The distinguished career of Hamilcar Barca, as commander of the Carthaginian fleet during the First Punic War, was temporarily interrupted after his defeat at the hands of Rome off Lilybaeum in 241. The peace terms he negotiated allowed him to withdraw his troops to Africa on the agreement that Carthage abandon all claims to Sardinia and Sicily, refrain from sailing her warships in Italian waters, and pay an indemnity of 3,200 talents. The Carthaginian oligarchy soon showed more interest in expanding into Africa and Spain and reappointed Hamilcar as commander-in-chief. In 237, after putting down the revolts of Spendius and Matho in northern Africa, he was sent to Spain with his young son, Hannibal. Based at Gades, he conquered southern and eastern Spain, advanced the frontier to Cape Nao, and built a fortress at Acra Leuce (Alicante). Responding to a Roman protest in 231 that was prompted by Massilia, he replied that his conquest was necessary to secure man-power, mineral wealth, and money to pay his country’s war indemnity to Rome. In 229 he fell in battle against native Iberians at Helice (Elche), leaving his three sons, Hannibal, Hasdrubal, and Mago to face Rome once again.
SPAIN, Vicinity of Gades. Carthaginian Occupation. Circa 237-209 BC. AR Shekel (7.40 gm, 12h). Diademed male head (Hamilcar?) left / Prow of galley right with shield on its deck; below, dolphin right. Cf. MHC 15-19 (unlisted dies); CNH pg. 64, 10; Robinson,
Punic 4(c); SNG BM Spain 91; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 1332
