Rome demanded that Carthage hand Hannibal Barca to them and cease the assault on the city, but were rebuffed and so declared war, thus beginning the Second Punic War which was to last for fourteen years and change the course of modern history.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
THE BASTETANI PEOPLE were an Iberian tribe whose land was on the southeast of the Iberian peninsula. Caros of the Bastetani is fictional.
The only deviation I have made in the sequence of major events is the timing of the battle fought on the Tagus. It actually took place in 220 BC, the year prior to the siege of Sagunt. I have placed this battle during the siege so as to incorporate Hannibal’s first major battlefield victory into the timeframe of the narrative. The exact location of the battle on the Tagus is not known so I have used my discretion here and located it near the little village of Peñalén in the Guadalajara province.
There was a minor rebellion by the inland tribes brough on by the high levies Hannibal demanded from them during the siege of Sagunt. Leaving Maharbal in charge of the siege, Hannibal left to crush this rebellion. I have replaced this minor rebellion with the battle on the Tagus.
Of the siege itself, the Roman historian, Livy indicates that once the outer wall was breached, Hannibal employed siege towers and ballistae to reduce the defenders. I have left out the use of these siege weapons and included only battering rams. He was successful in undermining a large portion of the wall with pick-axes.
According to history, the defenders fought with supreme valour and were constantly throwing up new defences to shore up the failing fortifications. Hannibal offered terms which would allow every citizen to leave and build a new town on land he would grant them. Rejecting Hannibal’s terms, the citizens of Sagunt instead attempted to destroy all their wealth in great fires. This act condemned them to their deaths.
There were many disparate elements in Hannibal’s army such as the Numidian horsemen who I describe as Masulians. Their correct name was Massylii. The use of saddles or stirrups was unheard of in the west at this time, but the Massylii did not even use reins. They were truly at one with their mounts and these horses would follow their riders much like our pet dogs follow us.
As far as deities, I have improvised based on the very little archaeological evidence from pre-Roman times. For the Iberians I have based names on known gods and goddesses of the Gauls and Celts. As far as the sacrifices of maidens attributed to the high priest and priestess of Sagunt, this is entirely fictional.
The Iberian Lynx is referred to throughout the book. In the course of researching the fauna and flora of Spain, I discovered that these beautiful animals now only number about 300 in the wilds. In ancient times I can only imagine that these wild cats must have been prolific in the mountainous wilds of Iberia and would have had an impression on the psyche of the largely agrarian people.
MORE BOOKS BY
J. GLENN BAUER
WARHORN IS THE BEGINNING of a time of immense change and upheaval for Caros and the Iberian people and the Sons of Iberia series continues roughly following the timeline of the Second Punic War so look out for the next titles in this ongoing series. Each title can be read as a standalone book.
Maharra – Sons of Iberia
CAROS, EMBITTERED BY the loss of the woman he loved, scours the countryside in search of the Priestess of Catubodua. His long search finally bears fruit and he tracks her and the last of her sect down to confront and destroy them.
His old allies, the Masulians from the Numidian Kingdom, come to his aid in this showdown and with his thirst for revenge slaked he joins them on a dangerous mission to the high Pyrenees.
Here he must use his wits to negotiate with a fickle chieftain, but events overtake him and his party. In the ensuing bloodbath, he strikes an alliance and topples a chieftain. He discovers that a powerful force is inciting the tribes to rise up against Hannibal Barca and he sets out to track down the agents responsible.
Ride again with Caros as he and Aksel battle hardy mountain tribesmen, encounter a beautiful Oracle and finally come face to face with the power of Rome. In a final epic battle, Caros and his friends must outmanoeuvre an entrenched enemy and allow Hannibal to cross the Rhone on his way to the Alps and Rome.
Gladius Winter – Sons of Iberia
ROME’S IRON-HARD LEGIONNAIRES have come to Iberia to exact retribution for the sack of an allied city and opposing them are the warrior tribes of Iberia, united under the Barca clan of Carthage and a young warrior and his companions.
In the winter of 218 BC, while Hannibal was storming the Alps to invade the Italian peninsula, a Roman fleet landed 20,000 legionnaires in the far north of Iberia.
Suspecting a Roman invasion of Iberia in his absence, Hannibal Barca, the Carthaginian general, gives Caros vital instructions for his Carthaginian commanders.
Fighting and evading Romans across the wild lands of the Gauls proves a bloody journey and when Caros arrives in Iberia, he discovers that the Romans have already landed. Now Caros persuade Hanno, the Carthaginian commander, to wait for Hasdrubal’s warriors before confronting the legionaries.
A battle-hungry Iberian chieftain has other plans and soon the countryside is aflame. Caros and his companions must battle murderous warriors and the feared Roman legionaries to stay alive and keep Iberia free from yet another empire.
Gladius Winter is a non-stop whirlwind of riding and fighting as Caros battles savage warriors, braves the lines of Rome’s legionnaires and does all he can to keep his companions alive.
An ideal read for fans of historical fiction set in the ancient past when warriors lived and died by the sword and heroes were men and women raised up by their deeds and honor.
Your Voice
THANK YOU FOR BUYING Warhorn - Sons of Iberia and I honestly hope that you enjoyed your journey with Caros and did not groan at Neugen’s sense of humour too often!
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J. Glenn Bauer
Warhorn Page 40