Hamilcar Barcas' Seven Years in Hercte
Next year, the eighteenth of the war, the Carthaginians
note
appointed Hamilcar Barcas general, and put the
management of the fleet in his hands. note He
took over the command, and started to ravage the Italian
coast. After devastating the districts of Locri, and the rest
of Bruttium, he sailed away with his whole fleet
to the coast of Panormus and seized on a place
called Hercte, which lies between Eryx and
Panormus on the coast, and is reputed the best situation in
the district for a safe and permanent camp. For it is a
mountain rising sheer on every side, standing out above the
surrounding country to a considerable height. The table-land
on its summit has a circumference of not less than a hundred
stades, within which the soil is rich in pasture and suitable for
agriculture; the sea-breezes render it healthy; and it is entirely
free from all dangerous animals. On the side which looks towards the sea, as well as that which faces the central part of the
island, it is enclosed by inaccessible precipices; while the spaces
between them require only slight fortifications, and of no great
extent, to make them secure. There is in it also an eminence,
which serves at once as an acropolis and as a convenient tower
of observation, commanding the surrounding district. It also
commands a harbour conveniently situated for the passage
from Drepana and Lilybaeum to Italy, in which there is always
abundant depth of water; finally, it can only be reached by
three ways—two from the land side, one from the sea, all of
them difficult. Here Hamilcar entrenched himself. It was a
bold measure: but he had no city which he could count upon
as friendly, and no other hope on which he could rely; and
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though by so doing he placed himself in the very midst of the
enemy, he nevertheless managed to involve the Romans in
many struggles and dangers. To begin with, he would start
from this place and ravage the sea-board of Italy as far as
Cumae; and again on shore, when the Romans had pitched a
camp to overawe him, in front of the city of Panormus, within
about five stades of him, he harassed them in every sort of
way, and forced them to engage in numerous skirmishes, for the
space of nearly three years. note Of these combats
it is impossible to give a detailed account in
writing.
