Stocks shows how Silius constructs Hannibal using literary models like Homer’s Achilles and Virgil’s Aeneas.
For those looking to read the epic itself, a modern English translation of all 17 books by Antony Augoustakis and Neil W. Bernstein is available at Routledge . Remembering the Enemy in Silius Italicus' 'Punica' The roman Hannibal: remembering the enemy in Si...
Despite being the ultimate enemy, Hannibal's military acumen, loyalty to his cause, and persistence make him a mirror for Roman identity and values. Stocks shows how Silius constructs Hannibal using literary
Silius’s portrayal is seen as the final evolution of centuries of Roman engagement with Hannibal in literature. Remembering the Enemy in Silius Italicus' 'Punica' Despite
This work is part of a modern scholarly "revival" of Silius Italicus, whose 17-book epic Punica is the longest surviving Latin poem. Core Argument: Hannibal as an Icon of Romanitas
Other researchers, such as those published in the Journal of Ancient History and Social Sciences , highlight how Hannibal evokes the "tragic tyrants" of Seneca through his destructive emotions, such as ira (anger) and furor (fury).
The poem often enters Hannibal's perspective, showing him as a man striving to build an eternal legacy.