A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

HASDRUBAL. HASDRUBAL. 355
command in Spain for a period of between eight in Italy by the great victory of Cannae, was sigand nine years. (Polyb. ii. 1, 13, 36; Diod. Exc. nalised by no decisive results in Spain, Hasdrubal
f~f/seL. xxv. 3, p. 511; Appian, I1isp. 4-8; Liv. having apparently confined himself to defensive
xxi. 2; Zona, viii. 19.) operations, or to enterprises against the Spanish
According to Fabies (ap. Polyb. iii. 8), Hasdrubal tribes. But when the news of the battle of Cannae
had been so elated by the successes he had obtained reached Carthage, orders were immediately sent to
in Spain, that he repaired to Carthage, with the Hasdrubal to march at once into Italy, in orderto
design of overthrowing the constitution of his support and co-operate with the victorious Hancountry, and establishing himself in the pessession nibal, and Himilco was sent with a fresh army to
of unlimited power; but failing in this object, he supply his place in Spain. But the execution of
returned to Spain, and thenceforth governed that this plan was frustrated by the total defeat of
country with uncontrolled and arbitrary authority. Hasdrubal in a battle with the two Scipios near
Notwithstanding the censure of Polybius, there is the passage of the Iberus; and this disaster was
certainly nothing in itself improbable in this state- followed by the defection of many of the native
ment: the position of Hasdrubal in Spain, like tribes. (Liv. xxiii. 26-29, 32; Zonar. ix. 3.)
that of his predecessor and successor, was in great The Carthaginians now sent to his relief his
measure independent of the government at home, brother Mago, with a force of 12,000 foot, 1500
a fact sufficiently proved by the remarkable circum- horse, and 20 elephants, which had been previously
stance that the celebrated treaty which fixed the destined for the assistance of Hannibal in Italy;
Iberus as the boundary of the two nations was and we henceforward find the two brothers coconcluded by the Romans, not with the Carthagi- operating in the war in Spain. But our knowledge
nian government, but with Hasdrubal alone. (Po- of their proceedings is very imperfect: the Roman
lyb. ii. 13, iii. 27, 29; Liv. xxi. 2, 18,. 19.) A accounts are full of the most palpable and absurd
splendid palace which he erected at New Carthage exaggerations; and it is utterly impossible to form
was also pointed out as an additional proof of his any thing like a clear conception of the military
assumption of sovereign power. (Polyb. x. 10. operations of either side. Hence a very brief
~ 9.) notice of the leading events of the war is all that
6. Son of the great Hamilcar Barca, and brother can be here attempted. It may be observed, howof the still more famous Hannibal. He is men- ever, that the operations of the generals on both
tioned as being present in the battle in which his sides must naturally have been determined in great
father lost his life, and from which he escaped, measure by the fluctuating policy of the different
together with his brother' Hannibal, to the city of Spanish tribes, concerning which we have scarcely
Acra Leuce. (Diod. Evc. Hoeschk. xxv. 2.) This any information; and this circumstance may someis the only notice we find of him previous to the times serve to explain changes of fortune which
departure of Hannibal for Italy; but it is evident would otherwise appear wholly unaccountable.
that he must not only have been trained up in war, In the year 215 we find Hasdrubal and Mago
but must have already given proofs of his ability, employed with their united forces in the siege of
which led his brother to confide to him the im- Illiturgi, when the two Scipios came up to the reportant command of the army in Spain, when he lief of the city, totally defeated them, and took
himself set out on his daring march to Italy, B. C. their camp. But this disaster did not prevent
218. The troops left under his command amounted them from soon after forming the siege of Indibilis,
to less than 13,000 foot and 2500 horse, princi- where, it is said, they again experienced the like
pally Africans (Polyb. iii. 33); but he doubtless ill fortune. (Liv. xxiii. 49.) The next year, 214,
greatly increased this number by levies among the was marked by the arrival in Spain of a third
Spaniards themselves. With a part of this force Carthaginian general, Hasdrubal the son of Gisco,
he advanced to support Hanno, who had been left with a considerable army; but, notwithstanding
in charge of the province between the Iberus and this reinforcement, nothing memorable was effected.
the Pyrenees, against Cn. Scipio; but that general The Roman. accounts indeed speak of two succeswas defeated, and his army destroyed before he sive victories gained by Cn. Scipio, but followed
could arrive, and he was obliged to content himself (as usual) by no apparent results. (Liv. xxiv. 41,
with cutting off a body of the Roman soldiers who 42.) Of the campaign of 213 no particulars are
were attached to the fleet. (Polyb. iii. 76; Liv. recorded by Livy; but according to Appian (H/sp.
xxi. 61.) The next spring (B. c. 217) he advanced 15), Hasdrubal was employed during a part of this
from New Carthage, where he had wintered, with year in Africa, having been sent for by the governthe intention of dispossessing Cn. Scipio of the ment at home to carry on the war against the reprovince north of the Iberus; but the loss of his volted Numidians, which he brought to a successful
fleet, which was almost destroyed by that of the termination, and then returned to Spain. The
Romans, appears to have paralysed his movements, following year (B. c. 212) was at length marked
and he did not even cross the Iberus. Before the by a decisive success on the part of the Carthagiend of the season, P. Scipio joined his brother with nians. The two Scipios appear to have roused
large reinforcements from Rome, and they now themselves to make a great effort, and dividing
assumed the offensive, and crossed the Iberus, with- their forces, marched to attack the separate Carout Bostar, who had been despatchedby Hasdrubal thaginian armies at the same time. The result
to oppose them, venturing to meet them in the was fatal: Cn. Scipio, who was opposed to Hasfield. No decisive action took place before the drubal, was at once paralysed by the defection of
winter; but Bostar, by suffering the Spanish hos- 20,000 Celtiberian mercenaries, who were gained
tages to fall into the hands of the Romans [BOSTAR over by the Carthaginian general: meanwhile his
No. 3], gave a shock-to the Carthaginian influence brother Publius had fallen in an engagement with
throughout Spain which it hardly recovered. the Numidian cavalry of Hasdrubal son of Gisco
(Polyb. iii. 95-99; Liv. xxii. 19-22.) The and Mago; and those two generals having hastened
campaign of the next year, 216, which was marked to join their forces with those of the son of Barc,
AA 2