Hanno the Great

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There were three leaders of ancient Carthage who were known as Hanno the Great, according to two historians. These figures being called for convenience: Hanno I the Great, Hanno II the Great, and Hanno III the Great. According to another, there were three called Hanno "given the same nickname" the Great, but he conjectures that it was a family nickname or a term not understood by Greeks or Romans; this historian discusses only two of them (I & II), but he does not use the "I" or "II". Another historian mentions only one Hanno the Great, namely Hanno "I" the Great. The one already referred to here as "Hanno II the Great" he discusses but calls him simply "Hanno". Of course, it is an anomaly for multiple people to be called Hanno the Great.

Hanno I the Great

Hanno the Great was a politician and military leader of the 4th century BC.

His title, according to Justin, was princeps Cathaginiensium. It is considered more likely that the title signifies first among equals, rather than being a title of nobility or royalty.

His rival Suniaton was called the potentissimus Poenorum, or "he who is most esteemed in Cathage" in 368. Several years later Suniaton was acused of high treason (for correspondence with Syracuse) and probably executed.

In 367 Hanno the Great commanded a fleet of 200 ships which won a decisive naval victory over the Greeks of Sicily. His victory effectly blocked the plans of Dionysius I of Syracuse to attack Lilybeaum, a city allied to Carthage in western Sicily.

For about twenty years Hanno the Great was the leading figure of Carthage, and perhaps the wealthiest. In the 340s he schemed to be tyrant. After distributing food to the populous, the time for force came and he used the native slaves and a Berber chieftain. Although not a military threat to Carthage, Hanno the Great was captured, found a traitor, and tortured to death. Many of his family were also put to death. Yet later his son Gisgo was given the command of seventy ships with Greek mercenaries and sent to Lilybaeum, at which peace was concluded with Timoleon of Syracuse, circa 340. His family's prestige and influence would tell in later generations at Carthage.

Hanno I the Great was probably an ancestor of Hanno II the Great.

Hanno II the Great

Hanno the Great was a wealthy Carthaginian aristocrat in the 3rd century BC.

Hanno's wealth was based on the land he owned in Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, and during the First Punic War he led the faction in Carthage that was opposed to continuing the war against Roman Republic. He preferred to continue conquering territory in Africa rather than fight a naval war against Rome that would bring him no personal gain. In these efforts, he was opposed by the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca. Hanno demobilized the Carthaginian navy in 244 BC, giving Rome time to rebuild its navy and finally defeat Carthage by 241 BC.

After the war, Hanno refused to pay the mercenaries who had been promised money and rewards by Hamilcar. The mercenaries revolted, and Hanno took control of the Carthaginian army to attempt to defeat them. His attempt failed and he gave control of the army back to Hamilcar. Eventually, they both cooperated to crush the rebels in 238 BC.

His nickname "the Great" was apparently earned because of his conquests among the African enemies of Carthage, and he continued to oppose war with Rome, which would necessarily involve naval engagements. During the Second Punic War, he led the anti-war faction in Carthage, and prevented reinforcements from being sent to Hamilcar's son Hannibal after his victory at the Battle of Cannae. After Carthage's defeat at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, he was among the ambassadors to negotiate peace with the Romans.

Hanno III the Great

Hanno III the Great was an ultra-conservative politician at Carthage during the 2nd century BC.

References

External links

• Livius.org: Hanno II the Great

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