reach.
Alorcus named the conditions which Hannibal had imposed--that the
Saguntines should restore to the Torbolates the territory they had
taken from them, and that the inhabitants, giving up all their goods and
treasures, should then be permitted to leave the town and to found a new
city at a spot which Hannibal would name.

The Saguntines, who were crowding round, heard the terms. Many of the
principal senators at once left the place, and hurrying into their
houses carried the gold and silver which they had there, and also some
of that in the public treasury, into the forum, and piling up a vast
heap of wood set it alight and threw themselves into the flames. This
act caused a tremendous commotion in the city. A general tumult broke
out, and Hannibal, seeing that his terms were refused, poured his troops
across the breach, and after a short but desperate fight captured the
city. In accordance with the cruel customs of the times, which, however,
were rarely carried into effect by Hannibal, the male prisoners were
all put to the sword, as on this occasion he considered it necessary
to strike terror into the inhabitants of Spain, and to inflict a lesson
which would not be forgotten during his absence in the country.

The siege had lasted eight months. The booty taken was enormous. Every
soldier in the army had a rich share of the plunder, and a vast sum was
sent to Carthage; besides which the treasure chests of the army were
filled up. All the Spanish troops had leave given them to return to
their homes for the winter, and they dispersed highly satisfied with the
booty with which they were laden. This was a most politic step on the
part of the young general, as the tribesmen, seeing the wealth with
which their countrymen returned, no longer felt it a hardship to fight
in the Carthaginian ranks, and the levies called out in the spring went
willingly and even eagerly.

Hannibal returned with his African troops to spend the winter at
Carthagena He was there joined by the emissaries he had sent to
examine Southern Gaul and the passes of the Alps, to determine the most
practicable route for the march of the army, and to form alliances
with the tribes of Southern Gaul and Northern Italy. Their reports were
favourable, for they had found the greatest discontent existing among
the tribes north of the Apennines, who had but recently been conquered
by the Romans.

Their chiefs, smarting under the heavy yoke of Rome, listened