page_title: Hamilcar Barca
section_title: Family
hierarchical_section_title: Hamilcar Barca / Barcid Spain / Family
caption_attribution_description: Ancient coin of Hannibal, possibly depicting Hannibal as Hercules. See here for more information. Also refer to G. Hafner in Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Madrid 14 (1973) p. 143.
context_page_description: Hamilcar Barca or Barcas was a Carthaginian general and statesman, leader of the Barcid family, and father of Hannibal, Hasdrubal and Mago. He was also father-in-law to Hasdrubal the Fair.
  Hamilcar commanded the Carthaginian land forces in Sicily from 247 BC to 241 BC, during the latter stages of the First Punic War. He kept his army intact and led a successful guerrilla war against the Romans in Sicily. Hamilcar retired to Carthage after the peace treaty in 241 BC, following the defeat of Carthage. When the Mercenary War burst out in 240 BC, Hamilcar was recalled to command and was instrumental in concluding that conflict successfully. Hamilcar commanded the Carthaginian expedition to Spain in 237 BC, and for eight years expanded the territory of Carthage in Spain before dying in battle in 228 BC. He may have been responsible for creating the strategy which his son Hannibal implemented in the Second Punic War to bring the Roman Republic close to defeat.
context_section_description: Hamilcar had at least three daughters and at least three sons.
  His first daughter was married to Bomilcar, who was a suffete of Carthage and may have commanded the Punic fleet in the Second Punic war. His grandson, Hanno, was an important commander in the army of his son Hannibal.
  The second daughter was married to Hasdrubal the Fair.
  His third daughter married the Berber ally Naravas, a Numidian chieftain whose defection had saved Hamilcar and his army during the mercenary war.
  Hamilcar had three sons, Hannibal, Hasdrubal and Mago, who were all to have distinguished military careers. An unnamed fourth son is often referred to, but details are lacking.
caption: Carthaginian coin possibly depicting Hannibal as Hercules (i.e. Heracles)
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