Salammbô · Character

Salammbô

Daughter of Hamilcar and priestess of Tanith, she is haunted by the stolen zaïmph and by a desire that draws her toward the enemy who took it.

major

Also known as the panting Salammbô

First appearance: I: The Feast

As a major figure in Salammbô, Salammbô is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Salammbô appears in a chariot, sings of Melkarth and her lineage, and speaks in multiple dialects to appease the Mercenaries, displaying her power and mystique.

In the storyI: The FeastOpen this moment free

See Salammbô in I: The Feast Book page

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Salammbô lives in the jeweled seclusion of her father's palace, tending the sacred serpent and suffering a wasting longing that the priest Schahabarim names as the goddess's touch. She has seen the zaïmph and cannot forget it, and her horror of Matho slowly shades into something she cannot name. When Schahabarim declares that only she can recover the veil, her private affliction becomes the fate of Carthage itself.

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The fuller portrait of Salammbô sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Salammbô in I: The Feast

Character Web

12 connections

A slice of how Salammbô sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Professional
Psychological
Other

Character groups

Mercenary War Leaders
Protagonist

+7 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Salammbô’s journey through the desolate, war-ravaged landscape—marked by empty fields, calcined walls, and rui…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Matho
romantic · ambivalent
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the… How this plays out →
Taanach
professional · positive
Schahabarim
psychological · ambivalent
Narr'Havas
romantic · ambivalent
Matho
romantic · ambivalent
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the… How this plays out →
Matho
romantic · ambivalent
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the… How this plays out →
Schahabarim
psychological · ambivalent
Taanach
professional · positive
Schahabarim
psychological · ambivalent

Matho
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.
Taanach
Taanach is Salammbô's devoted servant and confidante, attending to her personal needs.
Schahabarim
Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.
Narr'Havas
Narr'Havas desires Salammbô as a bride to secure political power and alliance with Hamilcar.
Matho
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.
Matho
Matho is consumed by obsessive love and desire for Salammbô, which drives much of the conflict.
Schahabarim
Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.
Taanach
Taanach is Salammbô's devoted servant and confidante, attending to her personal needs.
Schahabarim
Schahabarim, as high priest, exerts spiritual and psychological control over Salammbô, manipulating her faith.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Salammbô in I: The Feast

In the story

Salammbô appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

I: The Feast
Salammbô appears in a chariot, sings of Melkarth and her lineage, and speaks in multiple dialects to appease the Mercenaries, displaying her power and mystique.
III: Salammbô
Performs the moon ritual and expresses her spiritual longing for Tanith; she is conflicted between her devotion and her father's political plans for her.
V: Tanith
Confronts Matho after the theft, cursing him and the veil, and her imprecations echo through the city as he flees.
VII: Hamilcar Barca
Confronted by Hamilcar, she is terrified and collapses, hinting at her involvement with a Barbarian.
X: The Serpent
Disturbed by her serpent's illness and her own inner turmoil after seeing the zaïmph; undergoes ritual purification and serpent ceremony.
XI: In the Tent
Retrieves the zaïmph, escapes Gisco, and yields to Matho in his tent, torn between desire and duty.
XIII: Moloch
Attempts to calm Hannibal by telling him about Lamia, the Cyrenian ogress.
XV: Matho
Marries Narr'Havas but is emotionally overwhelmed by Matho's suffering; she dies after drinking a toast.

Chapter companion notes

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See Salammbô in I: The Feast