Greek elements in Hannibal’s military education

Miron Wolny

doi:10.31648/ep.10506

Published: 2024-08-311

No. XXV/1 (2024)

Greek elements in Hannibal’s military education

Miron Wolny

Echa Przeszłości

Section: ARTICLES

https://doi.org/10.31648/ep.10506

Abstract

The aim of this article was to identify Greek elements in Hannibal’s education which influenced the military strategies and tactics deployed by the hero of the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE). The present analysis was conducted on the assumption that Hannibal’s portrayal in historical sources was consistent with the Greek historiographic canon, which is why the Carthaginian general was depicted as a figure who possessed certain attributes of a Greek commander. However, literary descriptions of
Hannibal were not entirely free of the negative attributes that were generally associated with the Greeks. These narratives served a specific political purpose, and Hannibal’s negative character traits were hyperbolized as a result of Rome’s experiences gained during the Second Punic War. For this reason, the term Punica fides was conflated with the concept of Graeca fides in the historical narrative. Greek military theories had been planted on Carthaginian soil through contact with powerful dynasties in the Hellenistic
period. The imparted knowledge had many practical applications, and it was expanded in an era of rapid military advancements. As a result, the representatives of Greek intellectual elites, including Silenus and Sosylus, played an important role in Hannibal’s military education. The fact that Greek intellectuals advised Hannibal indicates that the general’s intellectual milieu was diverse and served multiple functions. Hannibal probably also obtained knowledge and skills through self-education by following the example of
role models such as Alexander the Great and King Pyrrhus. The general’s relations with Greek intellectual elites suggest that Hannibal was familiar with the literature on the art of war. It appears that in line with Greek military standards, attempts were made to educate and train Hannibal so that he could eclipse other commanders in terms of ingenuity and, above all, military success. Greek traditions also served asa tool for creating a heroic image of the Carthaginian general.

Keywords:

Hellenistic period, Carthage, Greek historiography, Hannibal, military issues

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Wolny, M. (2024). Greek elements in Hannibal’s military education. Echa Przeszłości, (XXV/1), 25–47. https://doi.org/10.31648/ep.10506

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