Mastering the West: Rome and Carthage at War (Ancient Warfare and Civilization) - Softcover

Hoyos, Dexter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0190663456 ISBN 13: 9780190663452

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2017

Synopsis

To say the Punic Wars (264-146 BC) were a turning-point in world history is a vast understatement. These vicious battles pitted two flourishing Mediterranean powers against one another, leaving one an unrivaled giant and the other a literal pile of ash. To later observers, a collision between these civilizations seemed inevitable and yet, to the Romans and Carthaginians at the time, war erupted seemingly out of nowhere and was expected to be a short and trivial skirmish.

Mastering the West offers a superlative narrative of all three wars as they are generally divided, while treating a full range of themes: the antagonists' military, naval, economic, and demographic resources and strategic opportunities; the political structures of both republics; questions of leadership and the contributions of leaders like Hannibal, Fabius the Delayer, Scipio Africanus, Masinissa, and Scipio Aemilianus; and the postwar impact of the conflicts on the participants and victims. Dexter Hoyos, a leading expert of the period, treats the two great powers evenly, without forgetting the important roles played by Syracuse, Macedon, and especially Numidia. Written with verve in a clear, accessible style, with a range of illustrations and newly-commissioned maps, Mastering the West is sure to restructure our understanding of this critical period in ancient history.

About this title

Review:

Unquestionably one of the ultimate books on the Punic Wars, Mastering the West is a mix of deep scholarship and clear, engaging prose full of fascinating possibilities. (Josh Provan, Adventures in Historyland)

Dexter Hoyos combines a clear, scholarly, detailed storyline of these events with careful unpicking of the sources...Hoyos is very good on strategy....He is also adept at outlining the tactics of various parties, skilfully explaining how Hannibal's early brilliant victories meant nothing because Rome realised that guerrilla tactics would gradually wear him down.... All in all, this account is a great success. (BBC History Magazine)

Mastering the West offers a fluent introduction to the wars that set Rome on the threshold of a Mediterranean-spanning empire. It will also spur those who think they know these wars to reappraise long-held notions about Rome and her deadliest enemy. (Bret Mulligan, Washington Independent Review of Books)

A solid and eminently readable contribution to the fields of Punic and middle Republican studies. Its accessibility, erudition and scope will make it an essential addition for either the general reader or those pursuing undergraduate studies. (David Colwill, Classics for All)

No one has greater mastery over the history of the conflict between Carthage and Rome than Dexter Hoyos, whose fluent and exciting account of the three Punic Wars brightly illuminates the ancient Mediterranean. (David Abulafia, author of The Great Sea)

Dexter Hoyos is the doyen among historians of the Punic Wars, and he is at the height of his powers here. This volume synthesizes a lifetime's study of Rome and Carthage to offer readers a masterful account of the dramatic events that transformed the ancient world. (Nathan Rosenstein, author of Rome and the Mediterranean 290 to 146 BC)

About the Author:

Dexter Hoyos is retired Associate Professor of Classics and Ancient History at the University of Sydney, Australia. His many books include, most recently, Hannibal: Rome's Greatest Enemy, The Carthaginians, A Companion to the Punic Wars, Livy: Rome's Italian Wars (with J. C. Yardley), and A Companion to Roman Imperialism

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0190663456
• ISBN 13: 9780190663452
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 360