Hannibal

Rome’s Greatest Enemy

By: Philip Freeman

Narrated by: John Lescault

Telling the story of a man who stood against the overwhelming power of the mighty Roman empire, Hannibal is the biography of a man who, against all odds, dared to change the course of history.

More than 2,000 years ago one of the greatest military leaders in history almost destroyed Rome. Hannibal, a daring African general from the city of Carthage, led an army of warriors and battle elephants over the snowy Alps to invade the very heart of Rome's growing empire. But what kind of person would dare to face the most relentless imperial power of the ancient world? How could Hannibal, consistently outnumbered and always deep in enemy territory, win battle after battle until he held the very fate of Rome within his grasp?

Hannibal appeals to many as the ultimate underdog - a Carthaginian David against the Goliath of Rome - but it wasn't just his genius on the battlefield that set him apart. As a boy and then a man, his self-discipline and determination were legendary. As a military leader, like Alexander the Great before him and Julius Caesar after, he understood the hearts of men and had an uncanny ability to read the unseen weaknesses of his enemy. As a commander in war, Hannibal has few equals in history and has long been held as a model of strategic and tactical genius. But Hannibal was much more than just a great general. He was a practiced statesman, a skilled diplomat, and a man deeply devoted to his family and country.

Roman historians - on whom we rely for almost all our information on Hannibal - portray him as a cruel barbarian, but how does the story change if we look at Hannibal from the Carthaginian point of view? Can we search beneath the accounts of Roman writers who were eager to portray Hannibal as a monster and find a more human figure? Can we use the life of Hannibal to look at the Romans themselves in an unfamiliar way - not as the noble and benign defenders of civilization, but as ruthless conquerors motivated by greed and conquest?

©2022 Philip Freeman (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Great book but AI narration is rough

Great intro about Hannibal with lots of interesting stories and facts. The AI performance is hard to listen to. Odd pauses and weird pronunciations.

amazing book

this was such a good book on Hannibal...very engaging and exciting throughout the whole story

Cavalry or calvary?

My only problem was the repeated mispronunciation of cavalry. Otherwise a good listen, albeit short.

Hannibal the scourge of Rome!

Rome created it's own worst enemy through conquest. The facts are laid out in such a way as to be entertaining and informative. The author Philip Freeman really took the time to bring his characters to life so that when Hannibal was forced to make hard choices he showed the emotional connection and explained the thoughts behind the choices he made. The narrator did an exceptional job as well. Highly recommend.

Brilliant Work!

This was such an easy read, but don’t let that fool you. The book was packed with great information. It was so concise and yet seems to have nailed the very essence of Hannibal as a man and as a general. At just over 200 pages, I’m really not sure how he did it, but kudos to Philip Freeman for this firecracker of a book!