Hanno the Navigator

Hanno the Navigator

Hanno the Navigator was an explorer from Carthage who lived in the fifth century BC. He is known for leading a trip along the coast of West Africa.

We know about his journey from a document called a periplus, which was later translated into Greek.

Scholars have tried to learn where Hanno traveled. Some think he may have gone as far south as Gabon. Others believe he did not sail much farther than the southern coast of Morocco. His trip shows how people in ancient times explored new lands and sailed the seas.

Biography

The name Hanno was used by many people in Carthage. Ancient writings about Hanno the Navigator do not give us much clear information about who he was exactly. Some writers called him a king, while others used words like dux (leader) or imperator (commander) to describe him. A Greek version of Hanno’s travel report calls him a basileus, a word that can mean “king” but was also used for other important officials in Carthage.

Most historians believe Hanno lived around the 5th century BC and was part of the wealthy Magonid family. Some thinkers think he might have been the son of Hamilcar I.

Periplus account

Hanno the Navigator's journey is described in a document called a periplus. This means a description of a sea voyage. The story is written in Greek. The original story was in the Punic language but it has been lost. The Greek copy we have today is shorter and sometimes hard to understand. It gives us a look at ancient exploration written by the explorer himself.

The story says that Hanno, a king of Carthage, led a fleet of 60 ships with many people on board. His goal was to build cities along the coast of Africa beyond the Pillars of Hercules. He created several settlements, met friendly tribes, and sailed far down the African coast. He saw strange lands and fiery sights. He also met a group of hairy, unfriendly people he called "Gorillas." They ran out of supplies and had to turn back. The story ends suddenly and does not say how they returned home. Scholars think the original story might have been changed to keep some details secret.

Expedition

Carthage sent Hanno with 60 ships to explore and settle along the northwestern coast of Africa. He sailed west from Carthage, passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and founding or repopulating seven colonies in what is now Morocco. Hanno then sailed south along the Atlantic coast, meeting different indigenous peoples.

Hanno's journey was likely driven by the wish to secure gold trade routes in sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars are not sure how far south he traveled, with guesses ranging from Senegal to possibly Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, or even Gabon. The exact places he visited are still not known because the old stories about his trip are not very clear.

Ancient authors' accounts

Important writers from ancient times knew about Hanno’s journey. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder wrote about Hanno’s trip from a place called Gades, which is now Cádiz, toward Arabia. Pliny thought Hanno might have sailed around Africa, but most scholars today think this was probably not true.

Another writer, the Greek Arrian of Nicomedia, wrote that Hanno sailed from Carthage. He said Hanno traveled east for thirty-five days before facing very hot weather. The famous Greek historian Herodotus wrote about trade along the coast of Morocco but may not have known about Hanno’s specific trip.

Legacy

The moon has a crater named after him, called Hanno.

A singer named Al Stewart wrote a song about Hanno. The song is on his album called Sparks of Ancient Light.

Historiography

In the 16th century, people in Europe became very interested in Hanno's voyage. This was a time when Europeans were exploring and traveling to new places more often. Even then, people argued about how far Hanno had actually traveled on his journey.