Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington has been cast in Netflix’s movie Hannibal, sparking debate between many about the historically accurate race of the famed Carthaginian general.
The central point of contention revolves around whether Hannibal Barca, one of history’s greatest military strategists, was of West Asian or African descent.
Details about the film are scarce. While the public does not when it is being shot, where it is being shot, what direction the script will go, or the release dates, there is a blurb about the movie, that says, it is “based on real-life warrior Hannibal, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders in history.
The film covers the pivotal battles he led against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War,” which lasted between 218 B.C. and 201 B.C. Currently, it is known only that Washington will star as the general.
Some Tunisian officials were upset last year with the revelation of the casting of a Black person, noting that the historical Hannibal was of Phoenician descent, whose ancestors came from the area that is now considered Lebanon.
“There is a risk of falsifying history: we need to take [a] position on this subject,” Yassine Mami, Tunisian Member of Parliament said last month, according to the French newspaper Courrier International.
Not all Tunisians fel the same way. Hayet Ketat-Guermazi, the Tunisian culture minister, said that the work is not a documentary and is fiction, and so the creatives should be able to portray him in Antoine Fuqua’s new project as they want.
“It’s fiction. It is their [Netflix’s] right to do what they want,” Ketat-Guermazi said, according to Variety. “Hannibal is a historical figure, and we are all proud that he was Tunisian. But what can we do?”
Tunisians are proud of him being one of their heroes, even printing what they believe he looked like on their currency.
The portrayal of Hannibal as Black has previously sparked online criticism. In the 2016 History Channel miniseries “Barbarians Rising,” the character was portrayed by Black British actor Nicholas Pinnock, drawing mixed reactions.
One person took to social media to say Hannibal was neither white or Black, like many who are debating his race.
“Netflix to cast Denzel Washington as Hannibal Barca. Hannibal wasn’t White, he wasn’t black, he was of Phoenician stock from the levantine region (Lebanon region). And he was approx 30 years old when he crossed the Alps, not elderly,” the X user tweeted, with pictures to prove his point.
Netflix to cast Denzel Washington as Hannibal Barca. Hannibal wasn't White, he wasn't black, he was of Phoenician stock fro the levantine region (Lebanon region). And he was approx 30 years old when he crossed the Alps, not elderly. pic.twitter.com/E4kuIlloRk
— Return of Rome 🇲🇪 (@return_of_rome) November 14, 2023
Another person posted artifacts from antiquity to prove his point.
“Stop it man… history is what it is. Those coins were minted hundreds of yrs after Hannibal Barca lived. The coined that was minted during the reign of Hannibal are depicted Hannibal as an black African man. The carbon dating solidifies that fact,” one tweeted.
Stop it man… history is what it is. Those coins were minted hundreds of yrs after Hannibal Barca lived. The coined that was minted during the reign of Hannibal are depicted Hannibal as an black African man. The carbon dating solidifies that fact pic.twitter.com/VLDiX7qY5l
— wjwhitlow (@wjwhitlow1) December 13, 2023
Other coins also exist that portray Hannibal with European features.
☀️ #OnThisDay in 202 BC Scipio beats Hannibal near Zama, marking the end of the 2nd Punic War. After 20 years of war Romans gained control over the W. Mediterranean.⚔ The obverse of the coin below shows the Punic god Melkart-his head might have facial features of Hannibal. #OTD pic.twitter.com/5FVpVtHHuH
— 🪔 TimeTravelRome (@TimeTravelRome) October 19, 2021
To grasp the racial context of Hannibal’s identity, scholars have delved into Carthage’s origins. Established by the Phoenicians, Carthage was a colony not native to Africa. In John Coleman De Graft-Johnson’s “African Glory: The Story of Vanished Negro Civilizations,” the Phoenicians are described as the first alien colonizers in Africa.
Carthage boasted a racially diverse population, characterized by a blend of Phoenician, African, and Mediterranean people. Still, the ruling class was probably predominantly composed of Phoenicians, despite the substantial presence of Black Africans.
The reality is that there is no concrete knowledge about Hannibal’s physical appearance.
Outside of race, people are upset about Washington’s age. Hannibal was in his late 20s when he used elephants to cross the Alps to defeat Rome. Many are upset because Washington, who is currently 69, is too old to play that role.
Representatives for Netflix, Washington, and Fuqua have not addressed the controversy.
