A Golden Palm

[Orb]

1.0 A Democratic Vote (will be perfected, some details not recorded on my test will be filled in correctly later, quotes are similarly likely to be replaced by more suitable ones).

"After all, the practical reason why, when the power is once in the hands of the people, a majority are permitted, and for a long period continue, to rule is not because they are most likely to be in the right, nor because this seems fairest to the minority, but because they are physically the strongest. But a government in which the majority rule in all cases cannot be based on justice, even as far as men understand it."

- Henry David Thoreau

A Golden Palm Chapter 1.1

“Civilised Society”

‘The Carthaginians, after such a speech, debated for a long time the merits and drawbacks of holding Sicily, until the Spartan mercenary Xanthippos spoke thus:
“Siophet,” – such was his barbaric pronunciation – “Bomilka and I intend on leading an expedition to reclaim all Thrinakia for Kart-Hadastim.”
Bomilkar
Bomilkar ha Hamor fifteen or so years after this conference

, whose hideous face, it is said, was brighter than the fabrics of Syrian nobles and more gnarled than a Gallic oak was called ‘ha Hamor’ (the Ass) for his stubbornness, took over from him “The Epeirotes have left and are preoccupied with the Romans, the two main factions left on the island” -these were the Mamertimes and the Syrakousioi- “are not united and the Greek world is busy elsewhere.”

Mago

Mago at about 265BC
pointed out that no attempt to retake the entire island had ever succeeded, and ha Hamor responded that was because the other Greeks had always interfered or showed unity.’ – Xanthippos of Lepki, a Carthaginian diplomat who, several years later, was the liaison between that town and Kart-Hadast.

‘Various theorists believe that Gisgo, governor of Ippone, who had previously been refused reinforcements against Numidian attacks, was won over by a promise made to him by the Spartan Xanthippos to provide him with soldiers. It is also believed that Carthalo, governor of Sardinia was at this time:

“Nowhere to be seen, although he certainly had attended. My wife is also nowhere to be seen. Since I doubt he’ll read this, I’ll say that he’s a…”

The next part of this note contains (written, it is believed, by Carthalo’s secretary) several slurs on this Carthaginian’s masculinity and decency.

There were also two votes against, that of Hamalcar, the Shophet’s protégée, fearing, I believe, to the increasing influence of Hamalcar and Xanthippos, and that of Hanno, governor of Lepki, who stated that he wished “to abandon profitless Sicily and Sardinia and instead take Cyrene, Numidia and Massylia.”’

- Orb, a leading historian on the expansion of the Carthaginian republic from 272 BC onwards.

‘Mago, having the opportunity to decide, spoke thus: “’Why should I risk Carthaginian lives for Greek territory?’ some of you will say. I agree with you. There has never been a successful expedition to recover all of Sicily. Yet I say this, if we do not strike down the Syracusans now their Hellenic brothers are most divided and subdued, we will never have again such an opportunity. The garrisons of Syracuse and Messana are small, no aid can reach them for at least a year, the seas are clear.

I send Xanthippos and Bomilkar to strike out against Syracuse. They have two years to achieve their objective, or else be recalled to Carthage and forced to retire. Bomilkar, you have the command of a Liby-Phoenician phalanx from Qart-Hadast, and any men you can raise from Edumatha before the expedition. Xanthippos, you have the men you possess now, but that is all. Go.”

So it came to pass that a force from the Qarthadastim, led by the Spartan general Xanthippus and the Carthaginian Hamalcar, assembled in the spring of 272 BC just east of Kart-Hadast in order to capture Syracuse.

I am told that it comprised:
900 picked cavalry, acting as the bodyguards of ha Hamor and Xanthippos
5,200 Poenic citizens. 2,000 of these were regular soldiers.
2,000 heavy Libyan spearmen
8,000 Iberian light infantry, half of these fought as skirmishers, the rest as spearmen
5,000 Iberian light cavalry



To make a total of 15,200 infantry and 5,900 cavalry’
- Xanthippos of Lepki