The Carthaginian Army

[Q Rutilius]

I've been reading Hannibal by Dodge. He describes the Carthaginian army, and I think does a good job of it. However, is there a modern source that more fully describes this subject? Perhaps a book that describes the formation and equipment of the Carthaginian army? I am assuming that such a book would focus on the era of Hannibal. My understanding is that the Carthaginian army had a Hellenic basis, i.e. the phalanx, but is this actually true?

[Felix]

Try Gregory Daly's Cannae. It is modelled after Keegan's Face of Battle, and discusses the makeup and gear of Hannibal's army is great depth. It is also a lot more recent than Dodge, and benefits accordingly.

[hoplite14gr]

Carthagenians except the so called "Lybi-Phoinician" infantry could hire hoplites form the Greek colony of Cyrene in what is modernCyrenaica.
They certainly were aware of hoplite tactics while fighting the Siceliotic and Italiotic Greeks. They had also another source of hoplite mercenaries from those left over from the 3rd century civil wars in Greece.
There is also a book on Hannibal by the Spanish firm ANDREA PRESS that claims the Carthagenina flanks in Cannae to be composed by pike men but I do not knoe much on this.

Kind regards

[SOCL]

I would also suggest Dr. Lazenby's Hannibalic War, which is a military history of the Second Punic War.

[Nicholas Gaukroger]

Duncan Head's "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" is still a good reference IMO. No fancy illustrations but a good chunk of information.

[Tarbicus]

There is also a book on Hannibal by the Spanish firm ANDREA PRESS that claims the Carthagenina flanks in Cannae to be composed by pike men but I do not knoe much on this.

hock: Now that's interesting, thanks Stefanos!

Hanibal's Army - Andrea Press
[url:292yy0qt]http://www.michtoy.com/MTSCnewSite/figures_kits_folder/HM_andrea_folder/AndreaBooks/andreabooks.html[/url]

[url:292yy0qt]http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=728901221&searchurl=kn%3DCanales%26ph%3D2%26sortby%3D3[/url]

[Jeroen Pelgrom]

that picture on the front of that book from Andrea is a miniature BTW. (the elefant)

[Q Rutilius]

Thanks guys. Time to revise my Chrsitmas list I see.

[Antek]

I know it may sound silly but there is a good reference in Polish lenguage (it surly drops off) titeled "Wojna Hannibala" (War of Hannibal) by K. Kęcieka. The author auffalen his atantion on interesting formation in the Punic army. I mean lonchophoroi (javelins in my version). They were mainly scouting, collecting supplise, and sed ambushes. However they had great influance on victory on the Trebia and Trasimene Lake. This formation included Numidans, Iberians, Moorish (ofcourse not all, only best of them). But most interesting unit were Balearic slingers. Armed in three types of slinges, one wraped around the head, second around belly, third one was usually in hend. Slinges were chanched according to type of fire and distance from enemy. Maximum rage of their weapon was about 180-200 meters, so they were as effecitve as Cretan archers. And if we are talking abaout hoplites in Punic army I think taht we should focuse atantion on "Sacred Band", about 2 500- 3 000 youth from noble families trained in gree hoplite syle, each wearing white tunic. Some of them served also in cavalery. But from what I know, this formation didn't exist in the times of the second punic war.

[hoplite14gr]

The "Sacred Band" was decimated by Timoleon at the Battle of Crimissos roughly 200 years before. I think it was not reformed mostly for political reasons rather than lack of resources.
The close order infantry spears as I said in my previous post were probably Lybians or Cyreanic Greeks. The time frame allows both spears and pikes.
Pike phalanx from Cyrenaic Greek mercenarias is plausible but I am not sure how certain.
Cyrenaic Colonist info here:
http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/I56.html
Kind regards

[MeinPanzer]

There may be a Montvert-style book on the Carthaginian military coming some time in the future if you're willing to wait a while.

[Antek]

hoplite14gr
Are yous sure that Sacred Band wasn't recovered after it was washed out by the force of nature at Crimmisos??? I read somewhere (but I may be wrong) that these formation fought durning the war the war against Agathocles.

[MeinPanzer]

The "Sacred Band" was decimated by Timoleon at the Battle of Crimissos roughly 200 years before. I think it was not reformed mostly for political reasons rather than lack of resources.
The close order infantry spears as I said in my previous post were probably Lybians or Cyreanic Greeks. The time frame allows both spears and pikes.
Pike phalanx from Cyrenaic Greek mercenarias is plausible but I am not sure how certain.
Cyrenaic Colonist info here:
http://www.fanaticus.org/DBA/armies/I56.html
Kind regards

Cyrenian pikemen seems very unlikely considering the paucity of evidence fo Cyrenians functioning as phalangites at all.

[hoplite14gr]

Ruben, I speculate (and I place odds in the negative) for pike men.
It is uncertain but not unlikely. I too feel more comfortable with spearmen
Carthagenian sacred band...hmmm after Crimissos I read that they were never as numerus or up to former strength and probably they were a group of nobles armed as cavalrymen.
Plutarch on "Timoleon" tell od infantry if I recall corectly.
I will try to find original sources on Agathokles for verification.
Happy New Year

[MeinPanzer]

Ruben, I speculate (and I place odds in the negative) for pike men.
It is uncertain but not unlikely. I too feel more comfortable with spearmen
Carthagenian sacred band...hmmm after Crimissos I read that they were never as numerus or up to former strength and probably they were a group of nobles armed as cavalrymen.
Plutarch on "Timoleon" tell od infantry if I recall corectly.
I will try to find original sources on Agathokles for verification.
Happy New Year

And also considering that the military links between Cyrene and Carthage are tenuous at best, I doubt that Cyrenians ever served in the Carthaginian army in any number worthy of mention or that said army ever made use of pikes.