There are no known instances of Roman legionaries surrendering to Hannibal before or during a battle. Roman survivors of the battle sometimes surrendered to Hannibal when the battle was over. In the case of the Battle of Trasimene, some 6000 Roman and allied cavalrymen broke out of Hannibal’s ambush and took refuge in an Etruscan […]
How Did the Roman Republic Differ from the Roman Empire?
June 1, 2024 By Leave a Comment
The Roman Republic was a plutocratic oligarchy. As is generally true of republics, it was a mixed constitution with a monarchic component, the Consuls, and aristocratic component, the Senate, and a democratic component, the Assemblies of the Plebes. The plebes had their representatives, the Tribunes of the Plebes who could veto proposals of the Senate. […]
Did Hannibal and Scipio Ever Meet?
May 28, 2024 By Leave a Comment
According to Livy, Scipio and Hannibal met to negotiate just before the battle of Zama. Hannibal had sent spies to the Roman camp, and they were caught snooping around. Much to the shock of his underlings, Scipio told his tribune to release them and show them around the camp and answer any questions to their […]
You Won’t Even Have My Bones: The Story of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus
May 22, 2024 By Leave a Comment
My new book, You Won’t Even Have My Bones, has just been published. It is the story of the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, told in the first person. Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus was a pivotal character in history. Without him, it is unlikely that Rome would have conquered Spain during the Second Punic […]
The Repeal of the Oppian Laws
July 22, 2023 By Leave a Comment
The Oppian laws were passed during the Second Punic War at a time when Rome was badly in need of funds to carry on their war against Hannibal. They forbid women from owning more than a small amount of gold and jewelry and from riding in carriages and from wearing purple. This encouraged wealthy women […]
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