LYCOS RETRIEVER 
War in Literature: Carthage
built 256 days ago
This was a problem, as some 20,000 mercenaries, formerly under the command of Hamilcar Barca (who had resigned his command at the end of the First Punic War[4]), would shortly be returning from Lilybaeum (modern Marsala in Sicily) to Carthage. Concerned about the possibility of a large, disgruntled, mercenary force encamped near Carthage, Gesco, the Carthaginian commandant responsible for transporting the mercenaries from Sicily, attempted to deploy the mercenaries throughout Carthaginian terrority. It was his plan to bring the mercenary units back to the capital one at a time, for demobilization and payment. However, delays by the Carthaginian government, and a belief that the mercenaries could be convinced to settle for less than their agreed wages, resulted in the eventual gathering of most of the mercenary armies near Carthage. Wary of such a large foreign army near the capital, and alarmed by the disruptive effects they were having on the city, the Carthaginian government convinced the mercenaries to withdraw to the nearby city of Sicca Veneria (Modern El Kef), 170 km south-west of Carthage, taking their families and baggage trains with them[5].
Source:
After the First Punic War concluded in 241 BC , Carthage demobilized its mercenary force in Sicily , and the soldiers were brought to Carthage to receive their discharge and final pay. Although the commander, Gisgo , sent the troops in batches to minimize the chances of disorder, payment was delayed by the Carthaginian government and eventually all the troops were brought together at Sicca 170 km south-west of the city. The combined force demanded payment, then advanced on Tunis , close to Carthage itself, to put pressure on the government.
Source:
In 241 BC the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage came to an end with Carthaginian defeat[1]. As part of the terms of the treaty, Rome demanded that Carthage give up "all islands lying between Sicily and Italy", immediately pay Rome a sum of 1,000 talents of gold, and pay a further 2,000 talents over a period of 10 years [2]. After meeting the Roman demands, a destitute Carthage now found itself in a quandary: it had employed numerous mercenaries in the First Punic War and now found it difficult to pay its own soldiers [3].
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Carthage