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Also spelled Barcas (Barca, or Barak, meaning 'lightning')
He
was the father of Hannibal and probably a member of the Carthaginian
high aristocracy. He assumed command of the Carthaginian forces in
Sicily during the last years of the First Punic War with Rome
(264-241). By 247, when Hamilcar was assigned the command in Sicily,
Carthage had lost to Rome all its Sicilian possessions except Lilybaeum
(now Marsala) and Drepanum (now Trapani). While harassing Roman troops
with guerrilla tactics in western Sicily, Hamilcar staged a landing on
the north coast, capturing Mount Ercte (probably Pellegrino near
Palermo), which he held in the face of determined Roman attempts to
dislodge him (247-244). From this area he mounted naval expeditions
against the shores of Sicily and southern Italy. Suddenly he left Ercte
for Mount Eryx (modern Erice near Trapani), which he held until 241. He
made repeated raids on the Romans and relieved the Punic garrison in
Lilybaeum.
{short
description of image}After the defeat of the Carthaginian fleet in that
year by Gaius Lutatius Catulus, Hamilcar negotiated the terms of the
peace that led to Carthage�s withdrawal from Sicily.
He
then returned to Africa and to anonymity. When the unpaid mercenary
troops revolt in what is called the 'Truceless War' he is called by the
popular classes to return. Until 238 Hamilcar was engaged in
recapturing his northern African provinces from the rebels. He succeed
finally in surprising the rebels near to Utica after a forced march
along a river bed and annihilates them in the 'Saw' pass.
His
success resulted in a growth in his strength as leader of Carthage's
popular party and led him, probably with his government's sanction, to
consider expansion of Carthaginian interests in Spain - rich in gold
and silver - as a compensation for the loss to Rome of Sicily and
Sardinia. He then set out in 237 and founded the city of Acra Leuce
(perhaps modern Alicante) and made extensive conquests. He developed
the Spanish territory effectively as a new base against Rome.
He
died in 229/228 in battle in the flood waters of the Jucar. Hamilcar
was probably the ablest general and statesman that Carthage had before
his son Hannibal.
Hamilcar's burial place?
Hamilcar
died in the land of the Edetani, crossing a river while trying to
escape from a Celtiberian army. This took place while Hamilcar was
besieging a place called Helice or Belice, the ancient Bellia,
identified as Belchite. The Carthaginian soldiers found refuge at
Akra-Leuka (Castrum-Album or Castrum Altum), that some identify as
Montalb�n and others as Pe��scola, and there elected Hasdrubal
(son-in-law of Hamilcar) as leader. Some have identified Castrum-Altum
as Castelser�s, on the r�o Guadalope. This theory is based on work by
Dr. Mateo Ainsa referring to Zapater who recorded that in 1610, in the
farm of Juan Bened�, the building �Agua Amarga� suffered an earthquake
that led to the discovery of part of a building of 8-10 yards square,
composed of worked stone with mouldings and inscriptions that could
well have been the tomb of Hamilcar Barca. (translated from
http://perso.wanadoo.es/adimtuno/Origenes/amilcar.htm ) |
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