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takes Petelia (Livy, 23.15.3; 23.30.1). Despite repeated attempts, Hannibal cannot
capture either Nola or Neapolis, both strategically critical towns. 354
Livy depicts Hannibal losing something of his leadership qualities through his
inability to prevent his men leaving to visit their Capuan girlfriends (Livy, 23.18.16)
whereas Silius Italicus illustrates the same problem differently to Livy. It is not
Hannibal‟s men taking unauthorised leave but Hannibal who leaves his men to continue
the siege of Puteoli while he went sight-seeing around the hot springs of Baiae with the
Capuan nobility (Pun. 12.104-115). Not surprisingly the siege ends in failure (as it did
in Livy, 24.13.6). The Punica is the earliest extant text that locates Hannibal at the spa
resort of Baiae, but, as with the surprising number of items in common between the
Punica and later texts such as Florus and Appian that are not found elsewhere, it is
impossible to know whether it reflects a common tradition used by Silius, Appian and/or
Florus, or whether it reflects the influence of the Punica on these later texts.
Marcellus successfully held Nola against Hannibal (Livy 23.15.7), and later gains the
first significant victory against Hannibal (Livy 23.44-45.4). It is the first major morale
boosting battlefield victory for Rome after Cannae that gave rise to the quip Capuam
Hannibali Cannas fuisse (Livy, 23.45.4). The victory signals a change in Roman
fortunes and Marcellus was subsequently rewarded with full military authority as
proconsul as only he had recorded success against Hannibal in Italy (Livy, 23.30.19).
Silius Italicus epicised Marcellus‟ win by having him challenge Hannibal to single
combat (Pun. 12.198) except that Juno intervened to ensure Hannibal did not fight (Pun.
12.201). This point becomes significant for the tradition of Hannibal‟s record of
victories in Italy, discussed in more detail in the next chapter.
Appian gives another reason that concurs with the depiction of Hannibal weakening,
and relates it to the Roman successes in Spain. Hannibal‟s fortunes are said to decline
from 215 (coinciding with taking control of Capua) because Spanish fighters coming to
Italy to fight on behalf of Rome conversed with their compatriots in Hannibal‟s army,
persuading many of them to join the Romans (Appian, Hann. 7.30). Livy and Plutarch
also refer to Spanish fighters deserting Hannibal after 215, but not by persuasion from
354 Contra Frederiksen, 1984, 242 who argues that Livy confused his sources: „the first two are Coelian
and sound, the third is clearly a doublet of the first. The motive is repeated eisdem verbis; the capture of
Nuceria must precede the revolt of Capua, since Roman supporters from Nuceria cannot get into Capua
„quod portas Hannibali clausissent,‟ 23.15.6. Livy has muddled the praetor‟s arrival at Casilinum with his
later move to Nola (23.14.10-13). The source is thus non-Coelian, otherwise unknown.‟
151