Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/756

Rh 744 SCIPIO. had been placed for security in this town, and these now fell into the hands of Scipio, who treated them with generosity and kindness ; and the hostages of those people, who declared them- selves in favour of the Romans, were restored without ransom. Scipio also found in New Car- thage magazines of arms, corn, and other necessa- ries, for the Carthaginians had deposited in this city their principal stores. The inactivity of the Carthaginian generals, meantime, is not explained by any of the ancient authorities. Scipio was allowed to return to Tarraco without molestation, where he remained quietly during the remainder of the year, as his forces were not sufficiently numerous to face the enemy in the field, and he was anxious to strengthen himself by alliances with the Spanish chiefs. In this he was more suc- cessful than he could have anticipated. The capture of Carthage, as well as his personal popu- larity, caused many of the Spanish tribes to desert the Carthaginian cause ; and when he took the iield in the following year, b. c. 209, Mandonius and Indibilis, two of the most powerful and hitherto the most faithful supporters of Carthage, quitted the camp of Hasdrubal, and awaited the arrival of Scipio. Hasdrubal was encamped in a strong position near the town of Baecula, in the upper valley of the Guadalquiver, where he was engaged in collecting money from the silver mines in the neighbourhood. As he had now fully resolved to march to the assistance of his brother in Italy, he did not wish to risk the lives of his soldiers, and therefore avoided a battle ; but Scipio attacked his camp, and gained a brilliant victory over him, taking, it is said, 22,000 prisoners, and killing 8000 of his men. The victory, however, cannot have been so complete as the Roman writers represent, since Hasdrubal was able to take with him his treasures and elephants in safety, and to retire unmolested into northern Spain. Here he collected fresh troops, ■with which he eventually crossed the Pyrenees, and marched into Italy to the assistance of his brother Hannibal ; while the other Carthaginian generals, Hasdrubal, the son of Gisco, and Mago, advanced against Scipio, and prevented him from pursuing their colleague. Scipio therefore remained in southern Spain during the remainder of that year. In the following year, B. c. 208, the pro- praetor Silanus defeated Mago in Celtiberia ( Ma- go, p. 903], whereupon the latter marched into the south of the country and joined Hasdrubal, son of Gisco, in Baetica. .Scipio advanced against them ; but as the Carthaginian generals would not risk a battle, and distributed their army in the for- tified towns, he was unable to accomplish anything of importance, and was obliged to content himself with the capture of the town of Oringis, which was taken by his brother Lucius. Next year, B. c. 207, Scipio gained possession of nearly the whole of Spain, by a decisive victory near a place variously called Silpia, Elinga, or Carmo, but the position of which is quite uncertain. Hasdrubal, son of Gisco, and Mago took refuge within the walls of Gades, which was almost the only place that still belonged to the Carthaginians ; and all the native chiefs now hastened to acknowledge the supremacy of Rome. But the victories of Scipio had had only a small share in winning Spain. His personal influence had won far more people than his arms had conquered ; he had gained such an ascendancy over the Spaniards by hia humanity SCIPIO. and courage, his courtesy and energy, that they were ready to lay down their lives for him, and wished to make him their king. The subjugation of Spain was regarded by Scipio as only a means to an end. He seems for some time past to have formed in his own mind the project of transferring the war to Africa, and thus compelling the Carthaginians to recall Hannibal from Italy. He therefore resolved, before returning to Rome, to cross over into Africa, and secure, if possible, the friendship and co-operation of some of the native princes. His personal influence had already secured the attachment of Masinissa, who was serving in the Carthaginian army in Spain, but whose defection from his ancient allies was for the present to remain a secret ; and he trusted that the same personal ascendancy might gain the still more powerful support of Syphax, the king of the Massaesylian tribe of Numidians. With only two quinqueremes he ventured to leave his pro- vince, and repair to the court of Syphax. There he met his old <idversary, Hasdrubal, son of Gisco, who had crossed over from Gades for the same pur- pose ; and the two generals spent several days to- gether in friendly intercourse. Laelius, who accom- panied his friend, related to Polybius that Scipio made a great impression upon Syphax, and that the latter even concluded a treaty of alliance with the Roman proconsul ; but the truth seems to be that the Carthaginian general was more successful than the Roman ; a success, however, which was in great part owing to the charms of his daughter Sophonisba, whom he gave in marriage to the Nu- midian king. Scipio did not remain long in Africa, and on his return to Spain was surprised to find that a formidable insurrection against the Roman power had broken out among many of the Spanish people. The causes are not mentioned ; but it is probable that as soon as Scipio's personal influence had been withdrawn, Mago, who was still at Gades, had not found it difficult to instigate the revolt. The insurrection, however, was soon put down ; and terrible vengeance was inflicted upon the town of Illiturgi, which had taken the principal share in the revolt. Scarcely had this danger passed away, when Scipio was seized with a dangerous illness. Eight thousand of the Roman soldiers, dis- contented at not having received their usual pay, and at being prevented from plundering the people, availed themselves of this opportunity to break out into open mutiny ; but Scipio recovered in time to put it down ; and in this difficult and delicate transaction, which is related at length by Livy, he showed his usual prudence and presence of mind. He now crushed the last remains of the insurrection in Spain ; and to crown his other successes, Gades at last deserted the Carthaginians, and went over to the Romans. Mago had quitted Spain and crossed over into Liguria to effect a diversion in favour of his brother Hannibal, and there was - therefore now no longer any enemy left in Spain. S Scipio accordingly surrendered the Roman army, 1^ in B. c. 206, to the proconsuls L. Lentulus and L. Manlius Acidinus, who had been appointed as his successors, and returned to Rome in the same year. Scipio now became a candidate for the consul- ship, and was elected for the following year (b. c. 205) by the unanimous votes of all the cen- turies, although he had not yet filled the office of praetor, and was only thirty years of age. His colleague was P. Licinius Crassus, who was von-