History of War – October 2019

“IN 247 BCE,CARTHAGE

COMMANDOFTHESTALL

THISWASHAMILCARBAR

BEONEOFCARTHAGE’SM

HAMILCAR

Praised by Diodorus Siculus for hisnob
high intelligence, Hamilcar Barca alsow
from the ancient historian for his “zealf
and scorn of danger”. He was Carthage
accomplished general of the First Punic
Barca was not in fact a family name
instead a nickname meaning ‘Thunder
a reference to the great speed withwh
conducted attacks on his Roman oppo

SENTANEWWGENERALTOTAKE

EDWWARWITHTHEROMANS.

RCA,WHOWOULDPROVEETO

MOST TALENTEDWWWARLORDS”

hel

Girard, The Art Agency

Image: Jean Mich

T RBOLT OFCARTHAGE

ilityand

won praise

for glory

’s most

cWar.

e, butt was

rboolt’,

hihichhe

onents.

In theabove,insetimageweseehimstandingng

beforeanaltarwithhishiseldesteldestson,Hannibal.

Hamilcarr hadhadaskedHannibal if hewouldlike

toto joinj himonhisgrandSpanishexpedition,

andHannibal,agednine,hadenthusiastically

agreed.His fatherthenbroughthimto thealtar,

andhadHannibalswearunendinghatredof the

Romans,anoath he would abide by for the rest

of hislife.

Hamilcar Barca with his son Hannibal