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Hannibal's Children #1
Hannibal's Children
An alternative history, in which Hannibal was victorious over the Romans, but decided to spare their nation. The hardy Romans travelled northwards to Norcium, and created a new Rome, where they bided their time. A century later, reborn, the Romans return to Italy to reclaim their lands and to confront again the Carthagenians.
359 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 7, 2002
About the author
John Maddox Roberts
132 books254 followersaka Mark Ramsay
John Maddox Roberts is the author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy, in addition to his successful historical SPQR mystery series. The first two books in the series have recently been re-released in trade paperback.
John Maddox Roberts is the author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy, in addition to his successful historical SPQR mystery series. The first two books in the series have recently been re-released in trade paperback.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 31, 2015
Read this about when it came out. Enjoyed the concept, the writing style (fast and interesting), but I found the Romans just a bit too, ... Roman. Almost a caricature of themselves. Far too martial to be real. However, still a fun read.
August 14, 2012
Instead of trouncing Hannibal and the Carthaginians (and eradicating them completely), the Romans are defeated, but given the option of leaving Rome and Italy to find a new home in Noricum (Austria, more or less). Over a hundred years later, no living Roman has seen the ocean, and Rome itself is empty.
Doesn't that sound great? I thought so. It still sounded great when the Romans thriving in Noricum go south again. Gradually, but inexorably, the plot and the writing became pretty lousy, and I was treated to an array of really obvious dea ex machinae (?) whose absence would have maybe earned this book another star.
The good news is that I want to read better Roman fiction (hello, Colleen McCullough) and finally get through the Iliad. Thanks, Mr. Roberts!
Doesn't that sound great? I thought so. It still sounded great when the Romans thriving in Noricum go south again. Gradually, but inexorably, the plot and the writing became pretty lousy, and I was treated to an array of really obvious dea ex machinae (?) whose absence would have maybe earned this book another star.
The good news is that I want to read better Roman fiction (hello, Colleen McCullough) and finally get through the Iliad. Thanks, Mr. Roberts!
November 1, 2012
Very enjoyable alternative history involving Rome. A lot of detail on way Rome governed and how it affected the world
June 30, 2025
Alternative History, Unevenly Told – Roberts Beyond SPQR
In a decidedly different vein from the SPQR series — marked as it is by historical fidelity and the sociopolitical ascent of Decius Caecilius Metellus — Roberts here ventures into the realm of speculative history.
Hannibal, rather than faltering as the historical record would have it, arrives at the gates of Rome. On the eve of the final confrontation, he offers the Romans a stark choice: to abandon the city unmolested. They accept, on the solemn condition that their ancestral tombs and sacred temples remain inviolate. Thus, Rome falls — without resistance.
More than a century later, a new Rome has arisen in Noricum. A delegation is dispatched to appraise the state of the Carthaginian Empire and to consider the prospect of returning to their ancestral lands. Their path leads them to Carthage and, in part, to Alexandria, where they find themselves entangled in a brief but pointed conflict between Carthage and Egypt.
The story is set to continue in a forthcoming volume.
And yet, despite Roberts’ distinguished record in the field of historical fiction, this work falls rather short of expectation. The narrative is unevenly paced, and the characters, alas, lack depth — more suited, perhaps, to the stylised frames of a graphic novel than to the textured canvas of a novel, even one of alternate history. This is not a bad book, by any means, but a middling one — and one that ultimately squanders a premise of considerable imaginative promise.
In a decidedly different vein from the SPQR series — marked as it is by historical fidelity and the sociopolitical ascent of Decius Caecilius Metellus — Roberts here ventures into the realm of speculative history.
Hannibal, rather than faltering as the historical record would have it, arrives at the gates of Rome. On the eve of the final confrontation, he offers the Romans a stark choice: to abandon the city unmolested. They accept, on the solemn condition that their ancestral tombs and sacred temples remain inviolate. Thus, Rome falls — without resistance.
More than a century later, a new Rome has arisen in Noricum. A delegation is dispatched to appraise the state of the Carthaginian Empire and to consider the prospect of returning to their ancestral lands. Their path leads them to Carthage and, in part, to Alexandria, where they find themselves entangled in a brief but pointed conflict between Carthage and Egypt.
The story is set to continue in a forthcoming volume.
And yet, despite Roberts’ distinguished record in the field of historical fiction, this work falls rather short of expectation. The narrative is unevenly paced, and the characters, alas, lack depth — more suited, perhaps, to the stylised frames of a graphic novel than to the textured canvas of a novel, even one of alternate history. This is not a bad book, by any means, but a middling one — and one that ultimately squanders a premise of considerable imaginative promise.
May 28, 2025
oerhört underhållnade.
April 22, 2023
Σε... κόντρα ρόλο σε σχέση με τη σειρά SPQR (προσηλωμένη στην Ιστορική Ρώμη του Δέκιου Κεκίλιου Μέτελλου, κοινωνικά και πολιτικά ανερχόμενου) εδώ ο Ρόμπερτς... "ξεφεύγει" στα μονοπάτια της εναλλακτικής ιστορίας.
Ο Ανίβας φτάνει έξω από τη Ρώμη και την παραμονή της μάχης δίνει τη δυνατότητα στους Ρωμαίους να εγκαταλείψουν την πόλη απείραχτοι. Εκείνοι δέχονται υπό τον όρο ότι θα σεβαστεί τους τάφους των προγόνων και τους ναούς τους. Και φεύγουν.
Περισσότερα από 100 χρόνια μετά, η Ρώμη Νωρικού (η νέα Ρώμη) αρχίζει να ξανακοιτάζει προς το νότο, στέλνοντας μια αποστολή που θα εκτιμήσει την κατάσταση της Καρχηδονιακής αυτοκρατορίας και το ενδεχόμενο επιστροφής στα πατρώα εδάφη.
Η αποστολή καταλήγει στην Καρχηδόνα και (διαιρούμενη) στην Αλεξάνδρεια, στέλνοντας πληροφορίες στη Σύγκλητο και συμετέχοντας στο βραχύβιο πόλεμο Καχρηδόνας και Αιγύπτου.
Η συνέχεια στο επόμενο βιβλίο.
Δυστυχώς, ο Roberts, παρά τις περγαμηνές του στο ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα κινείται χαμηλότερα από τις προσδοκίες, δίνοντας ένα μάλλον μέτριο ανάγνωσμα (όχι κακό), ανισοβαρές και με προβληματικό ρυθμό, ενώ οι χαρακτήρες δείχνουν λίγο χάρτινοι, ιδανικοί για μια σειρά graphic novels, αλλά όχι για ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα (εναλλακτικής, έστω, ιστορίας).
Ο Ανίβας φτάνει έξω από τη Ρώμη και την παραμονή της μάχης δίνει τη δυνατότητα στους Ρωμαίους να εγκαταλείψουν την πόλη απείραχτοι. Εκείνοι δέχονται υπό τον όρο ότι θα σεβαστεί τους τάφους των προγόνων και τους ναούς τους. Και φεύγουν.
Περισσότερα από 100 χρόνια μετά, η Ρώμη Νωρικού (η νέα Ρώμη) αρχίζει να ξανακοιτάζει προς το νότο, στέλνοντας μια αποστολή που θα εκτιμήσει την κατάσταση της Καρχηδονιακής αυτοκρατορίας και το ενδεχόμενο επιστροφής στα πατρώα εδάφη.
Η αποστολή καταλήγει στην Καρχηδόνα και (διαιρούμενη) στην Αλεξάνδρεια, στέλνοντας πληροφορίες στη Σύγκλητο και συμετέχοντας στο βραχύβιο πόλεμο Καχρηδόνας και Αιγύπτου.
Η συνέχεια στο επόμενο βιβλίο.
Δυστυχώς, ο Roberts, παρά τις περγαμηνές του στο ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα κινείται χαμηλότερα από τις προσδοκίες, δίνοντας ένα μάλλον μέτριο ανάγνωσμα (όχι κακό), ανισοβαρές και με προβληματικό ρυθμό, ενώ οι χαρακτήρες δείχνουν λίγο χάρτινοι, ιδανικοί για μια σειρά graphic novels, αλλά όχι για ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα (εναλλακτικής, έστω, ιστορίας).
March 5, 2019
This took an interesting idea-what would happen if Hannibal had won and Rome was defeated?-and turned it into an intriguing alternate history. In this version of history, the Romans were forced to become exiles of their own empire and had to flee into the lands of the Germanic tribes after their humiliating defeat. Fast forward several generations later and the Romans have maintained their legions and military skill by defeating and subduing all their neighboring tribes and they are ready for revenge and to retake Rome. It was interesting to have a story where Rome is considered the underdog and technologically backwards (the Roman diplomatic group's first encounter with the sea and ships stands out). Scipio was a fascinating and politically shrewd character. I really wanted to see what became of him so I felt the ending just left me hanging. I need to find the second book to see what his colleagues think of the unofficial assistance he gave the Egyptian Queen Selene.
February 16, 2026
Ωραία η σύλληψη της εναλλακτικής κατάληξης των Καρχηδονιακων πολέμων, ωραία και η παρουσίαση και η περιγραφή της Καρχηδόνας στην ακμή της. Λίγο πιο αδύναμη κατά τη γνώμη μου η δυναμική της Αλεξάνδρειας. Το μεγάλο μειονέκτημα, όμως, ήταν η αναληθοφάνεια της ξαφνικής επανεμφάνισης των Ρωμαίων. Σε λίγους μήνες από τις αψιμαχίες με τις υπανάπτυκτες φυλές του βορρά βαρέθηκαν να κινούν τα νήματα στην παγκόσμια σκακιέρα. Ένας λαός σβησμένος απ'το χάρτη και χαμένος στη λήθη ξαφνικά είναι σε θέση, όχι μόνο να χειρίζεται στρατηγικά τους απόλυτους μονάρχες, αλλά και να παίζει στα δάχτυλα τις τακτικές και τα συστήματα του πολέμου μεταξύ δύο τεράστιων αυτοκρατορικών στρατών. Α! και μην ξεχάσουμε πως είναι οι μόνοι πραγματικοί άντρες στη λεκάνη της Μεσογείου!!
July 28, 2018
Entertaining but disappointed that is is fiction
July 19, 2012
Rating: 2.7 / 10
Disclaimer: this review is written a year and a half after the fact. For me, this book has become the standard against which to judge all other bad Roman sword and sandal. I have a sweet spot for sword and sandal, or general “historical” fiction, and particular sweet tooth for Rome, and it's just my luck that Rome is really big right now. However, most of it is garbage. Whether it's Conn Iggulden taking an entire novel to fictionalise ninety percent of Caesar's childhood as an intro to a series, or Ben Kane taking twenty-some-odd pages reading the entrails of a goat, Roman sword and sandal pulp is as common and qualitative as dimestore Harlequin romances.
The book is an alternate history novel telling the “what if” of the Carthaginians winning the Second Punic War under Hannibal. It begins with a sort of “double prologue”. The prologue itself is a brief history lesson, which is actually superbly written, about the Second Punic War, Hannibal, and Scipio Africanus. It's short, succinct and apt. Chapter 1, the second part of the prologue, per se, shows the Roman surrender to Hannibal, and the terms Hannibal sets for sparing the lives of Roman civilians, namely, to leave the city, while promising not to molest the statues and temples of the Roman gods.
The meat of the story picks up in Chapter 2, three generations later. Rome, as a nation, is now centred around Roma Noricrum, the new city, somewhere on the Danube river in Germania. The Old Families of the Roman aristocracy are in a political power struggle with the New Families, and they can finally agree that now is the chance to strike and retake the Rome of the Seven Hills. Scipio's grandson, Marcus Scipio is sent south as an envoy and trader with the covert mission of spying on Carthage's weaknesses. Titus Norbanus of the New Families accompanies him, and eventually, the Shofet, or king, of Carthage tries to enlist Noricrum's assistance in a war against Egypt.
Here is the first problem with this book: there are only two female characters amidst dozens of male. Selene of Egypt, about as flat as can be, carved right out of the back of a cereal box, and Zarabel of Carthage. Zarabel actually has the most depth of any character, a commanding woman in a man's world dealing with her arrogant oaf of a brother king, forced to seduce, connive, lie and cheat, yet all that depth is lost as soon as she has sex with Norbanus. The sex was a ploy of hers to seduce him and keep him close, but then she becomes so hopelessly infatuated with him that it's all for not and she spends the remainder of the book with her head back and the back of her hand on her forehead in dismay, or thereabouts.
Secondly, among the male characters, it is nothing more than a juvenile dick-measuring contest, a bit pathetic actually, because for a group of Romans, renowned for orgies and gladiators and sodomy and vomitoriums and over-farming abortion herbs to extinction, these soldiers don't seem to do anything.
The one thing I'll say is that this is a fast read. Although it was absolute tripe, I didn't get so bored to give up on it. But if that's the best I can say about it, I'm not saying much.
Disclaimer: this review is written a year and a half after the fact. For me, this book has become the standard against which to judge all other bad Roman sword and sandal. I have a sweet spot for sword and sandal, or general “historical” fiction, and particular sweet tooth for Rome, and it's just my luck that Rome is really big right now. However, most of it is garbage. Whether it's Conn Iggulden taking an entire novel to fictionalise ninety percent of Caesar's childhood as an intro to a series, or Ben Kane taking twenty-some-odd pages reading the entrails of a goat, Roman sword and sandal pulp is as common and qualitative as dimestore Harlequin romances.
The book is an alternate history novel telling the “what if” of the Carthaginians winning the Second Punic War under Hannibal. It begins with a sort of “double prologue”. The prologue itself is a brief history lesson, which is actually superbly written, about the Second Punic War, Hannibal, and Scipio Africanus. It's short, succinct and apt. Chapter 1, the second part of the prologue, per se, shows the Roman surrender to Hannibal, and the terms Hannibal sets for sparing the lives of Roman civilians, namely, to leave the city, while promising not to molest the statues and temples of the Roman gods.
The meat of the story picks up in Chapter 2, three generations later. Rome, as a nation, is now centred around Roma Noricrum, the new city, somewhere on the Danube river in Germania. The Old Families of the Roman aristocracy are in a political power struggle with the New Families, and they can finally agree that now is the chance to strike and retake the Rome of the Seven Hills. Scipio's grandson, Marcus Scipio is sent south as an envoy and trader with the covert mission of spying on Carthage's weaknesses. Titus Norbanus of the New Families accompanies him, and eventually, the Shofet, or king, of Carthage tries to enlist Noricrum's assistance in a war against Egypt.
Here is the first problem with this book: there are only two female characters amidst dozens of male. Selene of Egypt, about as flat as can be, carved right out of the back of a cereal box, and Zarabel of Carthage. Zarabel actually has the most depth of any character, a commanding woman in a man's world dealing with her arrogant oaf of a brother king, forced to seduce, connive, lie and cheat, yet all that depth is lost as soon as she has sex with Norbanus. The sex was a ploy of hers to seduce him and keep him close, but then she becomes so hopelessly infatuated with him that it's all for not and she spends the remainder of the book with her head back and the back of her hand on her forehead in dismay, or thereabouts.
Secondly, among the male characters, it is nothing more than a juvenile dick-measuring contest, a bit pathetic actually, because for a group of Romans, renowned for orgies and gladiators and sodomy and vomitoriums and over-farming abortion herbs to extinction, these soldiers don't seem to do anything.
The one thing I'll say is that this is a fast read. Although it was absolute tripe, I didn't get so bored to give up on it. But if that's the best I can say about it, I'm not saying much.
June 4, 2014
Suppose Hannibal had defeated Rome in 215 BC. Roberts rewrites history, having Hannibal exile all the Romans to the hinterlands, specifically Noricum, in the area of current-day Austria and Slovenia. Naturally the Romans take over that part of the world and keep up their martial ways. Finally in 100 BC some of them want to find out about what's happening in Carthage and Italy. Maybe they can regain their ancient lands. A group of "diplomats" venture to Carthage, keeping track of what they see on the way. Hamilcar, the ruler of Carthage, doesn't think they're much of a threat, and decides to hire some Roman legions to help him conquer Egypt. There is some intrigue with Hamilcar's sister, and later with Selene, the queen of Egypt (her brother-husband is very young). This was a very plausible and satisfying story, with The Seven Hills as a sequel. My only disappointment is that there weren't any maps, which I really like with a book like this.
February 18, 2023
Hannibal defeats Rome and drives her people into exile but they make a MacArthur-style vow. 115 years later the Romans send an exploration party to their ancestral lands and things start to happen.
Alternative history usually prefers to play with scenarios much closer to our present time, so it is an interesting idea to go back 2200 years and then go fast forward again. Now all the events of the civil war between Marius and Sulla, but also between Caesar and Pompeius, the third Punic war, the Roman expansion in the east,... can be packed into one generation and one set of protagonists.
Part of the fun for the reader is to guess which particular event is played out a little bit different now. This could become a series with the potential for much fun. If the SPQR-series is a yard-stick then there is much to look forward to.
I just hope that Roberts can rein in his enthusiasm for Alexandrian inventions. There is no need for submarines in ancient times to make a story more interesting.
Alternative history usually prefers to play with scenarios much closer to our present time, so it is an interesting idea to go back 2200 years and then go fast forward again. Now all the events of the civil war between Marius and Sulla, but also between Caesar and Pompeius, the third Punic war, the Roman expansion in the east,... can be packed into one generation and one set of protagonists.
Part of the fun for the reader is to guess which particular event is played out a little bit different now. This could become a series with the potential for much fun. If the SPQR-series is a yard-stick then there is much to look forward to.
I just hope that Roberts can rein in his enthusiasm for Alexandrian inventions. There is no need for submarines in ancient times to make a story more interesting.
June 25, 2012
I've read the author's SPQR series and enjoyed that. But Hannibal's Children left me flat as a reader. The descriptions of the city of Carthage, their weapons and gods was very detailed and added to my rather thin knowledge about that culture. But the "ease" with which the Romans traveled down through Italy, across the Mediterranean to Carthage, and then from Carthage to Alexandria didn't sit well with me. The author began describing the traveling while in Italy and then just moved on to the city of Carthage. And the apparent ease with which the Romans met with their worst enemies??? Will read his next book in this group and hope it ties it all together.
July 8, 2017
I did like this book. The premise is quite fascinating: what would happen if Hannibal had defeated Rome? The locations are well-realized, and I appreciated most of the characters. My only real beef is that things seemed to happen just a little too easy for the Romans. They hadn't even changed any; it would have been nice to see some differences in their society (although maybe that's the point-they were so stubborn and set on their course they wouldn't change any). But still, everything just fell perfectly into place for Roma Noricum, and as such it removed some of the intrigue.
March 9, 2012
"What if" is one of the most overused scenarios in modern fiction, but I imagine there's a good reason for that: it allows for some imaginative storytelling. In "Hannibal's Children", author John Maddox Roberts imagines an alternate history in which Rome is defeated by Carthage and the entire Roman citizenry forced into exile from Italy. The Roman spirit remains intact and a new nation is built beyond the Italian borders. For a century, the defeated bide their time and carefully plan their ancient revenge. Revenge can be sweet and it's a taste the reader should thoroughly enjoy.
August 22, 2012
I thought the description of Rome at the defeat of Carthage, was pretty accurate, and I think Rome would have been able to regroup, even if it had to leave the Italian peninsula. The story eventually goes into the personal lives of the Characters. Anyone who has enjoyed I Claudius, and Spartacus, may enjoy this as well.
May 9, 2012
About 3.5 stars. The ending is a little confusing and things work out a little too well for Rome. Still it's a fun yarn but does require some (not a lot) knowledge of the Roman period and Hannibal to really make sense of it
September 5, 2007
So-so 'what if?' book. The author set it up to be a series and it shows. Not a very remarkable book but interesting enough for me to add the next in the series to my wishlist to read someday.
April 24, 2008
a great idea but just didn't grab me like I thought it would
by the middle of the book you could sort of tell what was going to happen
by the middle of the book you could sort of tell what was going to happen
June 17, 2009
Fun historical fiction wherein Rome loses to Hannibal and rebuilds their empire. Pure candy, but has neat semi-historical asides about Roman behavior in politics, war, expansion, etc.
August 14, 2010
I'm a fan of Roman history and alternate history, so when the two overlap I tend to enjoy it quite a bit.
October 23, 2012
What If..?
Such a great phrase.
This book takes it and makes some hay...
Just delicious.
Thank you John Roberts Maddox...
more, more, MORE
Such a great phrase.
This book takes it and makes some hay...
Just delicious.
Thank you John Roberts Maddox...
more, more, MORE
January 25, 2015
I prefer his Conan novels.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews