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List of contents
List of Maps
Preface
Acknowledgments
Note on Text/Translation
Note on Bibliography
List of Abbreviations
Introduction Why Silius?
Chapter 1 Who is Tiberius Catius Asconius Silius Italicus?
Chapter 2 What is the Punica?
Chapter 3 A reading of Punica 1–10: from Saguntum to Cannae
Chapter 4 A reading of Punica 11–17: from Cannae to Zama
Chapter 5 Carthage and Rome in the Punica, part 1
Chapter 6 Carthage and Rome in the Punica, part 2
Conclusion Silius Italicus and the Punica in Classical literature
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
John Jacobs is Chair of the World Languages Department at Montclair Kimberley Academy, USA.
Summary
In a much-needed comprehensive introduction to Silius Italicus and the Punica, Jacobs offers an invitation to students and scholars alike to read the epic as a thoughtful and considered treatment of Rome’s past, present, and (perilous) future. The Second Punic War marked a turning point in world history: Rome faced her greatest external threat in the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal, and her victory led to her domination of the Mediterranean. Lingering memories of the conflict played a pivotal role in the city’s transition from Republic to Empire, from foreign war to civil war. Looking back after the events of AD 69, the senator–poet Silius Italicus identified the Second Punic War as the turning point in Rome’s history through his Punica.
After introductory chapters for those new to the poet and his poem, Jacobs' close reading of the epic narrative guides students and scholars alike through the Punica. All Greek and Latin passages are translated to ensure accessibility for those reading in English. Far more than simply a retelling of Rome’s greatest triumph, the Punica challenges its reader to make sense of the Second Punic War in light of its full impact on the subsequent course of the city’s history.
Foreword
The first comprehensive introduction in any language to Silius Italicus and the Punica.
Additional text
It is an important book ... that moves along new directions of research, with the ambition to show the way for an integral interpretation of the Punics.
