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The Ghosts of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Robert L. O'Connell (Author), Alan Sklar (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 367 ratings
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Hannibal's battle plan at Cannae became the mother of all great battle strategies - the first battle of encirclement that has been imitated (often to disastrous effect) endlessly over the past two thousand years. In this brilliant, long-overdue, and beautifully written account, Robert L. O'Connell gives listeners an epic account of one of the most dramatic battles of antiquity.

The Ghosts of Cannae is at once a book about a specific battle (the massive defeat of a huge but inexperienced Roman army in southern Italy by Hannibal in 216 BC) and also an interpretation of the larger course of the Second Punic War, as well as an assessment of the historical impact of Rome's storied rivalry with Carthage. What ties the book together is the fate of the survivors, their treatment by the authorities in Rome, and ultimately their vindication nearly two decades later, when they defeated Hannibal at the decisive battle of Zama in North Africa. With an unforgettable cast of heroes and villains, The Ghosts of Cannae is history at its finest.

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  1. Listening Length
    13 hours and 14 minutes
  2. Author
    Robert L. O'Connell
  3. Narrator
    Alan Sklar
  4. Audible release date
    August 2, 2010
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Tantor Audio
  7. ASIN
    B003Y55KOO
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 13 hours and 14 minutes
Author Robert L. O'Connell
Narrator Alan Sklar
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date August 02, 2010
Publisher Tantor Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B003Y55KOO
Best Sellers Rank #139,798 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#102 in African History (Audible Books & Originals)
#145 in North Africa History
#162 in Ancient & Classical Roman History

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
367 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the narrative engaging and fascinating. They describe the book as readable and enjoyable. The book provides insightful and comprehensive coverage of the Second Punic War and Hannibal's leadership. Readers appreciate the author's style and presentation, which paints a detailed yet easy-to-understand picture. Overall, customers consider the book a worthwhile read that covers the relevant historical details in an interesting manner.

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Narrative qualityReadabilityInsightStyleLeadershipTime invested
44 customers mention "Narrative quality"32 positive12 negative

Customers find the narrative engaging and fascinating. They appreciate the author's skill in describing the events historically. The juxtaposition of current and past events keeps the story moving, and the author does a brilliant job of describing the events in a way that is historically accurate. Readers describe the book as an outstanding story of redemption that stirs their souls.

"...more than to say that this was a well done book that presented some interesting perspectives on not just the battle of Cannae but events preceding..." Read more

"...I for one find the discussion of tactics interesting; the unreliability of the war elephants was an interesting tidbit...." Read more

"Loved it! This book was a fascinating overview of the punic wars concentrating on the 2nd war and the battle of Cannae...." Read more

"...its the ultimate underdog story that stirs our souls because it demonstrates how drastically a cunning mind can upset the accepted order of the day...." Read more

36 customers mention "Readability"36 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read. They say it sheds new light on cultural aspects and provides an exciting narrative that keeps them reading page after page. The kindle edition is good, and the writing style is charming and amusing.

"I think this fascinating book sheds new light on the cultural and political contexts that motivated the actions of both Carthage and Rome...." Read more

"...What results is a streamlined, entertaining and substantial amount of content about one of the most revolutionary time periods in Roman history..." Read more

"This is a thorough, entertaining and informative commentary of The Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.)...." Read more

"...Well worth the read!" Read more

19 customers mention "Insight"15 positive4 negative

Customers find the book insightful, well-written, and comprehensive. They appreciate that it explains the facts clearly, providing fascinating historical details, and identifying key leaders among Romans. Readers also mention that the writing is persuasive and easy to understand, making it relatable.

"...something about the way he writes both captivates and informs seamlessly." Read more

"...history books much more interesting and even more importantly- easy to relate to...." Read more

"...Another point it's that the author is always honest about insufficient or divergent data, and that adds to his crebility. Highly recommended." Read more

"...in his use of language to paint a detailed, yet easy to understand description of the politics, motivations, values and actions of both sides...." Read more

7 customers mention "Style"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's style. They find it interesting, charming, and engaging. The writing style paints a detailed yet easy-to-understand picture of the period and characters. Readers also mention that the book covers English church history, the Holy Grail, Arthurian legends, and ciphers.

"...I found this to be a very interesting look at the Second Punic War and Hannibal. I would recommend this book to those interested in Ancient Rome." Read more

"...It is well organized and presented in an exciting style that will keep you reading page after page...." Read more

"...The author is superb in his use of language to paint a detailed, yet easy to understand description of the politics, motivations, values and actions..." Read more

"...The author definitely has a way with words that is charming, amusing, and insightful...." Read more

4 customers mention "Leadership"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's leadership coverage. They find it insightful, describing key leaders among Romans and Carthaginians, as well as the personalities of major generals involved in the second Punic War. The book also discusses political conflicts and divisions in the respective leaderships.

"...dynamics of Rome and Carthage, political conflicts, divisions in the respective leaderships, military history, the personalities of Hannibal, Scipio..." Read more

"...The book does a nice job identifying and discussing key leaders among Romans and Carthaginians...." Read more

"...day, Cannae remains the most brutal slaughter and a stunning example of brilliant leadership - on Hannibal’s side." Read more

"...In similar vein, it details the personality of the major generals involved in the second Punic war, and of the battle that gives its name to the book..." Read more

4 customers mention "Time invested"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's value. They find it a worthwhile read with a thorough and human history. It's not too difficult, long, or dry.

"This is a thorough, entertaining and informative commentary of The Second Punic War (218-201 B.C.)...." Read more

"...more to this book than battles and tactics, and what emerges is a thorough and human history of this dark period in Rome's history...." Read more

"...It's not too hard of a read, not too long, and not too dry, but also is not overly dumbed down either...." Read more

"...Well worth the cost and time invested" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Guy Tidwell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, absorbing, and recommended read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I think this fascinating book sheds new light on the cultural and political contexts that motivated the actions of both Carthage and Rome. I feel the book drags just a bit near the end. However, O'Connell's insightful deductive reasoning more than makes up for this minor fault. Sure, he uses good background resources - but that is common and does not define why this book is so good. For example, his reading of Hannibal's motives based on the influence of Greek military tradition is excellent. O'Connell's analysis of the two leading Roman historians, Livy and Polybius, is excellent and he often pits one against the other, and sometimes uses historical evidence to challenge their conclusions, for example, when it comes to analyzing why Hannibal made some of his important decisions. His deductive reasoning is exemplary and examines the multiplicity of factors driving key figures such as Hannibal and near the end, Scipio. O'Connell's analysis of the conditions that likely affected the individual Roman soldier during the battle of Cannae is insightful, and when considered by the reader, terribly gruesome and fascinating at the same time.

    Some criticize the scope of the work, which covers the first and third Punic wars in addition to Cannae. However, covering the third Punic War up to the battle of Zama is important to understand the "Ghosts of Cannae" which ties together Cannae and Scipio's later defeat of Hannibal at Zama. What I believe is a minor criticism has to do with O'Connell's use of phrases such as "panzer pachyderm." I did not find these troublesome or distracting - in fact, I rather liked "pachyderm pandemonium" an alliteration which fits the historical analysis regarding the liabilities of the military use of elephants.

    Perhaps most importantly, at least as far as I am concerned, is the readability of the text. Others have commented on this quite nicely. It is not dry and you move rather quickly at a nice pace, sometimes very captivated by the events about to unfurl. Overall, as you might guess, I highly recommend this book. However, I must add that this book appeals not only to those seasoned and well read in this period of history, but also novices - or for that matter, any reader with an interest in history or in the psychological and societal factors that that drive the actions of great historical figures.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Diane B. Lockman
    4.0 out of 5 stars Follow the Veterans of Cannae
    Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This review was written by my 16 year old son.

    The 2nd Punic War was one of the greatest wars in history, waged between the Carthaginians and Romans. Lasting sixteen years, it was well documented by famous orators and historians, such as Livy: The Early History of Rome, Books I-V (Penguin Classics) (Bks. 1-5), The Rise of the Roman Empire (Penguin Classics), and The Civil Wars (Penguin Classics), who all gave a general overview of the war and how it played out. Robert L. O'Connell, on the other hand, specifically follows certain events from the Roman defeat at Cannae and its survivor's road to redemption at Zama. The Ghosts of Cannae: Hannibal and the Darkest Hour of the Roman Republic is a brilliant book, a welcome accompaniment to the classic historians and a wonderful stand alone book as well. The content is rich, and Mr. O'Connell's writing style draws you in and won't let you put it down until the end.

    Robert O'Connell starts the book off with a summary of human warfare and how it evolved over the centuries. The beginning has a start-stop pace, throwing out interesting facts and then boring you with too much detail, which lead me to a state of apathy. This entire section seems unnecessary for the book's success, and nothing later on in the book really refers back to it. The rest of the book, however, took the style of the introduction and threw it out the window, moving at a breakneck pace through the events leading up to Cannae and then the final climax at Zama.

    O'Connell provides an incredible amount of fascinating detail about the inner workings of both the Roman system of warfare and the Carthaginians. Rome was the country that really based its entire character around warfare, and Carthage was the most prosperous city in trade in that period. Yet Carthage presented a surprising nightmare to Rome in the shape of Hannibal Barca, the legendary general, who annihilated the Romans at Cannae, thus spawning the Ghosts of Cannae. O'Connell provides enough information about the major events of the 2nd Punic War to keep your head above the water, yet he clearly applies most of his research and writing to the actual events of Cannae and Rome's veterans, and he explains the most important points incredibly well. From a detailed map of the armies and their strengths to the actual tactics of the day, O'Connell satisfies your need for clarity.

    An interesting aspect of Ghosts of Cannae is O'Connell's own telling of history. Rather than taking the generic approach of historians and giving all of the facts with an overall summary, O'Connell provides a story for the reader by following the actual veterans of Cannae: (1) training and mustering of a militia army, (2) surprising annihilation by Hannibal, (3) exile to Sicily and its significance, and finally (4) Scipio Africanus' fighting prowess and his march to Zama to conquer Hannibal. O'Connell handles these points incredibly well exposing both the overconfidence of the Romans and the irony that the very soldiers that Hannibal defeated at Cannae returned to show him his doom. O'Connell also examines all of the original texts and attempts to explain the discrepancies in them. What results is a streamlined, entertaining and substantial amount of content about one of the most revolutionary time periods in Roman history that complements O'Connell's writing style.

    O'Connell doesn't write like normal historians, and seeing as this is his first book, he is definitely off to a good start. Abandoning dry facts, he takes the tale of history and spins it as exactly that: a tale. He writes history like it's a good story which is exactly how a writer should write. He doesn't try to impress or overwhelm the readers with his extensive knowledge of language, rather he writes like he's trying to explain something to a friend in a dinner parlor: calm, engaging, and intuitive. O'Connell also has a clear understanding of military history and how to transmit certain important facts. For example, he speculates on all the separate aspects of the actual battle, from the weather conditions to the effectiveness of cavalry on the terrain, to the actual experience of each of the soldiers and how this influenced the battle. He also demonstrates an experience of warfare, showing a clear pity for the defeated Romans and their plight, both militarily and mentally.

    One engaging point that O'Connell makes is the idea that Hannibal did eventually, and indirectly, destroy Rome, by forcing the Romans to adopt charismatic and capable generals, not just the men in office at the time. Rome had never done anything like this before for fear that the soldiers would be more loyal to the generals than to the city itself, and Hannibal forced them to this brink by defeating each of their current generals causing them to recruit Scipio Africanus. It's an incredible idea that forced me to think critically about the issue. I don't want to spoil the entire argument, but if you've followed the history of Rome, it's definitely worth checking out.

    Robert O'Connell weaves a stunning tale with Ghosts of Cannae by demonstrating to the masses that history doesn't have to be dry and boring, and instead can be engaging and provoking. History has an incredible story to tell, and Robert captures this magic and shares it with the reader. Whether you've read the classic sagas of Polybius and Livy or are just interested in massive ancient battles, or just want to read a good book on history, this is worth considering. While it does start out slow, O'Connell spreads his wings when you reach the juicy data, and when you finish this decadent meal, you'll be eagerly awaiting O'Connell's next book.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • CFive
    5.0 out of 5 stars HARROWING BUT BRILLIANT
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    Basically this tells the story of the 2nd Punic war primarily from the standpoint of Hannibal and events in Italy, although the events in other theatres, Spain and Africa are broad-brush mentioned.

    I must admit to some concerns when I found that Mr O'Connell was American. Based on my very limited experience in that field I find that American historians seem either to fit within the school of awe (just read some of the books that cover the American civil war), or, within the Mary Beard school of pronouncements from on high complete with sound bites(as do most British historians I'm familiar with). Mr O'Connell does not, he writes with a clear and penetrating style that one cannot help but both learn from and feel that the insights afforded are theirs alone. In short he's of the same school as John R. Hale and Garrett Mattingly, very, very good indeed.

    The book (CD) starts with Hannibal's march toward the Alps and finishes at Zarma. It's brilliantly written and the battle scenes are `superb', the description of Cannae in particular is harrowing. Told as it is I `think' I know why Hannibal didn't move on Rome straight away, it must have been the sheer numbness brought on by the destruction he had brought about. Mr O'Connell also does an excellent job in conveying the pathos of the 2nd Punic War. Tactics win battles and one is left in little doubt that Hannibal stands at the top of the tree, possibly alone or, at best with just a couple of others. Strategy wins wars and after listening to the Ghosts of Cannae I'm convinced that Hannibal didn't really have one, and the one he `made up' on the spot was deeply flawed. And if he was following Alexander's examples then somthing was lost in translation.

    By the by the Ghosts in the title refers to those Roman soldiers who survived Cannae and were sent/exiled to Scilly and later fought in Scipo's army at Zarma.

    Does this audio book have a downside, yes, I think we could have done without the long list of protagonists at the start - I was just longing for the book to commence.....Fine in a paper work where they can easily be referred back to but not to my mind in a audio book. Some folk may not like the mid Atlantic accent of the narrator, me, I thought it fitted the book and subject very well.

    The audio tape is unabridged and some 13.5 hours long in MP3 format. Highly recommended.
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  • micheal
    4.0 out of 5 stars Cannae review
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Top delivery just as it said it was
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  • Je Salter
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Ghosts of Cannae!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 28, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I didn't read the book but bought and listened to the CD audio version and the detail is incredible and it's enormous and really good value for money. It doesn't just cover Cannae but relates the history of Carthage and Rome and all the other principle players of the day and the events leading up to Rome's greatest ever single defeat and the after effects. The casualties of these battle's were truly horrific and the CD really does bring that to life.

    It describes fully why Cannae occurred and why Hannibal led his army over the Alps from Spain on foot to take on the awesome fire power of the Roman legions and won, fighting battles for 'sixteen years' on their own soil in Italy. The Ghosts of Cannae is an absolutely incredible true story and if you are interested in the subject, I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone.

    The reference 'Ghosts' comes from those who actually survived the carnage and destruction of the battle at Cannae on the Roman side, where over 50,000 of their comrades and a good proportion of the Senate were massacred. They lived to fight the Carthaginian's years later and eventually got their revenge. Brilliant and unbelievable history but true!
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