'The parallel lives of two of antiquity's greatest commanders, as told by one of today's greatest classicists. Assuming the role of a modern-day Plutarch, Hornblower delves into the families, formative years, military exploits, political struggles, and fraught twilight years of these colossal adversaries.' Michael J. Taylor, University at Albany
'A prominent ancient historian like Simon Hornblower does not entertain the idea of writing an intertwined history of two equally prominent figures from the Roman Republic and Ancient Carthage unless he intends to enjoy the ride. Despite the fact that Hannibal and Scipio were seen together only once, producing an intertwined narrative of their lives is wholly sensible – and no sustained attempt to do so has yet been made. The author has built his project into a magnificent piece of scholarship.' Toni Ñaco del Hoyo, ICREA Research Professor at Universitat de Girona