Explanation: In the immediate aftermath of the Second Punic War, the Roman Republic was quite anxious to make sure Hannibal’s career was ruined and, ideally, that he would be soon dead. However, later Roman histories praise his genius very highly and made constant note of him, despite the fact that he managed to kill off 1 out of every 5 Roman citizens. Time heals all wounds, it would seem - at least when national pride is concerned!
I don’t believe so, except perhaps insofar as the Principate made the non-Italian regions of the Empire more ‘core’ to Rome’s identity, and Spain and Africa both remembered Hannibal fondly long after the Punic Wars were over.
Explanation: In the immediate aftermath of the Second Punic War, the Roman Republic was quite anxious to make sure Hannibal’s career was ruined and, ideally, that he would be soon dead. However, later Roman histories praise his genius very highly and made constant note of him, despite the fact that he managed to kill off 1 out of every 5 Roman citizens. Time heals all wounds, it would seem - at least when national pride is concerned!
Does the transition to Principate have anything to do with that, as far as is known?
I don’t believe so, except perhaps insofar as the Principate made the non-Italian regions of the Empire more ‘core’ to Rome’s identity, and Spain and Africa both remembered Hannibal fondly long after the Punic Wars were over.