Livy: Book XXI

Titus Livius (59BC-17 AD) was a famous Roman historian who wrote the magnificent Ab Urbe Condita (which covers Roman history from its founding until the reign of Augustus). Livy covered the history of the Punic War in books XXI-XXX. Sadly, both Livy's books on the First and Third Punic War are lost. This Bristol Classical Press LATIN TEXT edition of Livy's Book XXI covers the beginning of the Second Punic War, the character of Hannibal, and the historical events of Rome up till the reactions in Rome after the Roman catastrophe at the Battle of Trebia. Livy is a pretty good military historian and besides the copious battle scenes by far the most interesting parts of the history are his lists of bad omens that the inhabitants of Rome see after the defeat at Trebia (the Disaster and long occupation of the Italian Peninsula is to come) and Livy's elaborate battle exhortations and speeches of Hannibal and his Roman opposition. This Latin Text edition has a superb general introduction and Book XXI specific introduction by P. J. Walsh, a wonderful vocabulary list, further reading list, chronological table, an extremely helpful and extensive notes that help with cultural references and general grammatical explanation, and some a helpful maps (Battle of Trebbia, Sicily, Hannibal's Invasion route) and diagrams (Hannibal Crossing the Alps). This is an absolutely must read (for the layman pick up a copy of the English translation - Penguin, Loeb, etc) for anyone interested in Roman History. This Latin Text edition is a must for anyone who wants to do real research on Livy's monumental Ab Urbe Condita and understand a vital period of Roman Republican history.