Exam Practice

1. Please write a brief biography of Hannibal and explain whether or not you think his reputation (in Roman eyes) as a monster was deserved.
1. Thesis- Although Hannibal may have seemed a blood-thirsty man, he was fulfilling the jobs of his previous generations; therefore, his reputation as a monster was undeserving.
1. "Some regard him as having been extraordinarily cruel, some exceedingly grasping of money. For I think that men in these circumstances are compelled, not occasionally but frequently, either by the suggestions of friends or the complexity of affairs, to speak and act contrary to real principles" (Polybius. "Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius: The Character of Hannibal." FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 04 June 2010. <http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/polybius-hannibal.html>.).
2. "I need say no more. It was not owing to their arms or their tactics, but to the skill and genius of Hannibal that they met with those defeats: and that I made quite clear in my account of the battles themselves" (Polybius. "Primary Source Documents." Appleton Area School District. Web. 04 June 2010. .).
3. "Hannibal set his light-armed troops and cavalry in motion to meet him, and charging the Romans while they were still marching, took them by surprise and caused a great confusion in their ranks" (Polybius. "Ancient History Sourcebook: Polybius: The Battle of Cannae, 216 BCE."FORDHAM.EDU. Web. 04 June 2010. .).
2. Was Athens really a 'democracy'?
1. Thesis- Athens was not really a democracy because although men could vote, women weren't allowed; the Athenian democracy was more of a direct democracy rather than a representative democracy.
1. “The first type of democracy is particularly based on equality, where neither the rich nor the poor has pre-eminent authority, but both are similar [in their authority]. Still, since the majority rules and the “people” will be in the majority, this is a democracy” (Democracy in the Politics of Aristotle." The Stoa Consortium. Web. 14 May 2010. <http://www.stoa.org/projects/demos/article_aristotle_democracy?page=all&greekEncoding=/>.).
2.