The Punic Wars Rome, Carthage,... | Buy

Summary

The Punic Wars triggered an era of astonishing human misfortune. Resulting from a mighty power struggle between the military confederation of Rome and the trading empire of Carthage between 264--241 B.C., 218--201 B.C., and 149--146 b.c., the wars were fought over a period of 118 years. Massive man-made devastation on both sides left RB.C.ome's population radically depleted and Carthage razed and erased from the map. Sir Nigel Bagnall brings his military experience and a modern professional eye to bear in analyzing the Punic Wars here. He marshals classic military strategists such as Livy, Polybius, and Diodorus to plot the wars' campaigns in Spain, Africa, Sicily, and the Peloponnese, and follows Hannibal's daring but unsuccessful strike into the heart of Italy. But Bagnall goes beyond military strategy to discuss the force, structures, and politics of Rome and Carthage at their heights. And he contrasts their conduct of battle at strategic, operational, and tactical levels to show how they were governed by the same military principles used by nations today. His thought-provoking final chapter relates these wars' lessons to modern times in an impressive argument for adapting the experience of the past to the needs of the future. While the history of the Punic Wars dates back over 2000 years, Bagnall's comprehensive account demonstrates that this ancient conflict is remarkable both for its scope and its contemporary relevance.

Author Biography

Sir Nigel Bagnall was born in India in 1927. He joined the British Army in 1945 and served in Palestine, Malaya, Borneo, the Canal Zone, Cyprus, Singapore, and Germany. He ended his distinguished military career as Chief of the General Staff in London and went on to become an Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He died in 2000.

Principal Characters

vii

Introduction

PART ONE THE BACKGROUND

I Carthage

(16)

II Rome

(16)

III Sicily

(14)

PART TWO THE FIRST PUNIC WAR 264-241 BC

IV The Opening Round in Sicily 264-261 BC

(11)

V The Maritime Dimension 261-256 BC

(10)

VI The African Campaign 256-255 BC

(9)

VII The Return to Sicily 254-241 BC

(21)

VIII Commentary

100

(11)

PART THREE STRIFE BETWEEN WARS 241-218 BC

IX The Mercenary Revolt 240-237 BC

111

(16)

X The Gallic Invasion 241-220 BC

127

(8)

XI The Illyrian Expeditions 229-227 BC

135

(7)

XII The Conquest of Spain 237-219 BC

142

(13)

PART FOUR THE SECOND PUNIC WAR 218-201 BC

XIII From the Ebro to the Alps 218 BC

155

(13)

XIV The Epic Years 218-216 BC

168

(30)

XV The War Expands 215-206 BC

198

(20)

XVI Sardinia, Sicily and Illyria 215-205 BC

218

(15)

XVII The Waning Years 216-211 BC

233

(20)

XVIII Hannibal in Retreat 211-205 BC

253

(14)

XIX The Romans Carry the War to Africa 205-203 BC

267

(19)

XX Victory in Africa 205-201 BC

286

(14)

XXI Political Ferment 201-149 BC

300

(13)

PART FIVE THE THIRD PUNIC WAR 149-146 BC

XXII The Destruction of Carthage 149-146 BC

313

(8)

Epilogue

321

(15)

Select Bibliography

336

(2)

Index

338

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