The Layman's Historian

The Romans might have expected to destroy Carthage easily, but they soon met surprisingly determined opposition from the Punic defenders. What was supposed to be a quick campaign dragged on into a lengthy and bloody siege with skillful Carthaginian counterattacks and sallies. Only when Scipio Aemilianus, adopted grandson of the great Africanus, arrived to supreme command did the tide begin to turn. Even so, the final moments of Carthage would resonate long after her capital was reduced to ruins.   Link to the Episode 52 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos The Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

The thirty years following the deaths of Scipio and Hannibal saw Carthage revive economically. Relations with Rome and Numidia, however, remained strained to the utmost, especially due to the Numidian King Masinissa's continued encroachment on Carthaginian territory with tacit Roman approval. When the frustrated Carthaginians finally struck a blow to defend their land, Rome seized the opportunity to invade and finish her rival off - once and for all.   Check out The Warlords of History Podcast website   Link to the Episode 51 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos The Fall of Carthage by Adrian Goldsworthy Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

The disaster of Zama left Carthage in political turmoil. In the years which followed, Hannibal was able to achieve a series of ambitious reforms which led to a remarkably fast economic recovery for Carthage. His autocratic nature soon excited jealousy from his fellow aristocrats though, and with Rome's help, Hannibal was forced into exile. After a long series of flights from one eastern court to the next, the Romans at last tracked him down in the mountainous kingdom of Bithynia. His death closes the final chapter of the Second Punic War.   Link to the Episode 50 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

With Hannibal's recall to Africa, we finally reach the final showdown of the Second Punic War. Scipio and his disgraced survivors of Cannae faced Hannibal's veterans of Italy on the plains of Zama. The victor would decide the war – and the course of history. Link to the Episode 49 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

Following the disaster at the Metaurus, Hannibal retreated to southern Italy. Unable to defeat him openly yet fearful to leave him unopposed, the Roman Senate engaged in a fierce debate with the brilliant Publius Cornelius Scipio who had recently returned from Spain. In a tense showdown, Scipio convinced a grudging Senate to authorize an invasion of North Africa. While politicking with the turbulent Numidian kingdoms and establishing his ally Massinissa on the throne, Scipio also managed to crush the last Carthaginian field army between himself and Carthage. With no other cards left, the Carthaginian Senate recalled Hannibal for a final showdown with his Roman nemesis... Link to the Episode 48 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

In the bitter and bewildering struggle during the years after Cannae, Rome at last gained the upper hand. However, Hannibal would be afforded one last chance to turn the tide of the war. This was the arrival of his brother, Hasdrubal, with a great army of mercenaries in northern Italy in 207 BC. As the two brothers attempted to join forces, the Romans would execute an audacious plan to corner Hasdrubal by the banks of the Metaurus before he could unite with his elder brother.... Link to the Episode 47 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

While the conflicts in Spain and Sicily raged, Hannibal still clung tenaciously to the gains he had made in Italy. In the years following Cannae, he would experience a dizzying array of successes and setbacks against the Romans ranging from failed alliances with Macedon to the capture and recapture of major Italian cities. Even so, as the years wore on, the scales of Fortune seemed ever more inclined towards Rome.... Link to the Episode 46 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

Unlike Spain, Sicily had been relatively quiet during the opening years of the Second Punic War. That all changed in 216 BC with the death of Hiero II, King of Syracuse. Staunchly pro-Roman, Hiero had feared that his grandson and natural heir, Hieronymus, would lead Syracuse to disaster. His greatest fears were justified - shortly after the old king's death, Hieronymus broke with Rome and allied with Hannibal. When Hieronymus was assassinated, one of the most confused and confusing conflicts of the Second Punic War began, one which would ultimately culminate in the sacking of the greatest Greek city in Magna Graecia.   Link to the Episode 45 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

With Hannibal immersed in the mire of Italian geopolitics, the Second Punic War shifts to theaters overseas. Keenly aware of the strategic importance of maintaining pressure on Carthage's outposts in Spain, the Scipio brothers – Gnaeus and Publius Cornelius – grappled with Hannibal's younger brother, Hasdrubal Barca for years, chipping away at the Barcid power base. When both Scipio brothers perished within days of each other in 211 BC, Publius Cornelius Scipio the Younger volunteered to take their place as senior commander of the Spanish war. Barely in his mid-twenties, Scipio rapidly showed that he was a new type of Roman commander, one well-versed in the tactics of Hannibalic warfare….   Link to the Episode 44 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

Following Cannae, Hannibal descended into the rich agricultural lands of Campania in Magna Graecia. Chafing under Roman rule and eager to reclaim her place as hegemon of southern Italy, the ancient Etruscan city of Capua quickly came to an agreement with Hannibal. In exchange for defecting to the Carthaginian side, Hannibal would allow Capua autonomy, secure her place as mistress of Italy, and allow her to be governed by her own rulers and marshal her own army. A stormy honeymoon followed, with Hannibal soon realizing that he had given too much and received far too little for his new southern Italian "ally"....   Link to the Episode 43 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on Facebook or Twitter Contact me directly through email  

In the stillness following the destruction of their greatest army at the Battle of Cannae, the Romans faced an awful choice. The triumphant Hannibal stood poised to march on Rome herself and besiege the capital, and there was little the surviving remnants of legionaries could do to stop him. The Italian allies had already begun to waiver in their resolve, and some even among Rome's patricians began to advocate for abandoning Italy entirely. In this hour of doubt, Hannibal's envoys arrived to discuss peace terms. However, Romans such as Publius Cornelius Scipio and Titus Manlius Torquatus would hear no talk of peace or flight. The Carthaginian delegate was coldly told to return home, and the Senate refused to ransom the Roman prisoners in Hannibal's hands despite their heart-rending pleas. There would be no admission of defeat - Rome would fight until the bitter end. Link to the Episode 42 page on the Layman's Historian website Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email    

Fabius the Delayer may have saved Minucius from disaster at Geronium, but he would not always be there to protect his impetuous colleagues from rushing into trouble. Following Fabius's relinquishment of the dictatorship, one of the newly-elected consuls, Gaius Terentius Varro, accused Fabius and the patricians of intentionally prolonging the war. Instead of continuing to follow Fabius's delaying tactics, Varro urged the Romans to immediately engage Hannibal to obtain decisive victory. Despite the protests of his fellow consul, Lucius Aemilius Paullus, Varro's counsel won out. The Senate raised four new legions in addition to the four which typically served. Fielding the greatest army she had ever raised - 87,000 men total - Rome challenged Hannibal for the third time at the small Apulian town of Cannae. Link to the Episode 41 page on the Layman's Historian website which includes pictures and diagrams of the Battle of Cannae Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email    

Following Hannibal's daring escape from Campania, Fabius's reputation in Rome lay in shambles. Subsequent victories by the Scipios in Spain and the fierce rhetoric of Fabius's lieutenant Minucius at last succeeded in having Minucius appointed as co-equal commander of the Roman army. Undeterred by this humiliation, Fabius continued in his single-minded determination to preserve Rome's army. That selflessness would save Rome from another near disaster when Minucius predictably fell into Hannibal's cunning trap. Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 40 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes or Spotify Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email    

  Following the disaster at Lake Trasimene, the Roman Senate took the drastic step of appointing a dictator - a single man with full military powers - to meet the crisis. The man chosen - Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus - differed greatly from the typical Roman aristocrat of his day. Cool-headed and steady handed, Fabius implemented a strategy of delay and harassment against Hannibal, hoping to whittle down the Carthaginian forces without risking another devastating defeat in open battle. Although effective at stabilizing Roman morale, the dictator's strategy proved extremely unpopular among soldiers in his own camp. His second-in-command, Marcus Minucius Rufus, soon became the ringleader of a growing band of dissidents, and the tension between the dictator and his lieutenant would lead to an open breach which Hannibal would be quick to exploit. Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 39 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email  

Following the Battle of the River Trebia, Hannibal descended upon the rich province of Etruria in his advance into Italy. The new Roman consul, Gaius Flaminius, set out to confront the invaders with a mixture of fresh recruits as well as the survivors from Trebia. Arrogant, brash, and reckless, Flaminius led his legionaries in hot pursuit of the marauding Carthaginians - just as Hannibal intended. Flaminius finally caught up with Hannibal near the shores of Lake Trasimene, a name which would soon be rendered hateful to Roman ears… Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 38 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email  

Having narrowly skirted disaster in the Alps, Hannibal and his army regrouped in the Po Valley of northern Italy while the Roman Consuls, Scipio and Sempronious, scrambled to intercept him. After thrashing the Romans under Scipio at the River Ticinus, Hannibal pursued Scipio's retreating legions to the River Trebia. Here, Sempronious - proud, headstrong, and impetuous - would seek to meet the Carthaginians in decisive battle. In the December, 218 BC, the two armies would clash at the Battle of the River Trebia - the first major battle between Hannibal and the Roman legions. Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 37 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

In early October 218 BC, Hannibal performed his most famous - and controversial - feat: the crossing of the Alps. Fighting hostile tribes, freezing cold, blinding snow, treacherous paths, and even the solid rock which barred his way, Hannibal forged a path across Europe's tallest mountain range, elephants in tow. When he emerged into Italy, his forces had been drastically reduced, but the men who remained formed the nucleus of what would become the Roman's worst nightmare. Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 36 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

After he learned news of Rome's dramatic declaration of war, Hannibal departed New Carthage in May 218 BC to bring the war to Rome's heartland. Following a harrowing march through the Pyrenees, hostile Gallic tribes, and a major contested crossing of the Rhone River, Hannibal reached the fabled Alps where legend holds he declared: "I will find a way, or I will make one." Recommended further reading: The Histories by Polybius Hannibal's War by Titus Livius A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Hannibal's Dynasty by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 35 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

Hasdrubal's sudden assassination catapulted Hamilcar's eldest son, the twenty-five-year-old Hannibal Barca, to power as Carthage's supreme general in Spain. Raised to be a soldier by his father and trained in both the theoretical and practical arts of warfare, Hannibal quickly subdued most Spanish tribes southeast of the Ebro. Only Saguntum, an ostensible Roman ally, doggedly resisted Carthaginian sway. Ignoring Roman warnings to leave Saguntum alone, Hannibal besieged the city in 219 BC, a choice which would put Rome and Carthage on a collision course culminating in the Second Punic War. Recommended further reading: A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 34 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email  

Returning to the narrative, Hamilcar Barca, continuing his campaigns into the Spanish interior, died suddenly battling against hostile tribes in 228 BC. With Hamilcar's eldest son, the famous Hannibal, still in his teens, Hamilcar's son-in-law, Hasdrubal the Fair, succeeded the great Barcid leader in Spain. Charming, sophisticated, and diplomatic, Hasdrubal consolidated Hamilcar's foothold in southern Spain by a series of treaties, guest-friendships, and political marriages along with occasional judicious campaigns. His newly-established capital, New Carthage, quickly grew to be one of the greatest cities of the burgeoning Carthaginian empire due to its natural harbor and ready access to the markets of Spain and North Africa. By the time of Hasdrubal's own death in 221 BC, the Carthaginian army and cities in Spain had been forged into a formidable power base which would serve the young Hannibal well in the trials to come. Recommended further reading: A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to the Episode 33 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

Ever since the disastrous Battle of the Crimissus in 339 BC, Carthage proved reluctant to send her own citizens to war, preferring instead to pay others to do her fighting for her. Thus, her recruiters scoured the earth in search of the best mercenaries money could buy to supplement her native North African contingents of Libyans and Numidians. Although on paper, Carthage's polyglot armies appeared inferior to Rome's more homogenous organization, in practice, if well-equipped and well-led, Carthaginian soldiers could, and did, prove themselves the equals of their legionary opponents. Under Hannibal, Carthage's mercenary soldiers reached their zenith of effectiveness, maintaining their ethnic fighting styles while being unified by the iron will of their commander, forming a flexible, stubborn fighting force which would be a nightmare to Rome for years to come. Can't quite picture what a Numidian cavalryman or Gallic warrior looked like? Click here to see an example with 28mm miniatures! Recommended further reading: A Companion to the Punic Wars (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World) Edited by Dexter Hoyos Carthage Must Be Destroyed by Richard Miles Implacable Enemies: The Barcid Armies at War by Karwansary Publishers Clash of the Colossi: The First Punic War by Karwansary Publishers Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 32 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

In this second of three special episodes, we take an in-depth look at the Roman army which fought the majority of the Punic Wars - its equipment, formations, and most importantly, the fighting ethos which animated the men within it. What was the key to the Roman's success? Superior discipline? A flexible fighting style? Not so. Although these things contributed to Roman success, it was Roman virtus balanced by disciplina which gave the legionary his edge. Want to see what the Triplex Acies looked like? Click Here for the Layman's Historian Example with 28mm Miniatures! Recommended further reading: Soldiers and Ghosts by J.E. Lendon The Complete Roman Army by Adrian Goldsworthy Legionary: The Roman Soldier's Unoffical Manual by Philip Matyszak  Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 31 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

After a lengthy and unexpected absence, we are back with a new episode. In this episode, we take a break from the narrative and discuss the sources for the Punic Wars. Boring, you say? Not so. The writers on the Punic Wars form a rather eclectic assortment of characters, and the reasons that certain facts have come down to us often seems more due to chance than anything else. Besides the usual grumblings about lost manuscripts, this episode chronicles the various historians to whom we owe much of our knowledge about Antiquity, especially the two greatest historians of the Punic Wars - Polybius and Livy. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 30 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

In the wake of the Truceless War, the Carthaginians struggled to pick up the pieces of their broken country. Financially exhausted from the toll of the First Punic War, the huge war indemnity still owing to Rome, and the devastation of Carthage's heartland by the rebel mercenaries during the Truceless War, the future looked dire for most if not all of Carthage's common citizens. Faced with the ruin of their livelihoods, these citizens banded around Hamilcar Barca and his son-in-law Hasdrubal, empowering the Barcids to pass a number of constitutional reforms which strengthened the people's voice in Carthage at the expense of the oligarchs. With the internal reforms well under way, Hamilcar turned his eyes towards the resources of Spain as the means to build up a new power base in preparation for a second struggle with Rome. When he left Carthage in 237 BC, his nine-year-old son Hannibal accompanied him, embarking on the mission of vengeance which would dominate the rest of his life. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 29 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

The murder of Gisco precipitated an escalation of the Truceless War. Both sides invented new ways to torture and slaughter their prisoners, with the mercenaries continuing to brutalize Carthaginian captives while Hamilcar threw his any rebels who fell into his hands to his elephants to be trampled to death. Worse news arrived when mercenary troops tasked with holding Sardinia revolted in a bid to seize control of the island, and matters spiraled further out of control when the force sent to put down this rebellion crucified their commander before joining with the rebels. Only the overseas support from Rome and Syracuse allowed Carthage to continue the fight. Thanks to Hamilcar's war of attrition and skillful maneuvering, the rebels soon found themselves on the back foot despite their superior numbers. All that remained for Hamilcar was to finish the grim task set before him. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 28 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

In the wake of the First Punic War, Carthage soon found the loss of her Sicilian holdings and Rome's harsh indemnity to be the least of her problems. Nearly bankrupt after twenty-four years of continuous warfare, she could not afford to pay her mercenary army which was returning from Sicily. The crisis was further compounded by the blundering efforts of the Carthaginian leaders to defuse the situation, and what began as a pay dispute suddenly exploded into full-scale rebellion. What followed was a war which shocked even the Ancients with the brutality and savagery with which it was fought. A war without respite, without rules, and without mercy. A Truceless War.  Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 27 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

With both Rome and Carthage exhausted by the constant strain of war, the Carthaginians dispatched the young Hamilcar Barca to take over a much-depleted command in Sicily. While Hanno the Great insisted on demobilizing the Carthaginian war fleet to save money and opened up new fronts against the Numidians in the African interior, Hamilcar led his meager army deep into enemy territory to conduct a guerrilla campaign against the Romans. Hamilcar would face a succession of Roman commanders, all of whom failed to dislodge him from the mountain strongholds he held in central Sicily. However, the war would be decided without him. The Romans managed to muster a final fleet thanks to private donations from her patriotic citizens, and in 241 BC, this new navy under the Consul Lutatius smashed a hastily raised Carthaginian fleet. Cut off from his homeland, Hamilcar was forced to enter into negotiations for peace. Carthage received stern terms which included an enormous war indemnity of 3,200 talents. With the ratification of the treaty, Hamilcar Barca and the last of the Carthaginian troops descended from the mountains and sailed home. Carthaginian Sicily was no more. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 26 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

Following the Battle of Tunis, the Carthaginians felt supremely confident in their newly revamped land forces and rebuilt navy. That confidence did not last, however. The Roman relief fleet sent to retrieve the survivors of Regulus' failed expedition trounced Carthage's war fleet once again, right before it was also destroyed in a cataclysmic storm. The next eight years saw the fortunes of each side vacillate back and forth with the Romans winning the Battle of Panormus by effectively countering the Carthaginian war elephants while the Carthaginian Admiral Adherbal managed to score Carthage's only significant naval victory of the war. Gridlock ensued, but the tedium of military stalemate would soon be relieved by a lightning bolt of a commander who would single-handedly seek to turn the war in Carthage's favor and save Carthaginian Sicily. Oh, and this episode also covers a dragon, so there's that.    Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 25 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

With Carthage on the ropes after the Battle of Cape Ecnomus, the Romans landed on the Cape Bon Peninsula, a mere forty miles from Carthage, and began ravaging the rich countryside. Confident of victory, Regulus, the Roman consul in command, offered such harsh terms to the Carthaginians that they chose to continue fighting rather than submit to such a humiliating peace. All seemed lost until Xanthippus, a Spartan mercenary soldier who had recently arrived in Carthage, advised the Carthaginian generals of their mistakes and was subsequently promoted to drill the Carthaginian levies in Spartan fashion. Under his strict regime, the Carthaginian army was transformed overnight, and Xanthippus led them to battle against the Romans at Tunis. At the Battle of Tunis, the Carthaginians under Xanthippus inflicted a spectacular defeat on the Roman legionaries by using their new training, their superior cavalry, and their large corps of war elephants. Five hundred Romans, including Regulus, were captured, and only two thousand made their escape, leaving over twelve thousand Roman legionaries dead on the field. With their victory in Africa, Carthage was reinvigorated to fight another day. The First Punic War would continue. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 24 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

Bolstered by their early successes with their new battle fleet, the Romans determined to gamble everything for a decisive "killing blow" in order to bring Carthage to her knees. Equipping a massive armada, the Romans sailed to invade North Africa itself in an attempt to defeat Carthage on her home soil. However, a newly revamped Carthaginian fleet lay in wait to intercept the Romans near Ecnomus in southern Sicily. The resulting clash would go down as perhaps the largest naval battle of all time. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 23 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

With the fall of Acragas, the Romans realized that they now had an opportunity to wrest control of the whole of Sicily away from Carthage. In order to do so, however, they would have to challenge Carthage on her own element – the sea. Using a captured Carthaginian quinquereme as their template, the Romans initiated a startling shipbuilding initiative complete with training their crews to row on land while waiting for the ships to be constructed. Once upon the water, the Romans brought their own ingenuity to bear on the coming confrontation in the form of the corvus, a boarding bridge which turned a naval battle about maneuver into a land battle on floating platforms. With their new device, the Romans scored a decisive victory off the coast of Sicily near the city of Mylae, defeating the vaunted Carthaginian fleet in a head-to-head contest. Despite this, the war still threatened gridlock. A new plan was needed, a plan to strike Carthage on her home soil… Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 22 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

Having drifted into the First Punic War, Rome and Carthage both marshaled their forces and shipped them to Sicily. The Carthaginians sought to establish the city of Acragas as their base of operations due to its strategic location in southern Sicily and proximity to Roman-controlled territory. Similarly, the Romans besieged Acragas to cut off the Carthaginians from this vital port. Under Hanno, a Carthaginian relief army complete with sixty elephants met the Roman legions in a full-scale battle which resulted in a costly Roman victory. As the Carthaginians retreated westward, the Roman Senate realized that Rome now had the opportunity to wrest Sicily from Carthage forever. Before she could do that, however, Rome would have to challenge Carthage on her own element: the Mediterranean Sea. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 21 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter. Contact me directly through email

The day has arrived. After Pyrrhus's retreat from Italy in 275 BC, Carthage and Rome found themselves to be new neighbors with only a two mile stretch of water in the Strait of Messina separating them from each other. Although it is debatable whether the First Punic War was inevitable, its causes were rooted in many things, including the Romans' belief that they stood alongside the Greeks against the barbarian world and its inhabitants such as Carthage as well as political rivalry and fear. Sparked by a local quarrel between Syracuse and the Mamertines, a group of rogue mercenaries who had seized control of the city of Messana, the First Punic War escalated from a regional skirmish into a full-scale conflict which would become one of the longest and costliest wars of Antiquity. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 20 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

In Part II of our overview of the career of Pyrrhus of Epirus, we pick up with Pyrrhus's campaigns in southern Italy. After whipping his Tarentine allies into shape, Pyrrhus defeated the Romans in two brutal battles, although both battles cost him so many of his own men that the term "Pyrrhic Victory" became proverbial. Following a brief stint in Sicily fighting against the Carthaginians, Pyrrhus returned to continue his wars in Greece. Despite the fact he failed in his efforts to carve out a new Greek empire in the West, his campaigns in Italy and Sicily set Rome and Carthage on a collision course that would result in the longest continuous war Antiquity would ever see. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 19 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Resuming our narrative of the history of Carthage, we turn to one of the successor realms in the West. Pyrrhus, a second cousin of Alexander the Great, rose to become King of Epirus after a tumultuous and eventful childhood. After distinguishing himself by his skill as a military commander and his personal bravery, Pyrrhus invaded Italy in 280 BC at the invitation of the Greek city-state of Tarentum to support the western Greeks against the rising power of Rome. The resulting Pyrrhic War would be an epic clash between the dynamic Pyrrhus and the solid, relentless Romans, and the conflict would eventually draw Carthage's involvement due to its importance. In this episode, we cover the rise of Pyrrhus up until he sets foot in Italy. In Part II, we will cover the Pyrrhic War in detail and how Pyrrhus's actions set the stage for the Punic Wars to come. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 18 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Completing our tour of the Mediterranean circa 300 BC, we finish with the history of the upstart city-state of Rome. Born into the harsh and competitive world of ancient Italy, Rome from the start was an aggressive, warlike, and proud civilization intent on not only surviving but thriving in the chaos which surrounded her. Her history is one of constant struggle, disaster, and triumph, but by 300 BC, through sheer grit and determination, Rome stood as the mistress of Italy, a formidable and relentless power in the Mediterranean. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 17 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Continuing our tour of the Mediterranean circa 300 BC, we now turn to the squabbling Hellenic successor kingdoms in the East. Alexander the Great and his Macedonians succeeded in building a world empire that stretched from Greece to India in twelve short years, but Alexander's sudden death threw his newly-acquired realm into chaos. Following nearly twenty years of constant warfare, Alexander's generals, the Diadochi, managed to impose some order on the situation by divvying out the empire for themselves. However, the instability of the times as well as the mythos and legacy of Alexander would spill out into the Western Mediterranean, setting both Carthage and Rome on a collision course which would lead to the First Punic War. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 16 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Having explored the peoples of North Africa and Spain, we move north to examine one of the most feared peoples of Antiquity: the Keltoi. Centered on Gaul, modern-day France, the Keltoi or Celts were renowned for their ferocity in battle as well as their great physical stature and strength, the prototypical barbarians. Yet they built well-organized and well-populated cities, crafted beautiful and intricate art, and traded vigorously all across the Mediterranean. Their achievements make them a paradox in the ancient world, simultaneously savage and sophisticated, but their legacy of terror and triumph lives on to our days. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 15 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Continuing our tour of the Mediterranean around 300 BC, we look at the peoples of North Africa, specifically the Libyan tribes including the fierce Garamantines, the stern Mauri, and the nimble Numidians. From there, we briefly touch on the Liby-Phoenician colonies in North Africa and Spain before finishing with the Iberian tribes of Spain. If you get a chance, check out the new Facebook page and website for the Laymen's Historian for extra pictures and news regarding the podcast.  Also, make sure to subscribe via iTunes to keep up with the latest episodes. Link to the Layman's Historian website Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to the Episode 14 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

With the close of the Sicilian Wars, we have a perfect opportunity to pause in our narrative and take a look around at Carthage and the surrounding civilizations.  In this episode, we will cover the city of Carthage in detail as she stood in the early 200s BC before covering what the everyday Carthaginian looked like as well as the different social classes in the city.  Finally, we will discuss the culture or soul of Carthage, what they believed and how those beliefs molded them into the people they were. Link to my Map of the Mediterranean World Circa 300 BC Link to an overhead diagram of the City of Carthage on the episodes page Link to the Episode 13 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email  

After the stunning Greek victory at White Tunis, Agathocles began leisurely pillaging the Carthaginian countryside, amassing riches and terrorizing the inhabitants.  Back in Sicily, Hamilcar Gisco was not so lucky, ultimately losing his life in a disastrous night attack.  Now, with her armies crippled, a foreign invader at her gates, and traitors within her walls, Carthage would have to summon all her strength and resourcefulness to survive the coming days.  As a special Christmas present to you all, I have uploaded a map of Carthage and the surrounding civilizations to the notes of this episode.  Merry Christmas!  Update: As I feared, the map did not show up in the episode notes on iTunes. Until I get it sorted out, I have attached a link to the map here. Enjoy! Link to the Episode 12 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email  

After driving the Greeks back to Syracuse in the Battle of the River Himera, Hamilcar Gisco and his Carthaginians settled in to besiege the city.  However, Agathocles refused to remain cooped up within the walls.  Conceiving of a bold gamble likely inspired by his hero Alexander, Agathocles determined to invade North Africa and take the war to Carthage herself.  Secretly gathering his forces and building a fleet, Agathocles outwitted the Carthaginians and landed on the shores of Cape Bon, becoming the first European to ever invade North Africa. Link to the Episode 11 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Following Agathocles's bloody and tyrannical rise to power, Carthage dispatched an army under Hamilcar Gisco to put down this new upstart regime.  After committing more atrocities at Gela for good measure, Agathocles met the Carthaginians at the Battle of the River Himera.  Although he almost took the Carthaginian camp by storm, his forces were driven back by Hamilcar Gisco using his Balearic slingers.  After this devastating defeat, Agathocles and Syracuse stood alone against the full might of Carthage in Sicily. Link to the Episode 10 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

After Timoleon's death, Sicily enjoyed an unprecedented twenty-year period of peace and prosperity.  Things were not so quiet in the East, however.  The Macedonians, under Philip II and his son Alexander, soon to be known as the Great, had forged in twelve short years an empire that covered the known world from Greece to India.  In the wake of Alexander's sudden demise, a host of would-be successors vied to share in the Great Macedonian's glory, including Agathocles, last and most brutal of the tyrants of Sicily. Link to the Episode 9 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

With Dionysius out of the way, Carthage, despite internal struggles, began to extend her authority over most of Sicily through strategic alliances and concentrated military actions.  Syracuse had almost immediately returned to her old ways after Dionysius's death, and her people were divided in endless squabbles and feuds.  With Syracuse temporarily out of the picture, it looked as if Carthage would finally be able to establish order on the turbulent island.  However, it wasn't to be, for an obscure Corinthian general now appeared on the scene, handing Carthage its greatest defeat in Sicily to date and revitalizing Syracuse to fight another day. Link to the Episode 8 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Although Carthage had scored some resounding victories against Syracuse, in the fourth century BC, she came up against a significant challenge in the person of Dionysius, Tyrant of Syracuse.  A former mercenary captain, an ambitious ruler but a mediocre poet, Dionysius would rule Syracuse for 38 years.  Ambitious, bold, and cunning, Dionysius revitalized Syracuse into a fighting machine, fielding a massive army and navy to challenge Carthage's rule over in Sicily.  Through fierce fighting both on sea and land, Dionysius succeeded in placing Carthage on the defensive and humiliating the Magonids, although he never achieved his goal of driving the Carthaginians from Sicily.  Nonetheless, his preparations and institutions allowed Syracuse to fight Carthage to a standstill, no mean feat considering the wealth and power Carthage could bring to bear in the conflict. Link to the Episode 7 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

During the seventy year peace with Syracuse, Carthage regrouped by instituting government reforms and overhauling its tremendous infrastructure.  Meanwhile, Syracusan factions squabbled internally, fluctuating between democratic and autocratic governments.  Despite this, Syracuse won a stunning victory against Athens in the Sicilian Expedition, only to watch its allies be trounced by the Carthaginians commanded by Hannibal Mago, grandson of Hamilcar, the general who fell at Himera.  Yet, with Syracuse reeling from battle, the Carthaginians spared the city and made peace, a decision that they would later rue in the coming years. Link to the Episode 6 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

When Carthage expanded its reach into the western coast of Sicily, it became neighbors with the powerful Hellenic colonies of Greece on the eastern side of the island.  The Greeks had their own impressive civilization, and Hellenic ingenuity and military innovation made the Greeks a formidable force in Mediterranean politics.  The Greek colony of Syracuse, the most powerful and wealthy colony in Magna Graecia, was to prove to be a thorn to Carthaginian plans for Sicily for centuries to come. Link to the Episode 5 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

Following the growth of Carthage into a commercial, political, and technological power, the Carthaginians began to expand outwards from their city.  Delving into North Africa and across the Mediterranean, Carthage formed an informal empire for itself using trade, diplomacy, and concentrated military force.  Meanwhile, Carthaginian ships sailed further and further afield, exploring the coasts of Africa, Northern Europe, and...America?  That can't be right... Link to the Episode 4 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

After Dido's founding, Qart-Hadasht, or Carthage, grew exponentially, quickly establishing itself as a commercial powerhouse in the Western Mediterranean.  Not only did it become a major industrial center like its Tyrian forebear, Carthage also led the way in pioneering agricultural techniques.  However, a shadow fell over the city, for the Temple of Ba'al-Hammon, chief god of Carthage, was filled with blood and horror. Link to the Episode 3 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email

This episode covers the founding of Carthage as a Tyrian colony in the Central Mediterranean. Carthage was founded by Tyrian exiles led by Dido, a resourceful and ultimately tragic princess from Tyre, whose life set the stage for the future confrontations with Rome. Link to the Episode 2 page on the Layman's Historian website Subscribe or leave a review on iTunes Leave a like or comment on the Facebook page Follow on Twitter Contact me directly through email