Who was Hannibal Barca?
We don't know their names, but we do know that one of them is married off to Hamilcar's closest political ally in Carthage, who is a guy called Hasdrubal the Handsome. And people who remember our first series may also remember the fact that basically there are only about three names in Carthage, of which Hasdrubal is probably the most common.
So this is Hasdrubal the Handsome, because he's such a good looking guy. So good news for Hamilcar's daughter. And in 237, when Hamilcar leaves Carthage for Spain, Hasdrubal is sailing with him. Hamilcar also has three sons. The youngest of these is called Mago. Then inevitably there's a guy called Hasdrubal. So that's Hamilcar's son. And the oldest is a young lad called Hannibal.
This is the Hannibal.
So in 237, when Hamilcar is preparing to leave for Spain, Hannibal is only nine years old. And you might think, you know, that's probably too young to be taken to a war zone. But Hamilcar thinks not. And there is a very, very famous anecdote with which we finished our last series on Carthage. But I think it bears repeating because it is very, very revealing about what will motivate Hannibal.
And he tells it to various people later in life. So it almost certainly comes from his own lips. And he describes how he joins his father in the great temple of Baal in Carthage, where his father is making sacrifice. And this is supposedly how Hannibal described it. The omens proved favorable.
Hamilcar poured a libation to the gods and performed the customary ceremonies, after which he ordered all those who were present at the sacrifice to stand back a little way from the altar. Then he called Hannibal to him and asked him affectionately whether he wished to accompany the expedition. So that's to Spain. Hannibal was overjoyed to accept and like a boy begged to be allowed to go.
His father then took him by the hand, led him up to the altar and commanded him to lay his hand upon the victim and swear an oath that he would never become a friend to the Romans. Strong stuff. Strong stuff. And it's a promise that he will keep all his life.
And you think this anecdote is probably true because Hannibal tells it himself.
It probably is, yeah.
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