Hanno the Navigator
Encyclopedia
Hanno the Navigator was a Carthaginian
explorer c. 500 BC, best known for his naval exploration of the Africa
n coast. As Hanno II, he held the throne as nominal king of Carthage from 480 until 440 BC — although by his reign, it was already in the process of starting to become more of a Republic in practical terms. The lunar crater Hanno
is named after him.
(see Hanno
for others of this name). The name Hanno (Annôn) means "merciful" or "mild" in Punic
- similar to the Arabic name "Hanan" (حنان) with the same meaning, the Hebrew name "Hanan" (חנן), still used in present-day Israel
, and to the Syriac Hanna ("حنا"), still used in the Levant
today.
the northwestern coast of Africa
. He sailed through the straits of Gibraltar, founded or repopulated seven colonies along the African coast of Morocco, and explored significantly farther along the Atlantic coast of the continent. Hogan cites the visit of Hanno to Mogador
, where the Phoenicians established an important dye
manufacturing plant using a marine gastropod found in the local Atlantic Ocean
waters. Hanno encountered various indigenous peoples on his journey and met with a variety of welcomes.
At the terminus of Hanno's voyage the explorer found an island heavily populated with what were described as hirsute and savage people. Attempts to capture the males failed, but three of the females were taken. These were so ferocious that they were killed, and their skins preserved for transport home to Carthage. The interpreters called them gorillae, and when European explorers first encountered gorilla
s in the 19th century, the apes were given this name on the assumption that they were the "people" Hanno described.
, of a tablet Hanno is reported to have hung up on his return to Carthage in the temple of Ba'al Hammon whom Greek writers identified with Kronos
. The full title translated from Greek is 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 Kronos. This was known to Pliny the Elder
and Arrian
, who mentions it at the end of his Anabasis of Alexander VIII (Indica):
This account's factual dependability has been both questioned and defended (see link). Both Harden and Warmington quote this account in English translation. Warminton suggests that difficulties in reconciling the account's specific details with present geographical understanding are consistent with classical reports of Carthaginian determination to maintain sole control of trade into the Atlantic.
Harden states there is general consensus that the expedition reached at least as far as Senegal
. There seems some agreement that he could have reached Gambia. However, Harden mentions lack of agreement as to precisely where to locate the furthest limit of Hanno's explorations: Sierra Leone
, Cameroon
, Gabon
. He notes the description of Mount Cameroon
, a 4095 metres (13,435 ft) volcano
, more closely matches Hanno's description than Guinea's 890 metres (2,919.9 ft) Mount Kakulima. Warmington prefers Mount Kakulima, considering Mount Cameroon
too distant.
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
explorer c. 500 BC, best known for his naval exploration of the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n coast. As Hanno II, he held the throne as nominal king of Carthage from 480 until 440 BC — although by his reign, it was already in the process of starting to become more of a Republic in practical terms. The lunar crater Hanno
Hanno (crater)
Hanno is a lunar crater that lies near the southeastern limb of the Moon, along the western edge of the Mare Australe. About a crater diameter to the southwest is the prominent crater Pontécoulant....
is named after him.
Etymology
This Hanno is called the Navigator to distinguish him from a number of other Carthaginians with this name, including the perhaps more prominent, though later, Hanno the GreatHanno the Great
There were three leaders of ancient Carthage who were known as Hanno the Great, according to two historians . These figures they call for convenience: Hanno I the Great, Hanno II the Great, and Hanno III the Great...
(see Hanno
Hanno
Hanno may refer to:* Hanno, Saitama, Honshū, Japan* Hanno , a lunar crater* Hanno , the pet white elephant of Pope Leo XPeople named Hanno:*Several ancient Carthaginians, including:...
for others of this name). The name Hanno (Annôn) means "merciful" or "mild" in Punic
Punic language
The Punic language or Carthagian language is an extinct Semitic language formerly spoken in the Mediterranean region of North Africa and several Mediterranean islands, by people of the Punic culture.- Description :...
- similar to the Arabic name "Hanan" (حنان) with the same meaning, the Hebrew name "Hanan" (חנן), still used in present-day Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and to the Syriac Hanna ("حنا"), still used in the Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
today.
Expedition
As Warmington states, Carthage dispatched Hanno at the head of a fleet of sixty ships to explore and colonizeColony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
the northwestern coast of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. He sailed through the straits of Gibraltar, founded or repopulated seven colonies along the African coast of Morocco, and explored significantly farther along the Atlantic coast of the continent. Hogan cites the visit of Hanno to Mogador
Essaouira
Mogador redirects here, for the hamlet in Surrey see Mogador, Surrey.Essaouira is a city in the western Moroccan economic region of Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, on the Atlantic coast. Since the 16th century, the city has also been known by its Portuguese name of Mogador or Mogadore...
, where the Phoenicians established an important dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
manufacturing plant using a marine gastropod found in the local Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
waters. Hanno encountered various indigenous peoples on his journey and met with a variety of welcomes.
At the terminus of Hanno's voyage the explorer found an island heavily populated with what were described as hirsute and savage people. Attempts to capture the males failed, but three of the females were taken. These were so ferocious that they were killed, and their skins preserved for transport home to Carthage. The interpreters called them gorillae, and when European explorers first encountered gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
s in the 19th century, the apes were given this name on the assumption that they were the "people" Hanno described.
Periplus account
The primary source for the account of Hanno's expedition is a Greek translation, titled PeriplusPeriplus
Periplus is the Latinization of an ancient Greek word, περίπλους , literally "a sailing-around." Both segments, peri- and -plous, were independently productive: the ancient Greek speaker understood the word in its literal sense; however, it developed a few specialized meanings, one of which became...
, of a tablet Hanno is reported to have hung up on his return to Carthage in the temple of Ba'al Hammon whom Greek writers identified with Kronos
Cronus
In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky...
. The full title translated from Greek is The Voyage of Hanno, commander of the Carthaginians, round the parts of Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
beyond the Pillars of Heracles, which he deposited in the Temple of Kronos. This was known to Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
and Arrian
Arrian
Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon , known in English as Arrian , and Arrian of Nicomedia, was a Roman historian, public servant, a military commander and a philosopher of the 2nd-century Roman period...
, who mentions it at the end of his Anabasis of Alexander VIII (Indica):
This account's factual dependability has been both questioned and defended (see link). Both Harden and Warmington quote this account in English translation. Warminton suggests that difficulties in reconciling the account's specific details with present geographical understanding are consistent with classical reports of Carthaginian determination to maintain sole control of trade into the Atlantic.
Dating the voyage
The voyage of Hanno is ascribed to various dates; current thinking is that it was in the fifth century BC.Modern analysis of the route
A number of modern scholars have commented upon Hanno's voyage. In many cases the analysis has been to refine information and interpretation of the original account. William Smith points out that the complement of personnel totalled 30,000, and that the core mission included the intent to found Carthaginian (or in the older parlance Libyophoenician) towns.Harden states there is general consensus that the expedition reached at least as far as Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
. There seems some agreement that he could have reached Gambia. However, Harden mentions lack of agreement as to precisely where to locate the furthest limit of Hanno's explorations: Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
. He notes the description of Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako or by its native name Mongo ma Ndemi ....
, a 4095 metres (13,435 ft) volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, more closely matches Hanno's description than Guinea's 890 metres (2,919.9 ft) Mount Kakulima. Warmington prefers Mount Kakulima, considering Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon
Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in Cameroon near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako or by its native name Mongo ma Ndemi ....
too distant.
External links
- "Hanno's Periplus on the Web:" a directory of further links.
- Livio Catullo Stecchini, "The voyage of Hanno" carefully analyzed by a classical scholar.
- Periplus in English.
- Hanno's Voyage from Canaanite.org
- Hanno, a Carthaginian navigator from Charles Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1867)
- Annotated commentary on Hanno's Periplus by Jona Lendering.
- Scan of an original Byzantine manuscript on "Hanno Carthagiensis"