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The fifth chapter compared treatments of two of Hannibal‟s incursions into
Campania. The first part examined the presentations of the story of Hannibal escaping
past Roman guards by means of a ruse with oxen with burning firebrands tied to the
horns. It built on Davidson‟s interpretation of a „general sense of spectacle‟ 450 in
Polybius‟ passages to argue that Polybius applied a specific theatrical analogy in order
to depict Hannibal deliberately staging a dramatic exit and demonstrating that he could
upstage and outwit Fabius Maximus who Polybius compares with Eurylochus (Hist.
3.94.4). Livy represents the story, depicting Hannibal tricking his way out of a trap with
only one exit, while Silius Italicus was shown to weave elements from both these
traditions into the Punica, and offer a more „pragmatic‟ truth to the story behind the
oxen. Cornelius Nepos‟ placement of the „oxen and firebrands‟ story at a later point in
time than in the other texts (211) suggests that the story may have become separated
from its original historical context. It may have been related, or staged, as a popular
„Hannibal story‟ in its own right.
The second part of this chapter argues that the focus on Capuan morality and the
supposed effects of that morality have caused the historical details of Hannibal‟s
takeover of the town to become uncertain and distorted. Most scholars prefer Polybius‟
and Silius‟ description of the Capuans inviting Hannibal to their town. 451 The
interpretation in this thesis argues that Polybius was more concerned to present the
Capuans as morally depraved and hence preferred the tradition of „defection.‟
Hannibal‟s initial stay in Capua is brief but it is shown that authors take the opportunity
to present Hannibal succumbing to Capuan luxury in the form of a feast and other
scenes, but with significant differences in the details. Furthermore the ambiguity in the
depictions of the long term effects of Capuan luxury on Hannibal and his men are
argued to be influenced by another tradition about Hannibal: He was undefeated
throughout the time that he was in Italy, discussed in the next chapter.
Presenting Hannibal as undefeated in Italy not only suited the glorification of Scipio
but suited Hannibal‟s rhetoric that he left Italy as an undefeated hero (Pun. 17.286). The
claim was, of course, disputed, and an extant discussion by Plutarch in relation to
Marcellus is compared in the sixth chapter against some of the authors to whom
450 Davidson, 1991, 16.
451 Most scholars prefer the tradition that the Capuans defect: Rossi, 2004, 368; Heurgon, 1942, 115:
„pour châtier sa défection;‟ 144; De Sanctis, iii, 2,214; Warmington, 1969, 205; Sherwin-White, 1973, 41;
Salmon, 1957, 153; Mankin, 1995, 247; Crawford, 2001, 1974, 30; Watson, 2003, 491. Frederiksen, 1977,
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