ABSTRACT
The army Hamilcar took to Spain cannot have been very large. For one thing, given the costs of the African war and the new indemnity over Sardinia, the Carthaginians could hardly afford to keep under arms all the 30,000-40,000 troops they probably had in the field by late 238. For another, Hamilcar had to leave some forces at home to maintain order and security: not all Numidians were allies or subjects, and there was no certainty what the Romans might try next. When facing a war with them two decades later, his son would station some 16,000 troops in Africa. In a season of peace, guarded though it was, 10,000 or so might do.
