The History of an Empire - Qarthadastim AAR

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Chapter III: Time of Conquests

Part II: Iberian Wars (261-251)


Old Greek temple near Emporion.

In the beginning of 261 Hasdrubal started another military campaign in Iberia. His first target was a small rebel force near Mastia. Thanks to his superior army he defeated those rebels quite easily. Then he headed north against Emporion. The ruler of Lacetania, Epandros, had three years ago sided with the Romani and attacked couple of Qarthadastim cargo ships. Now Hasdrubal saw an opportunity and attacked him. He besieged Emporion in the Spring of 260 and conquered the town in Autumn. Epandros survived the battle and was hanged by Hasdrubal three days after the town fell to his forces.

In the same time in Kart-Hadast the Senate decided that the rest of Iberia should stay under the local government. That meant that Client Kingdoms had to be established there. First Hasdrubal was against this decision but when he got the power to name those new 'Kings' he was more then happy with the Senates decision.

In Winter of 260 Hasdrubal west to Volcallra to recruit some mercenaries into his army. This action almost caused a war between Romani and Qarthadastim again. Caius Aurelius Cotta, the same Romani general who escaped from Capua just before Briareus Gisgo besieged it, were in command of an army that was besieging Tolosa. There were couple of skirmishers between Hasdrubal's and Cotta's forces but luckily a new war with the Romani did not start. In Spring of 259 Hasdrubal left with his new troops back to Emporion.

After some preparations Hasdrubal headed towards Numantia in Summer of 259. The ruler of Celtiberia was Kalamus. He was responsible for many attacks against villages in Edetania. Lot of people had died in those attacks. Some of the locals joined Hasdrubal and in Winter of 259 he finally besieged the town. He waited until the Autumn of next year before he attacked. Being confined to bed he was not able to lead his army until the end of Autumn when his forces finally attacked Numantia. Kalamus died in battle and Hasdrubal ordered to leave his body to the wild animals.
Soon a new King was named by Hasdrubal. His name was Germelqart and he had been one of those Celtiberians who had joined him recently.

Iberian Wars 261-251

In Spring of 257 Hasdrubal attacked Vellika. The town was quite defenceless since it did not had any walls around it. Hasdrubal attacked only week later. It was a surprisingly hard fight. Hasdrubal had left most of his army to Numantia and was sure that Vellika would fall quickly but Cantabrian King Laro held took a lot of Hasdrubals warriors with him. Laro was one of the last ones to die. The losses made Hasdrubal angry and he ordered most of the people to be enslaved. A new King was appointed but he was killed in just after Hasdrubal left. Another King was appointed and this one became famous some years later. New Kings name was Hamalcar and he had served Hasdrubal for more than 5 years as his bodyguard.

The next year Hasdrubal attacked Pallantia and conquered it without many casualties. In Autumn he returned to Emporion to retrain his forces and to recruit new soldiers. For some time things cooled down in Iberia.

The only place where something was happening was Vellika and Cantabria. People from the countryside took their weapons and started to fight against King Hamalcar's forces. Destruction of local shrine did not help him either. In Autumn 255 he was forced to send some of his troops to Pallantia to garrison that town. This gave the locals enough confidence to start ambushes and surprise attacks against his troops. Finally in Summer of 253 the people from around Vellika attacked the town and King Hamalcar was forced to retreat towards Pallantia. But he was not safe there. Sine the rulers in Pallantia and Numantia did not want to risk with their soldiers lives he was left without any supporting troops. In late summer when Hamalcar was camped near a bridge between Cantabria and Asturia he was attacked by a man called Abulo. He had become the leader of the rebel forces. Outnumbering Hamalcar and his bodyguards he ordered his men to attack.

Hamalcar just before the Battle of the Bridge in 253


Hamalcar rallying his men during the battle

The battle was bloody. They hold against Scutarii and Caetrati units but when the Abulo attacked with his cavalry the battle seemed lost. There were just handful of men left when suddenly one of his men killed Abulo. After that the faith of the battle was decided. Hamalcar won and with that victory he became known throughout the Empire. After getting help from the Asturi he besieged Vellika in Autumn and in spring of 252 he attacked Vellika with his men. The battle was quick and most of the defenders gave up pretty fast. After that many books were written about him.

King Hamalcar attacking Vellika

In the same time Hasdrubal went south to Mastia and then to Turdetania. In Autumn of 254 some Massalians and Celto-Hellenes joined his forces. They hoped that Hasdrubal can convince the Senate to start a new war against Romani and liberate Massalia from the harsh rule of the Romans.In spring of 253 Hasdrubal killed the rebels north of Gader. They were led by an old Qarthadastim officer named Ahiram Baecula. Since Hasdrubal knew the man he took his rebellion as a personal insult. After the victory he ordered to crucify all the survivors on a road leading east from Gader. In summer he started the last large military campaign in Iberia. He headed towards Tyde. In late Summer of 252 Hasdrubal finally besieged Tyde. He decided to wait since the Winter of 252 was one of the hardest in that century. Men of his soldiers froze to death and when Spring finally arrived Hasdrubal recruited some mercenaries to his Army. Finally in Summer of 251 he attacked Tyde. He personally killed the King of Caellaeci, Apanus. He enslaved the town and the loot from that town made him quite wealthy. With the fall of Tyde the entire Iberian peninsula was under the rule of Qarthadastim.

In the next update: 'The Great Northern Voyage of Admiral Abascantus'