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Chapter 1: Hannibal’s Heritage
Introductions of Hannibal usually include recollections of the past through references to
his father, Hamilcar Barca. While it is not uncommon in ancient texts to introduce a
figure through reference to the father, Hamilcar Barca‟s name carried certain
connotations for the Roman audience: He held the Carthaginian stronghold at Mt Eryx
but was required to surrender and negotiate terms to end the First Punic War with the
Roman consul, Lutatius. Hamilcar was further humiliated when the terms he negotiated
were rejected and made harsher by the Roman Senate. Not surprisingly perhaps, there
are related traditions that Hamilcar Barca perceived himself to be personally undefeated
in the First Punic War (Hist. 1.66.1); he believed that the Carthaginians surrendered
Sicily too easily and that the Roman acquisition of Sardinia was dishonest (Cornelius
Nepos, Hamilcar, 2; Livy, 21.1.5). Therefore introducing Hannibal as the son of
Hamilcar Barca carries implications that Hannibal probably inherits his father‟s
resentments and intends to restore family and Carthaginian honour.
The implication is made explicit through an anecdote that Hannibal swore an oath of
enmity against Rome in his childhood, discussed in the first section of this chapter. The
accounts all say that the oath was sworn under the guidance of Hamilcar Barca, thus
emphasising his role as a father (not as a priest). It is argued here that the most
significant variation between the texts is the context in which the anecdote is placed; the
context is a good example of the ambiguity in Polybius‟ representation of Hannibal and
whether or not Polybius intended to present Hannibal as a positive example for the
Roman concept of fides.
References to perceived wrongs from the past may be interpreted as providing
background information and motivating factors for Hannibal. On the other hand,
avenging an insult is also the basis of the Trojan War epic cycle, and authors risk
presenting Hannibal in a heroic mould if they over-emphasise his intention to avenge
Hamilcar‟s humiliation and the outcome of the First Punic War. Yet, as discussed in the
second section of this chapter, there is a distinct patterning of references to the First
Punic War and its outcome in texts which otherwise focus on Hannibal. These
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