Middle Roman Republic, Between the First and Second Punic Wars (241-218 BC): Spain

As a result of the war Carthage had lost three of its most valuable possessions and now needed new areas to exploit in order to maintain its wealth and position. Hanno (7) wanted to concentrate all the resources towards an expansion further into Africa, but ⁰⁵Hamilcar Barca persuaded the Carthaginian senate to let him conquer Spain. He took with him his three sons, ⁰⁵Hannibal Barca (c.65; fl.221-c.183 BC), ⁰⁵Hasdrubal Barca (38; fl.218-207 BC) and ⁰⁶Mago Barca (40; fl.218-203 BC), and is said to have made each of them promise never to be friends of Rome.

The Carthaginians had once controlled large areas of Spain, but opposition by the inhabitants of Massilia (=Marseilles) on the southern coast of modern France and by the native Iberians had reduced Carthaginian acquisitions down to few of the old Phoenician cities, which included Gades (=Cadiz), the centre of trade with the west, on the south coast.

In 237 BC Hamilcar landed at Gades and over the next eight years recaptured many of the cities in southern and eastern Spain. After gaining control of Andalusia he advanced the Punic frontier to Cape Nao on the east coast and built a fortress at Akra Leuke (‘White Rock’, probably modern Alicante). In 229 BC he died while withdrawing from the siege of Helice (=Elche?), when his horse plunged into a river. 

Hamilcar was succeeded as the commander in Spain by his son-in-law Hasdrubal (4) the Fair (c.49; fl.228-221 BC), whose campaigning and treaties with the native tribes over the next two years took Carthaginian power northeastwards to the Ebro (=Iberus; hence Iberia) River. In 227 BC he married an Iberian princess and moved the Punic headquarters from Akra Leuke south to the site of Mastia on the east coast where he founded the city of Carthago Nova (‘New Carthage’). 

He opened up the country’s gold and silver mines, and as they yielded their wealth Hasdrubal’s power in Spain and influence in Carthage grew stronger. Iberian tribesmen were trained under Carthaginian commanders and eventually became excellent troops. By supplementing these with seasoned African infantry and cavalry, Hasdrubal created an army in Spain comparable with any that Carthage had had before.

This successful building of a Punic Empire in Spain naturally attracted Roman attention. In 226 BC Roman ambassadors arranged a treaty with Hasdrubal, under which he agreed not to cross the Ebro River with an armed force. Massilia, a Roman client, lost three small colonies south of the Ebro under this arrangement. Rome, anticipating Carthaginian military aggression, entered into a defensive alliance with Saguntum, an independent Iberian city of considerable strength a hundred miles (160 km) south of the river.

In 221 BC Hasdrubal was assassinated and his power passed to Hamilcar’s eldest son ⁰⁵Hannibal Barca, who immediately set out to subdue the Olcades (central-east) near the upper Guadiana River. After capturing their most important town, Althaea, he returned to his winter quarters at New Carthage.

The following year he set out against the Vaccaei (central-northwest). He took Helmantica (=Salamanca) by assault, but only succeeded in taking Arbucala after a long siege. On his return march he was attacked by the Carpetani (central), the strongest tribe in this area, who were joined by neighbouring tribes. Not wanting to risk his army in a regular battle, he retreated across the Tagus and made his preparations. When the enemy tried to cross, many of them were caught midstream by the cavalry, while others as they left the water were killed by elephants moving up and down along the edge of the river.

After this victory, few tribes south of the Ebro dared to face his army in battle. Carthaginian influence now extended all the way to the Ebro except for Saguntum (south of the Ebro) whose citizens, fearful of Hannibal’s intentions, now made an urgent appeal to Rome for protection. The Romans sent an embassy towards the end of 220 BC to warn Hannibal not to attack the town, but he proceeded to do just that.He began the siege of Saguntum in spring 219 BC and took the city eight months later. The Romans acted to secure their position in Illyria before confronting the Carthaginians. In 218 BC the Illyrians surrendered and Rome sent an envoy to Carthage with an ultimatum demanding the surrender of Hannibal and his staff. After some discussion the envoy, ⁰⁷Fabius Buteo (cos.245 BC), held two folds of his toga and said: ‘Here I hold both peace and war; choose which you will’. When the Carthaginians said that he should choose he dropped one fold of his toga and replied, ‘I give war’.