Hannibal
Pride Of Carthage
Published on 3. April 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
640 pages
978-0-553-81491-0 (ISBN)
Description
In ancient Rome, parents used to silence misbehaving children with the utterance 'Hannibal ad portas' (Hannibal is at the door). Such was the fear and awe that Hannibal Barca instilled...
Told in arcing, epic technicolour, this is the story of one of the ancient world's most remarkable figures and the long, bloody conflict between the two 'superpowers' of the times - the Second Punic War (218-202BC) - that hinged on the genius, the ambition and the personal tragedies of Hannibal Barca of Carthage, whose military prowess became the stuff of legend, and Publius Scipio of Rome. History, of course, tells us the outcome: that Rome would be the victor, surviving to become a colossal imperial power, while Carthage would be all but erased from history. It was, however, a close run thing. And the world might have been a very different place had Hannibal succeeded in thwarting the might of Rome.
PRIDE OF CARTHAGE is a sweeping, thrilling story of ancient warfare, of armies traversing frozen snow-covered mountains, of battles won or lost by brilliant generals fighting in ingenious, cunning ways. And it's a story teeming with superbly drawn, memorable characters and players, historical and imagined - from Numidian horsemen and the Roman legions to the slaves and freemen from all corners of the ancient Mediterranean world...
Told in arcing, epic technicolour, this is the story of one of the ancient world's most remarkable figures and the long, bloody conflict between the two 'superpowers' of the times - the Second Punic War (218-202BC) - that hinged on the genius, the ambition and the personal tragedies of Hannibal Barca of Carthage, whose military prowess became the stuff of legend, and Publius Scipio of Rome. History, of course, tells us the outcome: that Rome would be the victor, surviving to become a colossal imperial power, while Carthage would be all but erased from history. It was, however, a close run thing. And the world might have been a very different place had Hannibal succeeded in thwarting the might of Rome.
PRIDE OF CARTHAGE is a sweeping, thrilling story of ancient warfare, of armies traversing frozen snow-covered mountains, of battles won or lost by brilliant generals fighting in ingenious, cunning ways. And it's a story teeming with superbly drawn, memorable characters and players, historical and imagined - from Numidian horsemen and the Roman legions to the slaves and freemen from all corners of the ancient Mediterranean world...
Reviews / Votes
'An extraordinary achievement: Durham puts flesh on the bones of Carthage in a way that no novelist has done since Flaubert wrote Salammbo' * TOM HOLLAND, author of Rubicon * 'Wonderful...an historical novel that's not only deeply evocative of time and place, character and situation, but is also lyrically written, compellingly composed...a masterpiece' * JEFFREY LENT, author of Lost Nation * 'Heady, richly textured...Durham weaves abundant psyhcological, military and political detail in this vivid account of one of the most romanticized periods of history' * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review) * 'Magnificent...an old-fashioned historical yarn, it could hardly be bettered' * GOOD BOOK GUIDE * 'Durham vividly captures the frenzy of ancient warfare...Pride of Carthage is a skillfully structured and often gripping novel' -- NEW YORK TIMES 'Unpretentious and fast moving...would make a great film' -- The Times Literary Supplement 'Durham has reimagined this vanished world in stunningly precise detail, and his lucid explanations of the give-and-take of military decision-making help the reader through some dauntingly complicated material. Nor is this novel merely a pageant: the author vividly portrays both Hannibal's driven resolve and Scipio's ruthless efficiency, as well as the conflicted emotions that rule several powerfully realized secondary figures . . . One of the best of the current crop of historical novels, and a career-making march forward for Durham' -- Kirkus Reviews 'What I particularly liked about the book was Durham's even-handedness. He shows both empires were capable of cruelty, greed and criminal stupidity...An epic treat' -- Western Daily Press 'A grand recounting of the second Punic War...Durham's epic is truly a big, magnificent, sprawling story complete with a sizable cast of compelling characters, intricately drawn battle scenes and fluid, graceful prose' -- Booklist (starred review)More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
Maps
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 37 mm
Weight
742 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-553-81491-0 (9780553814910)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
02/2011
1st Edition
Transworld Digital
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Born in New York in 1969 to parents of Caribbean ancestry, David Anthony Durham has travelled widely throughout America and Europe. After living in Scotland for a few years, he and his family now live in Massachusetts. He is the author of two previous novels, the acclaimed Gabriel's Story and Walk Through Darkness but Pride of Carthage marks his UK debut.