Mago (Barcid)

Mago, son of Hamilcar Barca, also spelled Magon, Phoenician MGN, "God sent" (243 BC – 203 BC), was a member of the Barcid family, and played an important role in the Second Punic War, leading forces of Carthage against the Roman Republic in Hispania, Gallia Cisalpina and Italy. Mago was the third son of Hamilcar Barca, brother to Hannibal and Hasdrubal, and brother-in-law to Hasdrubal the Fair.

Little is known about his early years, except that, unlike his brothers, he is not mentioned during the ambush in which his father was killed in 228 BC.

Hannibal included Mago among the Carthaginian officers who accompanied him to the Italian Peninsula. Among them were his brother Hasdrubal, Maharbal, Hanno the Elder, Muttines and Carthalo.

Mago fought at the side of Hannibal in the invasion of Italy, and played a key role in many battles. At the Battle of the Trebia, he commanded the detachment that ambushed the Romans, breaking down their battle array. After the battle, Mago commanded the rearguard of the Carthaginian column as it marched south towards Latium through the marshes of Aino. In the Battle of Cannae, Mago and Hannibal took position with the Gallic infantry at the center, in the most vulnerable and crucial position of the formation.

After the victory of Cannae, Hannibal sent Mago with a detachment to Bruttium (southern Italy). While marching through Lucania and Bruttium, Mago subdued several towns and brought over several to the Carthaginian side. From Bruttium Mago sailed to Carthage, leaving Hanno the Elder in command of the Carthaginian garrison. Mago presented the golden rings of Roman equites fallen at Cannae to the Carthaginian Senate, requesting reinforcements for Hannibal at the end of his speech. This prompted the supporters of the Barcid party in the Senate to taunt their opponents, who had bitterly opposed any aid to Hannibal. In response, Hanno the Great, leading opponent of the Barcids, placed several questions to Mago, which took most of the gloss off Mago's presentation. Still, the Senate members were impressed enough to vote the raising of an army, made up of 12,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry and 20 elephants, as reinforcements for Hannibal.

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