civilization.

Beginning with Hannibal's exploits in Spain and the siege of Saguntum, Prevas's account takes off as the author relates in exquisite detail Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. For readers schooled in American history's harshest military episodes - Valley Forge, the retreat to Appomattox, the beaches of Normandy - Hannibal's trudging through the mountains, ambushed by unfriendly Gaul tribes and fighting uphill against a bracing climate every bit as dangerous as the spear or sword of an enemy, if not greater.

Arriving in Italy, Hannibal then sets about on his brief burst of military triumphs, capped off by the victory at Cannae that has gone down in history as one of the few "complete" victories. One wishes that Prevas could have delved more deeply into such battles, but as with all books on ancient history, this is likely a result of scant sources and contradictory information passed down from poets, philosophers, and oral traditions. As Hannibal's army of veterans slowly melts away as it idles in Italy, the sheen of past victories wear off as Hannibal becomes trapped on the peninsula over the ensuing decade, whittling away his strategic advantage and failing to strike a decisive blow against the resource-advantaged Romans. With Scipio Africanus's arrival on the shores of North Africa, the war comes to a rather anticlimactic battle at Zama, with Hannibal being bested by his younger, more innovative foe.

As Thomas Ricks pointed out in his review of Prevas's work, this book excels in placing Hannibal, and the Second Punic War, within the context of the ancient world. Readers will not wallow in confusion throughout these pages, and it serves as a bright light illuminating the world that Hannibal lived in, tried to conquer, and ultimately fell from.

[Andrew Dockrill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge lover of the story of Hannibal Barca and how he almost brought an end to the civilization of Rome. John Prevas take on Hannibal was a mixed bag for me but that could also be in part because I had different expectations of what to expect from it.

At the very beginning of the book he starts out when Hannibal is in exile at Bythnia and the king has betrayed him. I was seeking to escape but Hannibal had found that there was nowhere to run, so he gets his slave/servant to wrap the cloak Hannibal was wearing around his neck and then drive his knee into Hannibal's back suffocating him. That wasn't the issue for me as, while this is one of the less popular of the two theories -the other being Hannibal poisoned himself - it can't be disproved of course as no one was there to see if when he died. However, what did somewhat bother me was that he did not explain why he chose to follow the strangling theory, over the poisoning theory, he just mentions it and moves on.

One aspect of the book I did appreciate was that he followed Hannibal's track along to the Alps and gave you the equivalent of what the location was now, which was different at first but proved to be quite neat. But one thing that I did find strange in the same context was that he kept referring to himself as "the author". I also happened to find what seemed to be to be an inaccuracy or two from my understanding of the story which made me hesitate to read more.

On the plus side, the writing and way Prevas told the story was extremely smooth and enjoyable and very vivid.

All in all I don't think I'll read this away or likely return to anything John Prevas writes but it was a decent experience, definitely recommended for anyone who wants an easy read and has never heard of Hannibal or knows very little about him.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannibal en de Romeinen


De dure eed van Hannibal door John Prevas


John Prevas neemt ons 2.200 jaar terug in de tijd naar een periode van beginnende wereldrijken, politieke intriges, veldslagen, Punisische oorlogen, enz… Gedurende 50 jaar volgt hij de veroveringstochten van de Carthager Hannibal. Zoals hij zelf stelt hoeft men geen geschiedenis gestudeerd te hebben en is een uitgebreide kennis van de historische context niet vereist om dit boek te kunnen lezen. Enkele kaarten, een beknopte chronologische lijst van de veldslagen en een opsomming van de protagonisten zorgen dat dit boek voor iedereen toegankelijk wordt.

Wat wist ik over Hannibal? Dat hij ooit via Spanje met olifanten over de Alpen trok om tegen de Romeinen te strijden. Maar verder kwam mijn kennis niet. Van het Romeinse Rijk hebben we allemaal al wel gehoord, een Punische oorlog klinkt dan weer vaag in de oren.

Het boek leert ons niet enkel wat de beweegredenen van Hannibal waren om de Romeinen op eigen bodem in Italië aan te vallen maar ook wat de impact is geweest op de verdere ontstaansgeschiedenis en bloei van het Romeinse Rijk zoals wij het nu kennen. Het boek geeft ons een helder beeld van hoe het Middellandse Zeegebied in de 2de eeuw voor Christus in beweging kwam en welke rol Hannibal speelde in de veroveringsoorlogen van de Romeinen.

John Prevas maakte dezelfde reis die Hannibal met zijn olifanten aflegde over de Alpen. Hierdoor krijgt hij (en de lezer) een klaar beeld van de logistieke problemen en natuurlijke hindernissen die Hannibal moest overwinnen.
De dure eed van Hannibal is een opsomming van heel veel feiten, data en personages maar Prevas loodst de lezer als geen ander doorheen deze boeiende geschiedenis.

[Darcysmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.
Hannibal's Oath is a well researched, very accessible biography of one of the most famous military leaders in western history. John Prevas has woven a strong narrative that doesn't waver from chapter to chapter. I particularly like that he is very clear about the suppositions he makes and the potential problems with ancient source material. His end notes are well written and clarify information exceptionally well. I especially liked the note about the hands-on experiment he did with heating a large boulder and pouring vinegar on it to make it easier to break up (the hypothesized way Hannibal's engineers cleared the alpine trail of a massive boulder).
Like many biographies of ancient historical figures, Hannibal's Oath left me wishing for more, and decrying the sparseness of primary sources about his personal life.
I would happily recommend this book to both the reader with a casual interest in ancient history and the confirmed ancient history buff.

[Henry · Rating 1 out of 5]

The vast majority of what we know about Hannibal and the 2nd Punic War is from Livy, a Roman who lived 200 years after the events in this book. As the victors in the war, it stands to reason that Livy's account of the events was skewed towards a pro-Roman view and anti-Carthaginian. Polybius, a Greek historian who lived much closer to the events, is another prominent source, but he too was no first hand witness to any of the events. And unfortunately, nothing at all survives of any Carthaginian record of the events from this time. But in this book, the author constantly describes scenes of Hannibal's specific detailed actions and reactions, and even direct quotes as if they were hard facts. It as if he was writing based on news reels and press conferences. Oy. Hannibal must have turned in his grave (don't even get me started on the author's account of where Hannibal maybe died and was buried) upon the writing of this book. Don't know why I tortured myself by reading this book to the bitter end.

[Raf · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Prevas takes the reader on an incredible journey into the life, strategy, and battles of Hannibal, one of the most admired and respected military commanders in ancient history. I am a huge fan of John Prevas and not just because of his incredible writing and storytelling ability but also because he has personally endured on the hikes and trails all over Europe and the East in an attempt to piece together and relive the experiences of some of history’s greatest military leaders including Hannibal, Alexander the Great, and Xenophon. After reading the book, it was fascinating and at the same time somewhat terrifying to know how one man almost destroyed the Roman empire and was on the brink of changing the course of history as we know it. Highly recommend reading this well-researched account.

[Gordon Goodenough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an interesting and enjoyable read. However, there are a few points that the author portrays as facts that are actually in dispute. For example, the author asserts that the city Barcelona was founded by the Barcids and means 'Camp of the Barcids'. This is at the very least disputed, with evidence suggesting a much earlier beginning for the city. Also, it was disconcerting to read a narrative on events that transpired more than two thousand years ago and have it described by which current roads, motorways, or country clubs occupy that space. If this was a book that was intended to serve as a companion guide for someone following in Hannibal's footsteps, that would make sense.
Despite those eccentricities, the book is well researched and referenced and is an excellent source for a student (myself) writing an essay on why Hannibal won so many battles but failed to win the war.

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannibal's a fascinating person to read about. I've wondered about the man for most of my life. I heard he was a brilliant general and from the History channel, I've learned why. I like this book basically because it broke Hannibal down into smaller parts that I could understand and appreciate as an armchair historian! Still wonder where he got the elephants from, and also, how he fed them on the trip to make them worthwhile. Oh, well, can't have all the answers I guess.

I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[maarten mellegers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leuk boek.
Engelse vertaling
Hier een daar wat schoonheidsfooutjes.
Maargoed over een bijzondere generaal.
Het beschrijft zijn levensverhaal en zijn opkomst en ondergang.
Hoe hij door een slaaf vermoord werd zodat hij niet in Rome zou worden terechtgesteld.
Hoe hij over de Alpen trok en de Romeinen daar versloeg.
De uiteenval van zijn huurlingenleger.
Zijn verlies in Afrika.
De weg naar macht.
De eindeloze oorlog.
Het uiteindelijke ballingschap.
Ten slotte eindigt men bij het graf in Turkije.
Een bijzondere staatsman en leerzaam boek.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannibal has always been a favorite historical character. Few of the students in my history class have heard of him. I will recommend this book to them as it is an easy to read, interesting description of Hannibal and his never-ending quest to defeat Rome. This is a book for historians as well as the casual reader.

[Cameron Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short book is excellent to read if you know a little about the Punic Wars but desire to know more. As a non ancient history specialist that had only the usually university level grasp of the Punic Wars this book was informative while not being overly detailed. The author’s maps of Hannibal’s marching routes, which he has walked himself, makes we want to walk the, too.

[Sergey Selyutin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-researched and informative. Author does not avoid criticizing the reliability of his sources, which makes the reading even more interesting. The only drawback of the book are occasional repetitions, the worst of them being author's needless retelling of the book's epigraph in the epilogue. Still, I give the book five stars and going to read more works by John Prevas.

[Douglas Boren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very in depth and educational look at one of history's most successful and yet brutal soldiers. This lets the reader come to know he man on a somewhat more personal level, adding a touch of humanity to the legend.

[Mackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeer overzichtelijk, duidelijk en leerrijk boek.

[Quintillis K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great look into the extraordinary military career of the worlds greatest general.

[Orxan Hasanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will feel the journey through the Alps and the battles as if you have participated them

[Timothy Gretler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of Hannibal and his lifelong hatred of anything Roman. I liked the author's writing style, think I'll check out one of his other books.

[Lakin Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannibal Barcas, man of Carthage who lived his entire life to destroy Rome. He nearly did!

[Ilya Anon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those books that make you root desperately for someone who you know had lost long time ago.

[Jeff Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book for general audience on Hannibal

John Prevas has written an engaging book on the great general, Hannibal, for the general audience. His path to Italy is chronicled clearly as well as his major battles. Except for some sloppy editing, exemplified by the beginning of chapter four-redundancy-this would be a five star book. But such over writing probably would not be recognized by the audience this book is aimed. And yet Richard Gabriel’s biography on Hannibal is the one I find the most superior, followed by Patrick Hunt’s, HANNIBAL. In fact each—Gabriel and Hunt— complement the other with their perspectives on Hannibal and his expedition.