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concentrates on comparing the Punica to Livy. Ahl, Davis, Pomeroy, and Wilson
express doubt over whether Silius Italicus was directly influenced by Polybius while
Spaltenstein 56 writes that it would be a waste of time for those studying the Punica to
consult the Histories.
In cumulative terms, based on the number of common elements between the Punica
and the Histories, this thesis will posit a high probability that Silius Italicus not only had
a copy of Polybius‟ Histories in his extensive library 57 but also consulted and responded
to it from time to time, but not necessarily in narrowly historical terms. Given Silius
Italicus‟ „atypical methods of allusion‟ 58 and „poetic invention‟ 59 as well as the
availability of other Latin texts, such as Valerius Maximus and Sallust, which present
similar traditions and/or express similar sentiments as Polybius, it is not possible to state
unequivocally that Silius Italicus used Polybius directly. Sallust, however, dated Rome‟s
corruption from the fall of Carthage in 146: Carthago aemula imperi Romani ab stirpe
interiit, cuncta maria terraeque patebant, saevire fortuna ac miscere omnia coepit (Cat.
10.1). 60 Thus, although the sentiment is shared between Sallust and Silius Italicus, their
starting points are different as Silius, like Polybius, takes the Second Punic War as the
point from which change could be traced (Pun.10.657-8; 17.651-4).
Another example of Silius Italicus‟ poetic response to history is discussed in the
fourth chapter of this thesis which offers a new argument for the theory of the 17-book
structure of the Punica. It was a reflection of the 17 years of warfare and thus a poetic
acknowledgement of the annalistic tradition, even though the content is not arranged
annalistically. Furthermore, as will be argued, the 17-book structure may also
acknowledge the original structure of the Histories up to the point of Scipio‟s triumph.
Comparing features across texts and genres
There are a number of features in common across different genres which may govern
the presentation of an event, person or theme. Such features may be thematic, structural
(in literary terms), or relate to an aspect of characterisation, or the prioritising of moral
issues over practical military reasoning. Comparing how authors manipulate these
56
Ahl, Davis, Pomeroy, 1986, 2506; Wilson, 2004, 236; Spaltenstein, 1986, 10.
57
Pliny, Ep. 3.7.8 remarks on Silius‟ library.
58
Wilson, 2004, 227.
59
Wilson, 1993, 218. Also Wiseman, 1979 more generally for „creating‟ history.
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