. found the Cisalpine
Gauls ready to revolt against the Roman yoke.

IV. THE SECOND PUNIC WAR: 218-202 B. C.

*Carthaginian expansion in Spain.* As we have seen, the Roman seizure of
Sardinia and Corsica and the exaction of a fresh indemnity in 238 left a
longing for revenge in the hearts of the dominant faction at Carthage.
This faction was led by Hamilcar Barca, the victor of the mercenary war,
who saw in Spain the opportunity for repairing the fortunes of his state,
for compensating Carthage for the loss of Sicily and Sardinia, and for
developing an army that would enable him to face the Romans on an equal
footing. The Phoenician subjects of Carthage were hard pressed by the
attacks of the native Iberian peoples when he secured for himself the
command of the Carthaginian forces in the peninsula (238 B. C.). By
skilful generalship and able diplomacy he extended the Carthaginian
dominion over many of the Spanish tribes, and created a strong army,
devoted to himself and his family.

*Hasdrubal.* Consequently, when Hamilcar died in battle in 229 B. C. he
was succeeded in the command by his son-in-law Hasdrubal, who carried on
his predecessor's policy. He it was who founded the town of New Carthage
(Carthagena) to serve as the center of Carthaginian influence in Spain.
The annual revenue of from 2000 to 3000 talents ($2,400,000 to $3,000,000)
derived from the Spanish silver mines readily induced the Carthaginians to
acquiesce in the almost regal position that the Barcidae enjoyed in Spain.
Thus the latter could carry out their plans without interference from the
home government.

*Hasdrubal's treaty with Rome, 226 B. C.* But the Carthaginian advance in
Spain aroused the alarm of the Greeks of Massalia, and of her colonies,
Emporiae and Rhodae, whose commercial interests and independence were
thereby endangered. Now the Massaliots had long been in alliance with
Rome,--they were said to have contributed to the ransom which the Romans
paid to the Gauls in 387 B. C.,--and there seems little doubt that they
secured the intervention of Rome on their behalf. In 226 B. C. the Romans
concluded a treaty with Hasdrubal which bound him not to send an armed
force north of the river Ebro. A few years later the Romans entered into a
defensive alliance with the Spanish town of Saguntum, which lay to the
south of the Ebro, but which was not subject to Carthage. The motive of
the Romans in making this alliance is