A Fear That Survived
Hannibal’s defeat did not erase the fear he had created. Rome had seen Italian allies waver, armies destroyed, and survival placed in doubt.
Cato’s Severity
When Cato the Elder demanded the destruction of Carthage, he spoke into a Roman memory already shaped by terror. The question is whether that fear still corresponded to reality.
For the Republic
The destruction of Carthage shows how Roman security could become implacable. Fear, once justified, can outlive the danger that created it.