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By chance I acquired an atlas of the ancient world. I was particularly interested in tracing Hannibal's route to Rome. I didn't even know exactly where Carthage was. What a brilliant feat of logistics! I know, everyone else knew all about this and I am just catching up. But what a military genius he was! It was not all about the elephants, of whom there were 37. It was about finding enemies and allies along the route. And crossing rivers with the aforementioned elephants. And don't forget the Alps. And deceiving the enemy about his route. Don't tell me how it turns out; I haven't finished reading the book yet. I know he spent 17 years away from home.
I'm only reading this in short bits, because I am concurrently reading a book about the Pope and Leonardo da Vinci and the Sistine Chapel.
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5 comments:
I'll add some tangential FYI re: Hannibal: connection of the name to Russian poet Pushkin
Intriguing! What is the connection
It's in the link, Miriam!
Congratulations on acquiring an atlas of the ancient world. May I ask which one it is?
I recently found myself a copy of Scullard and van der Heyden, "Atlas of the Classical World," 1962. Among its many excellencies are that it is organized by historical period; the maps have arrows in various colors; maps alternate with photos of places on them; the prose is good prose. It starts off with a Mycenean syllabary and fetches up with the visage of Justinian in mosaic.
Keep going back to the Salvation Army, good lady! Americans are heaving their treasures into the trash cans with both hands; someone needs to save things from the incinerator.
I'm ashamed to admit that I can't find the Atlas. It's a really old one, but the geography of the ancient world hasn't changed much, so it's not outdated.
BTW, I sent for a couple of the Civil War books you recommended and will soon read them.
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