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Released: 28/08/2020

ISBN: 9781838594282
eISBN: 9781838596286

Format: Paperback/eBook

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Masinissa: Ally of Carthage

by Rob Edmunds

Masinissa: Ally of Carthage is the first part of the story of the experiences of the Numidian Prince and later King Masinissa during the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage. Masinissa’s involvement in the war was substantial, even pivotal, and he is still revered today across North Africa as the founding father of the Amazigh/Berber people.

The story begins in 213 BC in Carthage, which has been Masinissa’s home for several years. He has fallen in love with Sophonisba, the beautiful daughter of one of the most senior Carthaginian generals. The two make promises to one another before Masinissa embarks west to enter the war as the commander of a substantial cavalry division.

In terms of the wider world, Rome and Carthage – the most powerful nations of the time – have been at war for five years, ever since Hannibal crossed the Alpine passes and inflicted catastrophic and crippling defeats on the Roman armies at the battles of Trebia, Lake Trasimene and, most devastatingly, at Cannae, where an army of nearly 90,000 Romans was completely destroyed.

The main theatres of war at this moment are the Roman siege of the Greek city of Syracuse in Sicily – which is being innovatively and belligerently defended, not least by the philosopher and scientist Archimedes – and the war in Iberia, which Masinissa is about to join with his Numidian forces.

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Book Reviews

This is an extremely well written debut, following the journey of Masinissa.

I'm a huge fan of history and learning about civilisation long since gone, and Edmunds interweaves much research into every page, so that I found it educational as well as enjoyable. Attention is given to military tactics, weaponry and manoevres, but it is far more than an account of a campaign. Rob Edmunds explores attitudes to war, the psychology of warriors, and brings out brilliantly the forces that shape and reshape history.

by NetGalley review

Thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing two books.

I love history and I did not know about Masinissa and this book was a great way to discover an important and kinda unknown character.
The writing style is very good but I struggled a bit in the beginning because it has no dialogue which can demotivate a reader.

I think the author made a great job in research and creating in his imagination what would be like to be Masinissa.

by NetGalley review

About the Author

Rob Edmunds

From West Wales, Rob has worked in the higher education sector for many years, mostly with international and arts students. The two books about the lives of the Numidian King Masinissa and the Carthaginian aristocrat Sophonisba are his first published novels. He is currently working towards the completion of a third which is mostly focused on the Allied campaign in Burma in 1944.

He has diverse, and occasionally reckless interests, and enjoys challenging his sense of equilibrium as often as possible on boards and skates. He maintains a quite recent but active twitter profile which hopefully will help further introduce readers to his personality and range of interests. Find him on twitter at RobEdmunds11