War of the Mercenaries

During the First Punic War, the Carthaginois made use of armies made up mainly of Mercenaire S (contrary to the Romains), whose they regulated the payment after the wars, which almost had hitherto always been of the punic victories.

Context

However, the first Punic War, it, one crushing was demolished Carthaginian, and the Romans had imposed a treaty to them according to which Carthage was seen obliged to pour the enormous war indemnity of 3200 talents. The payment of this fine caused a true economic crisis in the city, and the leaders could not regulate the mercenaries (nearly 20.000 men) who waited. Those thus decided, in the absence of payment, to be useful itself on the country, and devastated the North-African coasts, joined soon by many other brigands, eager to make fortune while plundering. Their chiefs were Matho, Spendios and Autarite.

The war inexpiable

In Carthage, it is panic. One points out Hamilcar Barca, one of the largest generals of the first Punic War and the future father of Hannibal, to subdue the revolt. Hesitating to fight its own troops, the exactions that those made on the Carthaginian mercenaries remained faithful it convainquirent. The government thus engaged of new mercenaries, 10.000 men and 70 elephants, and entrusts them to Hamilcar. After some victories, Rome, for fear the second town of the Western Mediterranean does not fall under the blows from insurgent and does not disappear, putting thus fine at a flourishing trade between the two cities, agreed to deliver certain punic prisoners of war and refused to help the revolts.

Giscon, a noble Carthaginian, is then sent as a member of Parliament; it is captured and torture victim: its hands and its feet are distinct, then it is thrown alive in a pit, like 7000 other Carthaginians. Made Hamilcar, in reprisals, to crush the prisoners whom it holds by its elephants. It is from there that the nickname comes from “war inexpiable”.

Hamilcar then succeeds in blocking the insurrectionists under the command of Spendios in a procession, known as “of the Axe” (evoked by Gustave Flaubert in its novel Salammbô ). Famished, the mercenaries are reduced by it to eat human flesh.

Resolution of the conflict

Hamilcar then requires to see certain generals of the armies risen to propose the to them Paix of the Brave men. Those are immediately crucifiés, but meanwhile, the menus soldiers, not seeing their generals returning, believe in treason and supplicient the remaining generals, to be avenged.

The Libyens, which had given their support for revolted in the hope of a stamping from the Carthaginian supervision, will be beaten a little later close to Leptis Minor.

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