HANNO, a Carthaginian, celebrated for a voyage of discovery along the western coast of Africa, but at what period it was made is not known with any degree of certainty. The different writers who have examined the point have fixed him at various periods between 1000 and 300 b. c. ; but we are inclined to agree with Rennell, who thinks he must have lived about 570 b. c. The principal object of this expedition is set forth in the journal, which begins with these words :—“It was decreed by the Carthaginians that Hanno should undertake a voyage beyond the Pillars of Hercules, and found Libyphoenician cities. He accordingly sailed with sixty ships, of fifty oars each, and a body of men and women to the number of thirty thousand, and provisions and other necessaries.” It is much to be regretted that this curious remnant of antiquity should have been exceedingly brief, and that it should not have come down to as in its original form, for it is evidently a mere abstract of a larger work. Some indeed have endeavoured to strip it of all pretensions to credit, and to rank it with the Arabian tales; but though some of the stories may have the appearance of fable, such as fiery torrents, and women covered with hair, the facts which are susceptible of verification, either by the test of geography, or a comparison with the descriptions of travellers, are of too consistent a nature to allow us to doubt that the voyage was really undertaken. It would appear that the first city was founded at no great distance from the Strait of Gibraltar, the rest to the north of Cape Bojador. This voyage extended a little to the south of Sierra Leone; but we must refer the reader to the writers who have examined the subject, for a detailed account of his geographical statements. The title of the Periplus is “An Account of the Voyage of Hanno, commander of the Carthaginians, round the parts of Libya beyond the Pillars of Hercules, which he deposited in the Temple of Saturn.” It has been published by Hudson {Geogr. Min. vol. i.), and Falconer (Oxford, 1797), with an English translation and explanations; also by Kluge, Hannonis Navigatio, textum critice recogn. et adnotat. illustravit, Leip. 1829. The following authors have also published commentaries on the voyage, viz. Bochart, Campomanes, Dodwell, Bougainville, Gosselin, Heeren, and Rennell.

Hanno, a senator of Carthage, who headed the party Opposed to the warlike policy of the Barcine faction. He was first appointed to the command of the troops in the interior of Africa, and was successful in reducing Hecatompylos, with the adjoining country. When the mercenary troops which had been employed in the first Punic war became clamorous for their arrears of pay, and at last ventured to make open war on Carthage, Hanno was appointed to the command of the forces to be employed against them. His talents, however, seem to have been by no means fitted for the field, and affairs assumed such a threatening aspect under his mismanagement, that the Carthaginians began to be alarmed for the very existence of their state. They therefore appointed as his colleague Hamilcar Barcas; but the enmity which existed between the generals completely neutralised the good that might have been derived from their abilities. At last, however, the dangerous position of affairs compelled them to forget their differences, and to unite cordially in resisting their common enemy. (Polyb. i. 73-88.)

He continued during his whole life to be the advocate of peace, in opposition to the ambitious policy of Hannibal; and when that general sent his brother Mago, after the battle of Cannae, to obtain reinforcements, Hanno exerted all his influence to prevent this request being granted, and even proposed that Hannibal should be given up to the Romans. (Liv. xxi. 3, 9; xxiii. 13.)