574 



CARTHAGE. 



And are in 

 turn de- 

 feated by 

 Hamilcar, 



Carthage, ter surprised in his camp, and even suffered the mer- 

 N " TV-T"'' cenaries to possess themselves, without opposition, of 

 the isthmus which connected the city with the main 

 land of Africa. To remedy these disasters, Hamil- 

 car Barcas was once more called to the head of af- 

 fairs. He marched against the enemy with about 

 10,000 men, horse and foot, which were all the 

 troops the Carthaginians could at that time assemble 

 for their defence. Having passed the Bagrada by a 

 stratagem, he gave battle to the mercenaries, and com- 

 pletely defeated them, killing six thousand, and ma- 

 king two thousand prisoners. Notwithstanding this 

 defeat, the malcontents had still such advantage of 

 numbers, that their army, under Spondius, and Au- 

 tonitus a Gaul, were able to surround that of Ha- 

 milcar. So completely was this effected, that the 

 whole army must have been destroyed, had it not 

 happened that a young Numidian of rank, by name 

 Naravasus, being struck with admiration for Hamil- 

 car's character and talents, came over to him with 

 two thousand horse. Thus strengthened, he was en- 

 abled to give battle on more equal terms. After a 

 most obstinate conflict, in which ten thousand of the 

 mutineers were killed, he remained master of the field. 

 The genius of Hamilcar enabled him to surmount all 

 the difficulties which opposed him. The war conti- 

 nued for three years and four months, and was carried 

 on with extreme cruelty on both sides ; such (says 

 Polybius) as had never before been witnessed. Its 

 conclusion was much more fortunate than the Car- 

 v thaginians could have been warranted to expect ; they 

 still retained all Africa in subjection, and revenged 

 themselves on the first instigators of the rebellion, by 

 B C. 238. the infliction of the most cruel tortures. (B. C. 238. 

 Poli/bius, lib. i. sub fine. ) 



During the Libyan war, the mercenaries stationed 

 in Sardinia had declared against the Carthaginians, 

 and possessed themselves of all the strong places in 

 the island. The Romans not only gave countenance 

 to this revolt, but actually sent the consul Sempro- 

 nius with a fleet to support the malcontents. The 

 Carthaginians being exhausted by their domestic dis- 

 asters, were obliged to surrender the island without 

 resistance, and to purchase a continuance of the peace 

 by a present of twelve hundred talents. 



Hamilcar, by the happy conclusion of the Libyan 

 war, had restored tranquillity to his country ; but he 

 found that she would be still unable to cope with her 

 haughty rival. He determined, therefore, to under- 

 take the entire conquest of Spain, in the hope that it 

 would supply to the Carthaginians both a school of 

 military discipline and a magazine of warlike stores 

 whenever they should renew the contest with Rome. 

 Hamilcar did not attempt to disguise his hatred to 

 the Roman name ; he publicly avowed the motives 

 of his expedition, and took with him Hannibal his 

 son, and Hasdrubal his son-in-law, having inspired 

 them both with aa implacable aversion against those, 

 whom he considered as the destroyers of his coun- 

 try's grandeur. (Polyb. lib. iii. p. 167- ) Nine years 

 he fought in Spain, subjecting either by force or by 

 persuasion, the greatest part of the country to the 

 Death of Carthaginian power, and at last fell gloriously in the 

 Hamilcar. field of battle at the head of his troops. (Polyb. lib. ii. 

 p. 90. Liv, lib. jixi. c. 2. ) The army elected Has- 



The Car- 

 thaginians 

 turn their 

 attention 

 to Spain. 



drubal to succeed him, which appointment was con- Carthage. 

 firmed by the senate of Carthage. He conducted ^ m ~^f^~' 

 himself with great prudence; and, to secure the ac- 

 quisitions of his predecessor, built a city, which was 

 afterwards called New Carthage. (B. C. 22?. ) The B. C. 227. 

 Romans viewed the progress of the Carthaginian 

 arms in Spain with considerable jealousy. For the 

 present, however, they contented themselves with 

 concluding a treaty, the articles of which were, 

 1st, That the Carthaginians should not pass the Iberus. 

 2d, That theSaguntum, with the neighbouring Greek 

 colonies which had implored the protection of Rome, 

 should enjoy their ancient rights and privileges. 

 Hasdrubal still pushed on his conquests, though he 

 was cautious not to pass these limits. Having ma- and of 

 naged the Carthaginian affairs in Spain for eight years, Hasdrubafc 

 he was at last assassinated by a Gaul, whose master 

 he had put to death. Hasdrubal three years before Appear- 



had written to Carthage to desire that Hannibal, *!? ce f . 

 , r -1^1 Hannibal. 



then twenty-two years or age, might be sent out to 



him. This was opposed by Hanno, who represented 

 that it would give undue weight to the Barcine party. 

 The objection was over- ruled, and the young soldier 

 was suffered to depart. He quickly drew upon him- 

 self the attention of the whole army, who were eager 

 to hail the opening virtues of the son of Hamilcar. 

 Even Livy himself seems, in speaking of Hannibal, ' scluira 

 to lay aside his animosities as a Roman, and to dw- 11 

 with delight on the various qualities of this extraor- 

 dinary man. " Never," says he, " was there a dis- 

 position better qualified even for the most opposite 

 things, whether for obedience or for command. Bold- 

 ly adventurous in undertaking dangers, he displayed 

 eminent skill and presence of mind when engaged in 

 them. No labours could exhaust his body or depress 

 his spirits. He was capable alike of enduring heat 

 and cold, and in his food consulted only the demands 

 of nature, not the suggestions of appetite: No stated 

 hours were allotted by him for sleep or study, either 

 by night or day. It was only the time unoccupied by 

 business that he gave up to repose, courting 1 it neither 

 by silence nor the softness of his bed. On the contra- 

 ry, he was often seen lying on the ground, amidst the 

 sentinels and guards. He was distinguished from his 

 equals by no superiority of dress, but his arms and his 

 horses were always conspicuous. In the performance 

 of military duties, whether of cavalry or infantry, he 

 was ever foremost : the first in entering the combat, 

 he was the last to quit the field. Eminent as were 

 these virtues, they were equalled by the enormity of 

 his vices. His cruelty was disgraceful to human 

 nature ; his treachery without example, even at Car- 

 thage ; he utterly contemned all truth and sanctity, 

 all fear of the gods, all reverence for oaths, all the 

 obligations of religion." To the latter part of this 

 character the subsequent conduct of Hannibal is in 

 direct contradiction. Much must be allowed to the 

 prejudices of Livy; yet he cannot be acquitted of a 

 malicious intention to blacken, by vague and general 

 censures, the character of the man who unquestion- 

 ably proved himself the greatest general that has 

 existed in any age. 



Such was the man, who now, by the unanimous 

 voice of the army, was called to conduct the affairs 

 of the Carthaginians in Spain. He was in his twen.- 



