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

~HASDRUBAL. HASDRUBAL. 357
of the son of Hamilcar and the brother of Hannibal. to the Numidians to pursue the enemy, and, bring-'The loss on his side had amounted, according to ing up his cavalry to the centre of the field, by a
Polybius, to 10,000 men, while it is exaggerated well-timed charge upon the rear of the Roman inby the Roman writers (who appear anxious to fantry, at the same time that they were engaged
make the battle of the Metaurus a compensation both in fiont and flank with Hannibal's African
for that of Cannae), to more than 50,000. But the and Spanish foot, effectually decided the fortune of
amount of loss is unimportant; the battle was de- the day. (Polyb. iii. 115-118; Liv. xxii. 46cisive of the fate of the war in Italy. (Polyb. xi. 48.) Appian, whose account of the battle* of
1-3; Liv. xxvii. 36, 39, 43-49; Appian, Hisp. Cannae (Annib. 20-24) differs very much from
28, Annib. 52, 53; Zonar. ix. 9; Oros. iv. 18; that of Polybius, ana is far less probable, assigns
Eutrop. iii. 18.) The consul, C. Nero, hastened the command of the left wing of the Carthaginian
back to Apulia almost as speedily as he had come, army to Hanno, and that of the right to Mago, and
and is said to have announced to Hannibal the does not mention Hasdrubal at all. It is moie
defeat and death of his brother, by throwing down singular, that after this time his name does not
before~ his camp the severed head of Hasdrubal. occur again either in Polybius or Livy.
(Liv. xxvii. 51.) 9. Surnamed the Bald (Calvus), commander of
The merits of Hasdrubal as a general are known the Carthaginian expedition to Sardinia in the Seto us more by the general admission of his enemies, cond Punic War, B. c. 215. The revolt of Hampwho speak of him as a worthy rival of his father sicora in Sardinia having excited in the government
and his brother, than from any judgment we can of Carthage hopes of recovering that important
ourselves form from the imperfect and perverted island, they placed under the command of Hasdruaccounts that have been transmitted to us. Of his bal a fleet and army equal to those sent into Spain
personal character we know nothing: not a single under Mago, with which he put to sea; but a storm
anecdote, not a single individual trait, has'been drove his armament to the Balearic islands, where
preserved to us by the Roman writers of the man he was obliged to remain some'time in order to
who for so many years maintained the struggle refit. Meanwhile, affairs in Sardinia had taken an
against some of their ablest generals. We can only unfavourable turn, notwithstanding which, he
conjecture, from some of the events of the Spanish landed his forces in the island, and uniting them
war, that he possessed to a great degree the same with those of Hampsicora, marched -straight upon
power over the minds of men that was evinced by Caralis, when they were met by the Roman praetor,
other members of his family; and his conduct T. Manlius. A pitched battle ensued, which ended
towards the subject tribes seems to have been re- in the total defeat of the Carthaginian army. Hasgarded as presenting a favourable contrast to that drubal himself was made prisoner, and carried in
of his namesake, the son of Gisco. (Polyb. ix. triumph to Rome by Manlius. (Liv. xxiii. 32, 34,
11.)> 140, 41; Zonar. ix. 4; Eutrop. iii. 13.)
7. A member of the senate of Carthage, who, 10. Son of Gisco. one of the Carthaginian generals
according to Zonaras (viii. 22), took the lead in in Spain during the Second Punic War. He is first
recommending the rejection of the demands of mentioned as arriving in that country, with a conRome, and the declaration of war, when' the Roman siderable army, in B. c. 214, and as co-operating
embassy arrived at Carthage, after the fall of Sa- with Hasdrubal and Mago, the two sons of Haguntum, B. c. 219. He is not mentioned by any milcar, in the campaign of that year. But, notother writer. withstanding the union of their three armies, they
8. An officer of high rank in the army of Han- were able to effect nothing decisive. The outline
nibal. He is first mentioned as being entrusted by of the events which marked the Spanish war from
that general with the care of transporting: his army this year until the departure of Hasdrubal the son
over the Po (Polyb. iii. 66); and we afterwards of Hamilcar to Italy, has been already given in
find him employed in preparing the arrangements the life of the latter [No. 6], and it seems unfor the well-known stratagem by which Hannibal necessary to recapitulate it, in order to point out
eluded the vigilance. of Fabius, and effected his the share which the son of Gisco took in the sucescape from Campania. through the passes of the' cesses or reverses of the Carthaginian arms. From
Apennines. (Id. iii.:93; Liv. xxii. 16.) He at an early period of the war, dissensions arose bethis time held the chief direction of all military tween the three generals, which doubtless conworks (d etrl?erTovpy6'v e'arys/rbYos); but there tributed not a little to the fluctuations of its
is little doubt that it is the same person whom we success, and which appear to have risen to a still
afterwards find in command of Hannibal's camp greater height after the defeat and death of the two
at Geronium on the occasion of his action with Mi- Scipios (B. c. 212) had left them apparently unnucius (Polyb. iii. 102), and who also commanded disputed masters of Spain. The particular part
the left wing of the Carthaginian army at the battle which the son of Gisco took in these is nowhere
of Cannae (B. C. 216). On that memorable day, mentioned, but it is difficult to avoid the conjecture
Hasdrubal rendered the most important services. that they were in great part owing to his jealousy
The Spanish and Gaulish horse under his command, of the sons of Hamilcar; and Polybius expressly
after an obstinate combat, obtained the victory over charges him (ix. 11, x. 35, 36) with alienating the
the Roman cavalry to which they were opposed, minds of the Spaniards by his arrogance and
cut to pieces the greater part of them, and dispersed rapacity, among others that of Indibilis, one of the
the rest. As soon as he saw his victory in this chiefs who had been most faithfully attached to
quarter complete, Hasdrubal hastened to recal his the Carthaginian cause. [INDIBILIS.]
troops from the pursuit, and led them to the sup- When Hasdrubal the son of Hamilcar, after his
poit of the Numidian cavalry of the right wing, defeat at Baecula by Scipio (B. c. 209), moved
against whom.the Roman allies had hitherto main- northwards across the Tagus, he was joined by his
tained their ground, but took to flight on perceiving two colleagues, and, at'the council of war held by
the approach of Hasdrubal. He thereupon left it them, it was agreed, that while the son of Hamilcar
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