Between the Punic Wars Source Analysis

Meanwhile Hamilcar, as commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army in Spain, with powers that rendered him almost entirely independent of the home government, had been steadily pursuing a career of conquest. The subjugation of this country was only a means to an end. His great object, as already stated, was to obtain the means of attacking, and, if possible, crushing, that hated rival who had robbed his country of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica. His implacable animosity against Rome is shown by the well-known tale, that when he crossed over to Spain in 236 B.C., taking with him his son Hannibal, then only nine years old, he made him swear at the altar eternal hostility to Rome. During the eight years that Hamilcar continued in Spain he carried the Carthaginian arms into the heart of the country. While he conquered several states in war, he gained over others by negotiation, and availed himself of their services as allies or mercenaries.  

He fell in battle in 228 B.C., and was succeeded in the command by his son-in-law Hasdrubal. His plans were ably carried out by his successor. The conciliatory manners of Hasdrubal gained him the affections of the Spaniards; and he consolidated the Carthaginian empire in Spain by the foundation of New Carthage, now Cartagena, in a situation admirably chosen on account of its excellent harbour and easy communication with Africa, as well as from its proximity to the silver mines, which supplied him with the means of paying his troops. His trusted lieutenant was the youthful Hannibal, who had been trained in arms under the eye of his father, and who already displayed that ability for war which Rome was so soon to feel. The successes of Hamilcar and Hasdrubal could not fail to attract the notice of the Romans; they did not understand the objects of the Phoenician generals, but, as it dawned on them that Spain might possibly be a battle-ground in the future, they concluded a treaty, by which the river Iberus (Ebro) was fixed as the northern boundary of the Carthaginian empire in Spain (228 B.C.). 

Hasdrubal was assassinated in 221 B.C. by a slave whose master he had put to death. Hannibal had now acquired such a remarkable ascendency over the army, that the soldiers unanimously proclaimed him commander-in-chief, and the government at Carthage hastened to ratify an appointment which they had not, in fact, the power to prevent. There can be no doubt that he already looked forward to the invasion and conquest of Italy as the goal of his ambition; but it was necessary for him first to complete the work which had been so ably begun by his two predecessors, and to establish the Carthaginian power as firmly as possible in Spain. This he accomplished in two campaigns, in the course of which he brought all the nations south of the Iberus into subjection to Carthage. His army was now in the highest degree of efficiency, and he felt that the time had come for the final move. All that was lacking was a pretext for war, and this he soon created. 

Bibliographical reference:

Smith, W. (1899). A Smaller History of Rome. Harper and Brothers, pg. 98-9.  

Contextual statement:

William Smith (1813–1893) was a British classical scholar who made significant contributions to the study of ancient history, classical languages, and biblical studies. He is perhaps best known for his series of books that were aimed to compile the knowledge of the ancient world in an accessible format.

Copyright: Public Domain

When Hannibal was about nine years old, he playfully asked his father Hamilcar to take him along to Spain. Hamilcar, who had just ended the Mercenary War and was preparing to move his army to Spain, took Hannibal to the altar where he was making sacrifices.

There, he had Hannibal touch the offerings and swear an oath to become an enemy of Rome as soon as he was able. Hamilcar was deeply upset about losing Sicily and Sardinia to the Romans. He believed that Rome had unfairly taken Sardinia and even forced Carthage to pay a fine during a time when Carthage was dealing with internal conflicts. 

Haunted by these thoughts, Hamilcar led his troops in the African War, which lasted for five years right after the peace treaty with Rome. He then spent nine years in Spain, expanding Carthage's territory. Throughout these years, it was clear that Hamilcar was planning for a much bigger war than the ones he was currently fighting. 

Bibliographical reference:

Livy, From the Foundation of the City, XXI.1-2.  

Contextual statement:

Titus Livius, commonly known as Livy, was a Roman historian who lived from around 59 BCE to 17 CE. He is best known for his monumental work "Ab Urbe Condita" ("From the Founding of the City"), which aimed to chronicle the history of Rome from its legendary foundation by Romulus and Remus up to his own time. The work originally consisted of 142 books, but only 35 of these have survived in reasonably complete form, along with fragments and summaries of some of the others.

Copyright: Public Domain