A lightly revised version of H.’s 2017 dissertation at Münster, this study offers an overview of the role of waterscapes in Silius Italicus’ epic poem, the Punica, in light of modern theories of narratology on space. Bodies of water are mentioned approximately 272 times, be they rivers or other sources, a remarkable frequency for a 12,202 verse poem.
In the introductory chapter H. examines waters in ancient literature in general, from Homer to Virgil and beyond, including their metapoetic function in Callimachus. In Silius, in particular, as expected, H. engages with C. Santini's 1991 study on the topic of rivers in the Punica (in Silius Italicus and his View of the Past) as well as I. Bona's 1998 work on geography in the poem (La visione geografica nei Punica di Silio Italico), among other relevant works. The book is structured around four chapters in addition to the introduction, conclusion, bibliography and two indexes (locorum and aquarum, but no general index, which makes the use of the book more difficult).
In the second chapter H. begins with an examination of rivers as boundaries and of river crossings. There is no doubt that rivers are geographical, political and ethnic markers. Hannibal's crossing of the Ebro violates the treaty with Rome and in effect constitutes the beginning of the war. The episode occupies a prominent position not only in the first book but also in subsequent ones, such as, for instance, the shield of Hannibal in Book 2. The Rhone and the Durance are examined next, as Hannibal forges his way through to Italy. Hannibal's crossing of both rivers, which share similar descriptions in Silius’ narrative, underscores the Carthaginian's unlawful invasion of Italy. By depicting the Ticinus as a locus amoenus, Silius explicitly characterises Hannibal as a transgressor of the moral code, H. argues, clearly juxtaposed and contrasted to Regulus’ treatment of the Bagrada in Book 6. The last part of the chapter is dedicated to the Tiber and the Anio, rivers that constantly become the target of Hannibal's yearning but are never really affected.
In the third chapter H. examines rivers in conjunction with the transformation of Italy, namely how Roman and Carthaginian forces are juxtaposed and contrasted in the context of Italian geography. Specifically, the Ticinus is represented in terms of the traditional topos of a locus amoenus soon to be violated by Hannibal's army. H. discusses points of contact with Ovid's Metamorphoses and Virgil's Aeneid (the Tiber) and elaborates on the Bagrada river in Book 6 as the opposite, that is, a locus horridus, especially through connections to bodies of water in the Underworld. One further point is that Hannibal's embassy encounters a similarly antithetical African site at the oracle of Hammon in Book 3. Furthermore, H. elaborates on the distinction between Hannibal and Scipio when it comes to sites in Campania on the fields of Phlegra: Hannibal visits the lakes there (Avernus and Lucrinus), but fails to grasp the geography of the place; by contrast, Lake Avernus becomes the site of Scipio's katabasis, which sanctifies him as the hero of the last books of the poem, the one destined to conquer Africa.
The longest chapter is the fourth, which looks at the Roman defeats by river sites, the Ticinus, the Trebia and the Aufidus at Cannae, as well as Lake Trasimene, sites announced already by Juno as sites of Carthaginian victory in Book 1 (lines 125–33). Juno announces bloodshed and slaughter that will change the Italian landscape. The discussion of all these μάχαι παραποτάμιοι (after the Homeric model) includes central scenes in Books 4 and 5, especially at the Trebia and Trasimene. Juno's missive in Book 1 is fulfilled through the various battles until the defeat at Cannae; beyond doubt, Juno's manipulative role functions to the detriment of the Romans, because of her ancient anger against the Trojans.
The last chapter is devoted to space and memory (‘Erinnerungsorte’). Here H. correctly points out how the sites of battle function for both the Carthaginian and the Roman sides as places of memory of a bloody and long war. As such, these places reinforce the confidence of the Romans who will be revived and manage to win the war by the end. Their resurgence depends on these very places, which remind them of defeat and the low point in their history. But for the Carthaginian general (despite his desire) these places do not succeed in becoming posts of Punic memory and remembrance.
I wish H. had used narratology theory more prominently throughout the book and his analyses; as it stands, the emphasis is on literary analysis of passages rather than theorising about space. This is, however, a good study, which will open venues for further research on nature and waterscapes in Flavian epic more generally.
