Hannibal

One Man Against Rome

By: Harold Lamb

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

This is the breathtaking adventure of the great Carthaginian general who shook the foundations of Rome. When conflict between Rome and Carthage resumed in 219 B.C., after a brief hiatus from the first Punic War, the Romans decided to invade Spain. Eluding several Roman legions sent out to intercept him in Spain and France, Hannibal Barca astoundingly led his small army of mercenaries over the Alps and thundered down into the Po Valley. The Carthaginian swept all resistance from his path and, as one victory led to another, drove a wedge between Rome and its allies. Hannibal marched up and down the Italian peninsula for 18 years, appearing well nigh invincible to a Rome which began to doubt itself for the first time in its history.

This violent and exciting narrative will thrill you with the accounts of heroism and brilliance displayed on both sides as the war raged mercilessly across the entire Western Mediterranean. Learn how the patience of Fabius Maximus and the genius of Lucius Cornelius Scipio finally turned the tide in this, the world's first "global" conflict...a conflict whose aftermath proved to be one of the most decisive and enduring events in world history. And finally, learn the secret to the success of Hannibal, the most brilliant military commander of all time.

©2003 Audio Connoisseur (P)2003 Audio Connoisseur

Quite possibly history's most capable general.

This is a wonderfully narrated account of Hannibal's actions against the Romans. It does detail his march with elephants through the Alps, which he is best known for, but there is so much more to the story.

For those interested in history, or leadership, I highly recommend it!

Great Account of the Second Punic War

The Second Punic War has always held a special place in my heart despite the fact one of my instructors said, "Who cares about Carthage? Look what the Romans did to them." There are no heroes in this story unfortunately. Even though the the author goes to great lengths to impress upon us the nobility of Hannibal, the cruelty and savagery of the age overshadow all else. One particularly touching detail comes up during the recounting of the famous crossing of the Alps. Elephants were taken on this crossing and those that were injured were left to die. One of the forsaken four legged individuals managed to grab a tree branch and attempted to wave down members of the passing army for help as he froze to death. However much of a genius Hannibal undoubtedly was, we should learn a lesson from his tale rather than just marveling at his cleverness. War embitters and taints without discrimination. Geniuses are no exception.

Interesting Pick

This was a great book, but the narrator can be bland at times.

Very good!

The character of Hannibal is a very impressive character and the author manages to convey it in a very good and interesting way, the author does not overestimate but manages to summarize all areas of Hannibal's life, from his childhood to the legacy he left behind

Fascinating - not to be missed!

One word describes this comprehensive look at a man who was, arguably, the greatest military leader in history...Fascinating! In "Hannibal: One Man Against Rome" we learn the reasons that compelled Hannibal to wage unending war against the Roman state, how he accomplished truly remarkable feats of leadership, why his army followed him into battle against overwhelming odds, and, perhaps most importantly, insights into Hannibal's psyche that led him to attempt these campaigns.

Written with the clarity that comes from painstaking research we gain a glimpse at the true man, rather than the character. Read with poise, humour and understanding, this is an audio experience not to be missed.

A Great Lesson in Maximizing Resources

I knew very little about Hannibal, save for his march across the Alps with a few elephants. Everything else regarding him was obscure to me. But this book opened up the panorama of brilliance and dogged determination that is Hannibal.

Though doomed from the beginning, Hannibal played the losing hand that was dealt him in the best way it could have been. He made no mistakes of his own. Had his homeland the same level of committment that he did, the world would look very different today. Rome would have remained a backwater republic, hardly worth a second look.

I think this book would make a good listen for any leader of business. Those ready to throw in the towel would do well to take a lesson or two from a truly great general who not only understood how to win a battle, but the hearts and minds of men - both being necessary for success in leadership.

I've learned a lot about Hannibal

This audiobook tells what an amazing strategist Hannibal apparently whas. We all know he went over the Alps with elephants. Well, that's only part of the story. He managed to win several battles against stronger armies. He did that not only by reading the landscape, but also by lending his ears to the locals. In the end only, after so many lost Roman battle's, there is only one man who knows how to confront him: Scipio. It's a very interesting story.

The narrator is pretty good. Never boring. And there are some sound effects in there as well.

It is probably a good idea to learn the names and locations of some ancient places around the Mediterean before listening in a car: Carthago, the rivers Elbro and Rhone, Cannae, Trebia, Lake Trasimeno, Capua and such.

Hannibal comes to life

This is a fantastic retelling of Hannibal's story and his struggle against Rome. The narrator is very good, and the book is gripping from beginning to end.

Highly recommended to anybody interested in the Hannibalic war, or Roman history in general.

Really great book with 1 big historical innacuracy

I really loved this book. I did not know too much detail about the invasion of Hannibal and enjoyed hearing the details of the second Punic war. The performance was superb and the story was great. I took off one star for one historical inaccuracy that did sit in my craw. The author refers to Hannibal taking refuge with Antiochius III and describing that the coming battle with the Romans was unlike other warfare the Selucids engaged in. He mentions in passing the conflict in "Palestine". First of all, Antiochus III had excellent relations with his Jewish subjects in occupied Judea. The conflict, which is commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Hannukah, was with his son Antiochus IV. Secondly, there was no "Palestine", as this made up name was given to Judea by the Romans after the revolt in 60 C.E., some 300 years later. There never really was a country called "Palestine" in history, but the territory was referred to by that name after 63 C.E. Let's be historically accurate on this point, please!

Great Book

The narrator is great, and every page of this book is well written. The finale is one of best lessons on war and history.