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The notion of Capuan surrender is compatible with the other sections of Livy‟s
narrative. At the opening of book 23, Livy describes Hannibal turning toward Capua
after investigating but deciding against attempting to take Neapolis. The phrase does not
imply one way or the other that Hannibal responded to an invitation: inde Capuam
flectit iter (Livy, 23.2.1). 330 It is not until later in the narrative that Livy incorporates the
Capuans negotiating a treaty with Hannibal, discussed below. Its location in the text
gives it less impact than the announcement of surrender, and, as will be shown, certain
features suggest that its inclusion is more relevant to supporting Livy‟s subsequent
depiction of Hannibal as a treaty-breaker (Livy, 23.7.1-3).
Silius Italicus more closely follows Polybius, not Livy, because his Capuans invite
Hannibal to their city: et Poenos in tecta vocant (Pun. 11.134) but the reason for the
Capuan defection in the Punica is different. It is not their „unbearable prosperity‟ but
because the Romans had rejected a Capuan request to share the Roman consulship in
return for continued allegiance against Hannibal (Pun. 11.55-121; also Cicero, De Leg.
Agr., 2.95). Livy acknowledges but rejects this tradition on the basis that it echoed too
closely a similar demand by the Latins from earlier times (Livy, 23.6.5). (It would be so
helpful to know more about Livy‟s personal rules were governing the inclusion or
otherwise of „echoes‟ or „parallels‟ in his text!)
Livy depicts Hannibal applying an iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove approach to the Italian
communities after Cannae. Hannibal orders Mago to take over the cities that were
deserting from Rome or compel them to desert if they refused: exercitu partito
Magonem regionis eius urbes aut deficientis ab Romanis accipere aut detractantis
cogere ad defectionem iubet (Livy, 23.1.4). Livy indirectly acknowledges that force
majeure may have been a factor historically for the Capuans through two items. The
first is a literary vignette about Compsa which precedes the story of Capua and the
second is the location of Hannibal‟s camp in relation to Capua.
Livy‟s literary vignette about Compsa parallels Polybius‟ insertion of a literary
vignette about Petelia immediately preceding the story of Capua. In each text the
vignette serves a different purpose as Polybius contrasts the Petelians against the
Capuans, as a good example of fides to Rome. The Petelians hold out in a siege against
the Carthaginians for so long that they were reduced to chewing leather and eating tree
330 Lancel, 1998, 113 argues that Hannibal taking Capua was not a random choice which may be so but
Livy clearly indicates that it was second choice after Neapolis.
139