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Livy and Polybius who depict Hannibal accepting the defeat as final, there are
differences over whether or not he had any involvement in suing for peace. Arguably, a
presention of Hannibal urging the Carthaginians to sue for peace locates him in the role
of a saviour of Carthage, and a foil to Scipio‟s magnaminity. In the Punica, however, it
is Juno who saves Carthage from destruction, not Hannibal.
It is argued that Livy‟s presentation of Hannibal‟s involvement in suing for peace at
the close of the third decad is, in part, governed by the use of the Hannibal figure to link
the two decads and the changing portrait of Hannibal across the two decads. Livy‟s
presentation of Hannibal saving Carthage from destruction after Zama at the close of the
third decad is shown to foreshadow a similar role in the fourth decad when Hannibal
again saves the city from Roman destruction by ensuring the indemnity is paid. It is
argued here that this portrait has distinct echoes of Hamilcar who similarly ensured that
due payments were made to Rome. 453
Traditions differ over Hannibal‟s continuing popularity at Carthage in the years after
Zama. It is shown that Livy adapts his presentation to prepare his audience for
Hannibal‟s next role in the narrative, that of scapegoat and a warmonger. 454 The
devolution of blame onto one man is convenient for both Romans and Carthaginians,
and Hannibal‟s rapid departure from Carthage has all the necessary elements for an
exciting story with elements of secrecy, duplicity and showmanship.
Livy offers one explanation why, in restrospect, Hannibal came to be viewed more
positively by some Romans. The context of the quotation below follows the collapse of
negotiations with Perseus of Macedonia:
Postremo ita de bello et pace quaeri ut inter omnes conveniat, nec
turpius quicquam esse quam sine certamine cessisse regno nec
praeclarius quam pro dignitate ac maiestate omnem fortunam
expertum esse.
Livy, 42.1.11
Finally this discussion about peace and war was based on the
universally accepted view that nothing is more disgraceful than to
have yielded a kingdom without a struggle, nor anything more
glorious than to have made a trial of fortune to the utmost in defence
of rank and crown.
Sage, 1938, 445.
453 Hoyos, 1991, 1 describes Hamilcar as the saviour of Carthage from its domestic problems.
454 Contra Lancel, 1998, 181 who reads the passages as foreshadowing the Gracchi.
224