SLC Thesis Template - ResearchSpace@Auckland - The University ...

texts serve a variety of purposes. 431 Suicide by taking poison in the face of imminent
capture is generally presented in texts that promote him as an eternal enemy.
The section of the Histories covering the death of Hannibal is no longer extant, but
Cornelius Nepos and Livy both refer to the death notice given by Polybius (Cornelius
Nepos, Hann. 13.1; Livy, 39.50.10). Livy rarely criticises his sources, thus his criticism
of „Greek and Latin historians‟ for locating Hannibal‟s death in the same year as Scipio
Africanus and Philopoemen is notable and an illustration of the need to treat Polybius‟
text generally with some caution. Livy implies that Polybius manipulated the date with
the express purpose of glorifying Hannibal by placing his death in the same year as the
two other „great‟ men. 432 Livy rejects the Polybian date on the basis that Polybius is in
error over the death of Africanus which Livy places at the time when Africanus‟ name
disappears from the lustrum.
Livy notes that there were certain similarities between them as none of the three died
in glorious circumstances in comparison to their lives. All three were exiles as Scipio
was in disgrace for not appearing in court when summoned; Hannibal and Philopoemen
died by poison (Livy, 39.52.9). On the other hand, when it comes to manipulation, Livy
not only closes the year 183 but also the fourth decad with a final report on Hannibal‟s
death:
Hannibalem hoc anno Antias Valerius decessisse est auctor legatis ad
eam rem ad Prusiam missis praeter T. Quinctium Flamininum, cuius in
ea re celebre est nomen, L. Scipione Asiatico et P. Scipione Nasica.
Livy, 39.56.7
Valerias Antias says that Hannibal died this year, ambassadors having
been sent to Prusias for this purpose, namely Lucius Scipio Asiaticus
and Publius Scipio Nasica, in addition to Titus Quinctius Flamininus,
whose name is best known in this connection.
Sage, 1936, 399.
Livy‟s death notice serves an important literary function as the „Hannibal‟ and „Scipio‟
names appear at the opening and closing points across two decads.
Cornelius Nepos conveniently summarises the various dates that he discovers for
Hannibal‟s death and names the three authors he consulted, including Polybius:
431 See Pomeroy, 1986, 1988, 1989b and c.
432 Editors of the Histories place character portraits of Philopoemen, Hannibal and Scipio adjacent to each
other (Hist. 23.12; 13; 14). Pomeroy, A, 1989 and 1986, 415 accepts Polybius‟ version of all three „good‟
men passing in the same year.
205