Analysis/Summary Essay on the Biography of “Joan or Arc”, -1998- by Banfield, Susan

In the book aptly titled Hannibal , Serge Lancel provided a nitty-gritty exposition of Rome 's Great Commander life history . Through this book Lancel aims to provide a concise account of Hannibal 's greatness to enlighten some misconceptions about the hero , and to outline how Hannibal reached the summit of success , in terms of war . The book explicates Hannibal 's historical biography from childhood up to the moment of his downfall , to give the reader a clear picture of Hannibal 's attributes , strengths , weaknesses , and most especially his essential characteristics that made him

a true hero

Lancel does not only establish Hannibal 's internal complexities but he also provided a precise status quo of the Carthaginian world throughout the progression of the Great Commander 's life history . With this , Lancel successfully sketched the annihilation of Hellenistic world and the ascension of Rome

Hannibal was brought in to world in 247 BCE at Carthage , which was experiencing a tremendous loss from Rome during the First Punic War (264-241 . The domination of Rome during this period has a great influence to young Hannibal 's life because he was the eldest son of a Carthaginian general named Hamilcar Barca . At the age of ten , Hannibal witnessed the step by step triumph of his father through the latter 's accomplishment of other territories for the expansion Carthage empire Many believed that Hamilcar compelled Hannibal to make a promise that the latter will have a perpetual abhorrence to the Roman Empire . Lancel posited that these could be hearsay only but this event could be true since Carthaginians have all the reasons to detest the Romans

When Hamilcar died in 229 BCE , Hasdrubal the Fair (Hamilcar 's son in-law ) assumed the position , and during his reign he changed the landscape warfare by promoting diplomatic means . Eight years after Hasdrubal was assassinated , which paved way for Hannibal 's commandership over the Carthaginian militia in Iberia . From diplomatic practice Hannibal went back to his father approach of battle , which is aggressive in nature . His first attack was towards the natives of Salamanca in 220 BCE , followed the seizure Santagnum , which led to a conflict with the Romans because during Hasdrubal supremacy , Carthage and Rome made a treaty to prevent any disagreement between the two empires

Carthage and Rome underwent a negotiation , and while it is going Hannibal continued his goal of extending his territory . When he completely invaded the Iberian Peninsula the Carthage-Rome relationship worsened and catapulted the Second Punic War . Rome sent out reinforcement in Sicily , while Hannibal made a bold move in beleaguering Italy before the former can prepared themselves in the waging war . The existing war gave Hannibal an opportunity to get the support Gaul militia , which in the end made his army more powerful , and resulted , to his second triumph at Trebia River

In March 217 BCE , the Great Commander winning streak perpetuated though in an unfortunate event he lost one of his eyes (some historians posited that this due to opthamalia ) during the war...