CARTHAGE, 



Conclusion 



of the first 

 ic war. 



:o overwhelm even a citizen; how much more a 

 % **"V^*' stranger and a foreigner." (Polyb. p. 'M. Appian. 

 v'/i l.ilycis, gul> init.) 



The Romans sent out a strong squadron to brintr 

 off the remains of the defeated army ; but in the pas- 

 sage to Sicily on their return, they met with a dread- 

 ful tempest, in which they lost almost their whole 

 fleet. This, ami several subsequent calamities, so 

 greatly dispirited them, that they determined for a 

 season to lay aside all naval operations. The Cartha- 

 ginians were thus left masters of the sea. The theatre 

 of war was now again removed to Sicily, where it 

 raged with unabated violence. The affairs of the 

 Carthaginians were in a state of progressive deteriora- 

 tion, till the appointment of Hamilcar, surnamed 

 Barcas, to the chief command. His valour and en- 

 terprise restored for a short time the drooping for- 

 tunes of his country, but in the end he was obliged 

 to yield. The Romans had soon become sensible of 

 the absolute necessity they were under of restoring 

 their ships ; and they did so with a resolution and 

 vigour which enabled them once more to prevail over 

 the superior skill and address of their enemy. Ano- 

 ther defeat at sea compelled Hamilcar to seek for 

 peace. (B. C. 2t2.) It was granted, but upon con- 

 ditions so harsh, and dictated by the Romans with 

 90 much insolence, that Hamilcar from that moment 

 conceived an invincible aversion to the Roman name. 

 He concluded peace, only that he might give his 

 country time to breathe, and that they might after- 

 wards be able to chastise the insolence to which they 

 were at present compelled to submit. The terms of 

 peace were these : That the Carthaginians should 

 evacuate Sicily ; that they should not, for the future, 

 make war on Hiero king of Syracuse, or any of his 

 allies ; that they should release all Roman captives 

 without ransom ; and within twenty years, pay to 

 the Romans a sum of three thousand Euboic talents.* 

 The people of Rome refused to ratify this treaty, till 

 they had sent ten commissioners into Sicily to examine 

 into the actual state of affairs. By these, some ad- 

 ditional articles were added of inferior importance, 

 but still harsher tendency. The ratifications were 

 then interchanged, and Asdrubal retired to Lilybaeum, 

 where he resigned to Gico the care of transporting 

 the troops to Africa. (Polybius ubi supra.} 



Thus, after twenty-three years continuance, ended 

 the first Punic war ; leaving the contending parties 

 weakened, indeed, but not dispirited ; with their re- 

 sources exhausted, but their mutual animosity increa- 

 sed and exasperated beyond measure. The excellent 

 Polybius, in a recapitulation of the most remarkable 

 circumstances of the contest, gives the preference to 

 the Roman soldiers above the Carthaginian ; but at 

 the same time he allows, that Hamilcar Barcas proved 

 himself, both in bravery and conduct, the greatest 

 captain of the age. 



War of the Carthage had no sooner relieved itself from the 

 srceua- pressure of this bloody and expensive war, than it 

 found itself involved in another, which had very near- 

 ly proved fatal. The mercenary troops, when they 

 returned to Africa, found that the public treasury 



was too much exhausted to discharge their arrears of Carthagt. 



pay. Tl.'y quickly became clamorous, and committed ""V^"' 

 the ; '5 in the city. The senate endea- 



voured to pacify them, by giving a sum of money fat 

 their present subsistence, and persuading them to re- 

 tire to Sicca, promising that when the remainder of 

 the troops arrived from Sicily, all their demands 

 should be satisfied. At Sicca, they quickly became 

 more licentious than ever ; and Hanno, one of the 

 Suffetcs, was sent to allay their discontents. Upon 

 his arrival at Sicca, lie conducted himself in the most 

 preposterous and imprudent manner. He expatiated 

 upon the poverty and distresses of the state ; and, 

 instead of answering the high expectations of the dig' 

 contented, he desired them to be satisfied with recei- 

 ving part of their pay, arid remit the remainder to 

 meet the pressing exigencies of the commonwealth. 



The mercenaries were highly exasperated by these 

 disappointments ; and still more, when they saw 

 their cause entrusted to Hanno, to whom their merits 

 and services were utterly unknown, while neither Ha- 

 milcar, nor any of the officers under whom they had 

 served in Sicily, came forward on the occasion. Im- 

 mediately they had recourse to arms ; and advancing 

 to Tunis, they encamped before it, with a force little 

 short of twenty thousand men. The Carthaginians, 

 greatly alarmed by the approach of such a body ot 

 irritated enemies, endeavoured to soothe them with 

 promises and concessions. After much discussion, 

 the mutineers consented to refer their claims to Gisco 

 for decision. He had obtained the affection and con- 

 fidence of the troops, when left by Hamilcar in com- 

 mand at Lilybaeum. Relying on their tried attach- 

 ment, he set out at once to the camp near Tunis. Ha- 

 ving conferred with the several officers apart, and ex- 

 postulated with them in a firm yet insinuating man- 

 ner on their misconduct, he succeeded in persuading 

 them to consent to take their arrears of pay, and re- 

 turn to their allegiance ; when on a sudden all his la. 

 hours were frustrated by the machinations of two 

 miscreants, who had distinguished themselves as lead- 

 ers in the mutiny. Spondius was a mercenary slave 

 from Rome, and dreaded to fall again into his master's 

 power ; and Mathos, who, though an African and 

 free born, had been very active in exciting the rebel- 

 lion, and was apprehensive of the punishment which 

 awaited him from the Carthaginians. Inflamed by 

 the artifices and misrepresentations of these men, the 

 troops at once rejected all means of conciliation, sei- 

 zed Gisco and his attendants, and loaded them with 

 irons. (Polyb. p. fj, 69, 70.) 



Carthage was now reduced to a state of the utmost The ra*r- 

 distress ; the tributary states of Africa joined them- 

 selves to the mutineers ; and thus s>he saw herself s>ur- 

 rounded on all sides by active and irritated enemies, 

 and deprived, at the same time, of all hrr resources 

 and accustomed mtans of defence. Notwithstanding 

 these adverse circumstances, she did not despond. All 

 citizens capable of bearing arms were mustered, new 

 levies were made wherever soldiers could be procured, 

 and the fleet was refitted with all expedition. The 

 command of the forces was given to Hanno, who at 

 first gained some slight advantages ; but was soon af~ 



Haui.o. 



About half a million sterling. The Euboic talent was sixty Attic minae equal to \ 93, 16s. 8d. 



