Page:Heresies of Sea Power (1906).djvu/80

64 troops from Spain by sea to reinforce the army opposing Hasdrubal: but the more reasonable version, surely, is that the large force detached from the army confronting Hannibal was responsible for the crushing nature of the Carthaginian defeat. Rome also had the good fortune to intercept the messengers between the Carthaginian brothers, and so was able to make the necessary arrangements. It is surely improbable that Scipio's 12,000 men sent by sea from Spain would of themselves have contributed much to the victory of the Metaurus. Indeed nothing seems clearer than the impotence of Roman Sea Power in affecting the issues. The real causes appear to be: —

1. The success of the Scipios in Spain, thus ' containing ' Hasdrubal.

2. The delay in the completion of the Macedonian alliance and Philip's subsequent inactivity.

3. The action of the peace party at Carthage in restricting reinforcements.

4. The activity of Roman troops in Sicily, which kept Hiero of Syracuse occupied.

Lack of reinforcements and the demoralisation of his army at Capua reduced Hannibal to severe straits and he ceased to be a danger. Then, and not till then was Rome able to consider the invasion of Africa. As soldiers and sailors were to some degree convertible, the fact that this obvious 'counter-irritant' was not earlier employed negatives the theory that Rome had much available Sea Power in this war. Any important