Hasdrubal the Fair
Hasdrubal the Fair | |
|---|---|
 Hasdrubal bust in Cartagena, Spain | |
| Born | Circa 270 BC Carthage |
| Died | 221 BC |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Occupation(s) | Military leader and politician |
| Predecessor | Hamilcar Barca |
| Successor | Hannibal |
Hasdrubal the Fair (Punic: 𐤏𐤆𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤋,[1] ʿAzrobaʿl; c. 270–221 BC) was a Carthaginian military leader and politician, governor in Iberia after Hamilcar Barca's death, and founder of Cartagena.[2]
Family
Livy's History of Rome records that Hasdrubal was the brother-in-law of the Carthaginian leader Hannibal and son-in-law of Hamilcar Barca.[3]
Career
Hasdrubal followed Hamilcar in his campaign against the governing aristocracy at Carthage at the close of the
After Hamilcar's death in 228 BC, while he was fighting Iberian tribes,[5] Hasdrubal succeeded him in command and followed orders from Carthage since Hamilcar's sons were too young. Hannibal, the elder, was 19 at the time. Unlike his predecessor, Hasdrubal largely preferred diplomacy over military campaigns.[6] In accordance with the common diplomatic customs of the time, Hasdrubal demanded hostages from the realms who bent the knee to Carthage to dissuade them from breaking their treaties.
Thus, he extended the territory by skillful diplomacy and consolidating it by founding the important city and naval base of Qart Hadasht, which the Romans later called
Death
Seven years after Hamilcar's death, Hasdrubal the Fair was assassinated in 221 BC by a slave of the
Hasdrubal's successor was his brother-in-law and the son of Hamilcar,
See also
- Other Hasdrubals in Carthaginian history
References
Citations
- ^ Huss (1985), p. 566.
- ^ "Hasdrubal – MSN Encarta". Archived from the original on 2008-05-27.
- ^ Livy's History of Rome: Book 21.2
- ^ Polybius 3.7–16, Livy 21.22.1–4, Livy 23.26.2, Diodorus of Sicily 25.2: Hasdrubal, son of Hamilcar, was sent by his father-in-law to Carthage against the Numidians, who had rebelled against Carthaginians, killing eight thousand in combat and taking two thousand prisoners. The rest were submitted to tribute.
- ^ Diodorus, 25. 10.
In the course of his flight Hamilcar contrived to save the lives of his sons and his friends by turning aside on another road; overtaken by the king, he plunged on horseback into a large river and perished in the flood under his steed, but his sons Akra Leuke.
- ^ Livy 21.2.7 He augmented Carthaginian dominion promoting hospitality bonds with lesser kings and leaders, attracting new nations by noblemen friendships, and not by war and weapons.
- ^ Polybius 2.13, 2.22
- ^ Italicus, Silius. Punica. pp. 1.155–170.
Bibliography
- Huss, Werner (1985), Geschichte der Karthager, Munich: C.H. Beck, ISBN 9783406306549. (in German)
- Diodorus of Sicily: History [1]
- Appian: Roman History. Biblioteca Clásica Gredos 84 (in Spanish).
- Polybius: Histories. Biblioteca Clásica Gredos 38 y 43 (in Spanish).
- Titus Livius: History of Rome. Libro de Bolsillo Alianza Editorial 1595 1–2 (in Spanish).
External links
- Livius.org: Hasdrubal the Fair Archived 2012-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
