The Ghosts of Cannae

[Epictetus]

The New York Times is giving a good review to Robert L. O’Connell's new book.

It is therefore not surprising that the recent boom in military histories of the ancient world has already given us at least two books on Cannae in the last 10 years. An author needs to ask what he can bring to the topic that is new. The distinctive edge of “The Ghosts of Cannae” is Robert L. O’Connell’s consistently professional instinct for the behavior of men and units on the battlefield. He is able to put himself and his reader on the ground at Cannae, gagging in the heat of a southern Italian midsummer, assailed by an overload from every one of the five senses.

With a scrupulous recognition of the dangers of a “pornography of violence,” O’Connell spells out what was involved in the process of systematically butchering the helpless Roman army, in “what must have been the most horrific several hours in all of Western military history.” He notes that “other than those who succumbed to the heat, each of the men who died had to be individually punctured, slashed or battered into oblivion.”

Above all, O’Connell, the author of several military histories, points out that the participants did not have the benefit of a modern battle diagram. Color coding and dotted arrows would have revealed at a glance the thinned-out Carthaginian center between the menacingly packed forces on either flank, ready to swing in once the Romans had committed to the pocket. But even from horseback, the Roman commanders’ field of vision was severely limited, and O’Connell’s imaginative evocation of their point of view makes his reconstruction of their battle plan extremely convincing.

[Phaichtos]

I'm reading O'Connell's book right now and I agree that it is enjoyable for sure. It's definitely written for the 'average public' but scholars won't be disappointed either. Of course it may not be necessary reading for us or anything, but sometimes it's helpful to see another author's descriptions of events we've read about many times.

[Narukami]

Of course it may not be necessary reading for us or anything, but sometimes it's helpful to see another author's descriptions of events we've read about many times.

Good point.

I felt the same way when I picked up a copy of Anthony Beevor's book, Stalingrad. I had to wonder what more there was to be said about that battle, and I was pleasantly surprised by Beevor's work. Indeed, it was refreshing to read a new perspective. I will have to add Ghosts of Cannae to my Amazon list.

:wink:

Narukami

[ParthianBow]

Thanks for posting, Epictetus. As I'll be writing about Cannae in my next book, that text will be a must read very soon!

[ParthianBow]

Ordered from Amazon. Eagerly awaiting it!