Mercenaries’ War

237-233 bc

Also known as: Truceless War

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The Mercenary War, also known as the Truceless War, occurred between 237 and 233 BCE. This conflict arose when Carthage, after its defeat in the First Punic War, was unable to pay its mercenary troops. The mercenaries, composed of Libyans, Africans, and others, revolted against Carthaginian rule in North Africa.12

The war was exceptionally brutal, with neither side showing mercy, leading to its name, the Truceless War. The mercenaries, led by figures like Spendius and Matho, besieged Carthage and inflicted heavy losses on the Carthaginian army. Eventually, Carthage, under the command of Hamilcar Barca, managed to suppress the rebellion through a combination of military strategy and by exploiting divisions among the mercenaries. The war significantly weakened Carthage, contributing to its eventual downfall in the Third Punic War.3425

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Hamilcar Barca
…is known as the “Mercenaries’ War” (or “Truceless War”). Hamilcar raised an army of 10,000 with Rome’s cooperation and battled the rebels for four years before recapturing his provinces in north Africa. Seizing upon Carthage’s weakness, Rome took the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, and, when an enraged Hamilcar…
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…is known as the “Mercenaries’ War” (or “Truceless War”). Hamilcar raised an army of 10,000 with Rome’s cooperation and battled the rebels for four years before recapturing his provinces in north Africa. Seizing upon Carthage’s weakness, Rome took the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, and, when an enraged Hamilcar…
Read More