Salammbô

*Salammbô* is a novel by Gustave Flaubert set in ancient Carthage shortly after the First Punic War. It explores themes of love, betrayal, religion, and revenge through the story of Salammbô, a priestess, and Matho, a rebel leader. The narrative vividly describes the magnificent city, its rituals, and the conflict between political power and personal passions. Flaubert's detailed and poetic writing brings to life the exotic, tumultuous world of Carthage, blending historical elements with vivid symbolism to examine human motives amidst war and religious devotion.