Hanno
（
Ἄννων, meaning in Punic “merciful”
or “mild”).
1.
A commander sent by the Carthaginians on a voyage of colonization and discovery along the
Atlantic coast of Africa. This expedition is generally supposed to have taken place about
B.C. 570. Gail, however, places it between B.C. 633 and 530. On his return to Carthage, Hanno
deposited an account of his voyage in the temple of Moloch (Cronus). A translation of this
account from the Punic into the Greek tongue has come down to us. The title of the Greek work
is as follows:
Ἄννωνος, Καρχηδονίων Βασιλέως, Περίπλους τῶν
ὑπὲρ τὰς Ἡρακλέους Στήλας Λιβυκῶν τῆς Γῆς Μερῶν, ὅν καὶ Ἀνέθηκεν ἐν
τῷ τοῦ Κρόνου Τεμένει. “The Voyage of Hanno , commander of the
Carthaginians, round the parts of Libya beyond the Pillars of Heracles, which he deposited in
the temple of Cronus.” With regard to the extent of coast actually explored by this
expedition, some remarks have been made in another article. (See
Africa.) The
Periplus was translated into English by
Falconer
(1797). See Mer,
Mémoire sur le
Périple d'Hannon (Paris, 1888); and Antichan,
Les
Grands Voyages de Découvertes des Anciens (Paris, 1891).
2.
A Carthaginian commander, who aspired to the sovereignty of his native city. His design was
discovered, and he thereupon retired to a fortress, with 20,000 armed slaves, but was taken
and put to death with his son and all his relations (
Just.xxi.
4).
3.
A commander of the Carthaginian forces in Sicily along with Bomilcar (B.C. 310). He was
defeated by Agathocles, although he had 45,000 men under his orders, and his opponent only
about 14,000 (
Just.xxii. 6).
4.
A Carthaginian commander, defeated by the Romans near the Aegades Insulae (B.C. 242). On
his return home he was put to death.
5.
A leader of the faction at Carthage opposed to the Barca family. He voted for surrendering
Hannibal to the foe, after the ruin of Saguntum, and also for refusing assistance to that
commander after the battle of Cannae (
Livy xxi. 3;
Livy xxiii. 12).
6.
A Carthaginian, who, wishing to pass for a god, trained up some birds, who were
taught by him to repeat the words, “ Hanno is a god” (Aelian,
Var.
Hist. xv. 32).
