The Sands Of Africa

[Chirurgeon]

Winter 260 BC, South of the Djedi River
Having been granted command of the armies by my older brother Mago I will not let him down.


After crossing the Djedi River we began pursuit of a small group of Numidians who no doubt were planning on arresting our crossing of the river. Scouts have indicated that they are south of us in a small oasis. In spring we will pursue them. The senate has decreed that i am to bring all of these lands under the watchful eye of the Senate. If we are to be successful traders we cant have enemies right on our doorstep. The persistant badgering of our trade routes from the mountains by these nomads must be quelled. This land is arid and tough with the exception of the few small oasis and rivers that cross this area. Having sent spies ahead it is clear that the Numidians wish to stay close to their hunting grounds. Elephants abound in this region and are ever-present as we march.

I would prefer to take the sea to Siga and attack that way but these areas between Ippsos and Siga are untamed and some order must be established. We sleep at night and hear the roar of lions around us. Many of the men are terrified by this. I feel the lion is empowering us with his greatness.
It may be several months before we reach that city.



Winter 259 BC, Beseiging Siga
With Siga harboring the Numidians that have wreaked havoc on our trade, we are currently starving this city out. Our fleet is bringing fresh troops and when they arrive I will assault this city. With its weak walls and still weaker people inside they will regret attacking Carthage. In the spring we attacked a small group of warriors that actually put up quite the fight and managed to bloody up my Libyan spearmen nicely.



My elite troops are the Liby-Phonecians that have been trained in Kart hadast. They are my anchor to the army.


I use the light troops of the Iberian peninsula to protect them should they get flanked. These Liby-Phonecians are a tough breed indeed. The country between here and Ippsos is so untamed i feel that it may never be subjucated completely

Spring 257 BC, Siga
After a year of resisting the people of Siga have surrendered. Enslaved and sent back to Kart Hadastim. Some will eventually wind up in Iberia where the mining there seems to have a negative affect on lifespan. A steady flow of slave labor is needed to maintain manpower as the search continues underground for the rich gold deposits. Several senatores have come here after the successful capture of the town to congratulate me. There has been much to celebrate but to the west lie more foes. My scouts have indicated that maurading bands of Numidians are but a seasons march from Siga. Hadrabuls son in Mastia will be governing Siga to give him some much needed experience in the art of Governance. No doubt he will want me to tutor the young man as I have demonstrated my managerial skills on several occasions. The senatores have had some updates from our diplomats traveling abroad. From the East in the land of the Pharohs, the Ptolemies continue to fight with the Successors to Alexander The Great's empire. The Ptolemies are faring well having won some major battles. Our old city of Sidon is now being attacked by the Pharohs army. Rome is losing ground to the persistance of the Epirotes. After the Romans suffered a humiliating defeat outside of Arpi the Epirotes proceeded to attack the great city of Capua in Campania. Campania has fallen to the Epirote and the Romans are shifting their forces south to deal with the threat. Our friends the Aeudi continue their war with the Arverni having made some gains far north of the Mediteranean. The tribes of Iberia are slowly being pulled together through sheer force as one tribe, the Lusitanns, have shown dominance and are now expanding their realm of influence. They are pressing east and could reach the mediteranean in a few years time. Many nations are expanding and it is only a matter of time till that results in conflict.



Spring 255 BC - Tingis
We are resting comfortably in Tingis. We left Siga in late spring and crossed into Tingi Mauretania before the early harvest. Stopping to build a bridge over the Moulouya River(modern name), we quickly made for the capital. Looking behind us a great towering Range of mountains called Atlas gazed over the plains that lead to the Mediteranean. They seem to watch us as we pressed toward the city.

After a brave battle for the city the Numidians finally surrendered. My how they fought though! Although they had no armor and but a small shield they fought like dogs. I placed the Libyans in the Front line and they held quite well. Their cavalry, more skirmishers, charged my left flank. I had a new addition to the army which i sent to deal with their cavalry: my son. My son Hamalcar came of age two years ago and joined my army with his graceful and deadly cavalry. The Numidians were outmatched but their speed enabled them to avoid annihilation. They would rout but return for more all the while hurling their javelins at us. As some of their skirmishers engaged the Libyans others stood back and hurled their spears into the ranks. My own Numidian mercenaries were routed when their tactics were turned against them. The Libyans took the brunt of the damage but despite their losses their strength was strong enough to charge and push the enemy back into the city. After successfully routing the enemy so gloriously i retired them to the rear and brought up in line the Liby-Phoenicians. Their services were not needed however as the Numidians hiding with their Mauretanian allies had had enough.
Scenes from the Battle of Tingis



Video of Various Battles:
http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h3...WestAfrica.flv

However I was so pleased of the way they fought I handpicked some to stay in the city as garrison. One last bastion of defense remained here in the west. As soon as I have rested and placed my son as governor I will move south down the coast to Mauretania proper and put an end to this Numidian menace for good.



Winter, 254 BC - Besieging Sala, Mauretania
After spending a year outside of Tingis we have moved south over some more rocky terrain into a much more Arid area.


After crossing another river my guides tell me we cannot go any further west. The city of Sala is as far as we can go. South of here the great mountains of Atlas rise up from the Earth and beyond lay the sands of the great desert where life is practically devoid. I give the inhabitants only a few more months before they submit to Carthiginian rule. There are resources here such as timber and wild animals necessary for arenas and other forms of entertainment. Here I feel truly far from home. The senate wishes to meet with me to discuss future positions. Being one of the most successful generals our people have known apparently gets the attention of the nobility.

Winter, 253 BC - With the Fleet
I am approximately halfway between Siga and Ippsos along our glorious coast. As I look over the side of our lead ship toward land I realize that this vast coastline I have been sailing past for several days now belongs to KartHadastim. The sheer size of the Republic is staggering to me. For someone to have suggested that all of North Africa West of Lepki belonged to us I would have labeled them mad. Having seen this now I realize how great we have become. I watch the dolphin leap alongside the ships guiding us home to the Capital. I miss the capital and my urgent trip home indicates something has transpired. The senate cannot communicate their message via messenger rather I must be physically present. Mago's health is failing im told and Bomlikar is so reclusive in Lilybaem they may fear what may transpire if he fulfills his duty as Shopet. Perhaps they will name me when Mago finally succombs to the god's embrace. These next few months at sea will lead me to focus my thoughts. Visiting Senatores have told me a variety of wishes for the Republic. The successors to Alexander's war with the Ptolemy goes poorly. They lose territory not just to their west but to their east as well. Old subjects are turning the tide on their old rulers. The independent city of Kyrene feels threatened by the Ptolemies sudden growth. One Senator has suggested we take that rich land for ourselves. Would our old allies the Ptolemies suddenly feel threatened with another empire right against them? War with Egypt is not desired but if we are to rule Africa then it is something we must consider.
Kart Hadastim is a divided Republic when it comes to determining our future. My success unfortunately has reopened this great debate. There are group of very prominant men who are staked in great tradition and believe that the African coast is truly our domain. We are connected by a single land and not scattered across the sea. yes we have colonies but these are not designed to be launching points for invasions. Iberia has riches but to invade brings more enemies to the fray. Swarms of barbarians north of Iberia would feel threatened and we would either have to fend off relentless invasions or take all of Europe. In my opinion and from a practical view that idea does not bode well with me. All in all we are not conquers, we are traders. We went to war with the Numidians because they threaten our trade. Raiders from south of Lepki and Agrigento continue to haunt our trade routes overland through the desert. I feel we need to put a buffer between us and those southern raiders and capture territory further south in the desert expanse. There is money to be made in the resources there.

Then there are other men, more ambitious men. These men would have Carthage rule the world at the very least to reclaim the homeland. A far worse prospect from my perspective is an invasion of the Italian teritories or further into Iberia. For now we have healthy alliances with all those powerful northern people. Why threaten that just for the purpose of expansion into lands unknown to us? Is Africa not enough? Well apparently these men see the fighting of our northern neighbors with each other and we can somehow us that for our own gain. They say, the barbarians north of the Pyranees fight endlessly making them weak and vulnerable. The Lusitanns are loosely connected and have no real central authority. Rome has been weakend by the persistant invasions by the Epirotes. I remain unconvinced. How do we know our invasion wouldnt force old enemies to join together against a common foe? How would we deal with a unified front from men of Rome and the forests of Europe. This is not our domain.
I would not feel so strongly about this but the debate has come to my doorstep. My own son, Hamlicar II, has stated already that our grip on Iberia is not strong enough and that the Italian peninsula is ripe for the taking. The more I reason with him the more vehement he becomes. He is slated to join me in the capital and I have no doubt he will be embraced by the men who want to expand northward. Fortunately the minority of the senate feels that we need to further our expansion north. For the moment Africa is where Our destiny lies. The current senate will undoubtly support action to the south. The risks are small and the resources are potentially very profitable. What about after that? In a few years when the desert nomads either scatter or succumb to rule what then? Can we afford to be a stagnant empire? Will we falter by not growing? Unfortunately you cant answer these questions until hindsight. Our successes will lead us to greater and greater conflict im afraid.