San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-25
Fascinating Discoveries Ra assf Ancient Carthage

barrel lined with sharp spikes
and rolling him down hill.
When the grim old Carthaginian
general Hamilcar made his sons,
Hannibal and Hasdrubal, swear
on the altar of the gods that they
would never rest until Rome was
destroyed, it looked even less
feasible than the Roman attempt
to suddenly become a sea power.
The Romans were masters of
the Carthaginians' chosen element,
and had always been better on
land. Furthermore, it would be
necessary in order to destroy
Rome to march an army half way
around the Mediterranean, which
meant almost half way around the
known world. But Hamilcar saw
a way. His son-in-law, Hasdrubal,
prepared it, and his sons, Hannibal
and Hasdrubal, carried it out to a
hairs breadth of success. First
they had to persuade the business
men of Carthage that it would be
good business to crush Rome.
That was easy, because the Roman
war galleys had made many of
the Carthaginian trade routes
unsafe. The business men were
glad enough to foot the bill, if it
did not bankrupt them and if
Hannibal did not become too pow
erful during the proceedings.
The first thing was to build out
of almost nothing an army that
could beat the unbeatable Romans.
This was done in Spain, half way
between the two cities, where
the Carthaginians assembled and
drilled their mercenaries, strange
mixtures, Berbers, wild African
negroes, even wilder Norsemen,
any kind of a tough person who
would risk his life for a small
wage and a chance to plum
der. Meanwhile the Carthaginians
opened up and financed mines of
precious and useful metals and
started various industries in Spain,
so that soon they had half the in
habitants working for them and
the other half giving their army
P'oceiNt ~ hSlItIiS JIelH.
The Romans sent an embassy to
Carthage TO find out what these
preparations meant. The ambassa-
dor began rather tactfully for a
Roman by saying, 81 offer you
either peace or war" The Car
thaglnlans answered, "Give us
whichever you prefer" The Ro-
man, thus challenged, said that he
preferred war, and the offer was
accepted.
Hannibal came into supreme
control Of the Punic armies when
only nineteen years of age and led
his country's great thrust at Rome.
With the flower of the armies he
marched across the Pyrennees,
through Gaul, over the Alps and
into Italy, fighting all sorts Of peo-
Piles most Of the way, but also
managing TO pick up few allies.
When he had met and beaten two
Roman generals other allies began
to join, and Rome recognized a
crisis. At Lake Trasimene, Hanni-
bal trapped Flaminius into an am
DNSi', NiphF Np HlH IHFlHClDls no
man leRjOns with elephants and
crushed them with horse and in
fantry. FlaminiUs was killed and
the emergency army Rome had
raised annihilatcd.
Fabius, "The Delaycr," now
marched around after Hannibal,
watching Italian land laid waste,
yet not daring to strike. Rome
became Disguised at this shameful
delay, and gave Minucius, Master
Of Horse, equal powers with Fa-
bus, the Dictator. Minucius took
a chance and Fabius just man
aged to save him for Hannibal.
Once more the Romans gathered
their forces for a supreme effort