Carthalo

(Καρθάλων).

1. A commander of the Carthaginian fleet in the first Punic war, who was sent by his colleague Adherbal, in B. C. 249, to burn the Roman fleet, which was riding at anchor off Lilybaeum. While Carthalo was engaged in this enterprise, Himilco, the governor of Lilybaeum, who perceived that the Roman army on land was anxious to afford their support to the fleet, sent out his mercenaries against the Roman troops, and Carthalo endeavored to draw the Roman fleet into an engagement. The latter, however, withdrew to a town on the coast and prepared themselves for defence. Carthalo was repulsed with some loss, and after having taken a few transports, he retreated to the nearest river, and watched the Romans as they sailed away from the coast. When the consul L. Junius Pullus, on his return from Syracuse, had doubled Pachynum, he ordered his fleet to sail towards Lilybaeum, not knowing what had happened to those whom he had sent before him. Carthalo informed of his approach, immediately sailed out against him, in order to meet him before he could join the other part of the fleet. Pullus fled for refuge to a rocky and dangerous part of the sea, where Carthalo did not venture to attack him ; but he took his station at a place between the two Roman fleets to watch them and prevent their joining. Soon after a fearful storm arose which destroyed the whole of the Roman fleet, while the Carthaginians, who were better sailors, had sought a safe place of refuge before the storm broke out. (Plb. 1.53, 54.)

2. The Carthaginian commander of the cavalry in the army of Hannibal. In B. C. 217, he fought against L. Hostilius Mancinus, in the neighbourhood of Casilinum, and put him to flight. The Romans, under Mancinus, who were merely a reconnoitering band which had been sent out by the dictator, Q. Fabius, at last resolved to make a stand against the enemy, but nearly all of them were cut to pieces. This Carthalo is probably the noble Carthaginian of the same name, whom Hannibal, after the battle of Cannae, in B. C. 216, sent to Rome with ten of the Roman prisoners to negotiate the ransom of the prisoners, and to treat about peace. But when Carthalo approached Rome, a lictor was sent out to bid him quit the Roman territory before sunset. In B. C. 208, when Tarentum was re-conquered by the Romans, Carthalo was commander of the Carthaginian garrison there. He laid down his arms, and as he was going to the consul to sue for mercy, he was killed by a Roman soldier. (Liv. 22.15, 58, 27.16; Appian, de Bell. Annib. 49 ; Dio Cass. Fragm. 152, ed. Reimar.)

3. One of the two leaders of the popular party at Carthage after the close of the second Punie war. He held an office which Appian calls boetharchus, and which seems to have been a sort of tribuneship; and while in his official capacity he was travelling through the country, he attacked some of the subjects of Masinissa, who had pitched their tents on controverted ground. He killed several of them, made some booty, and excited the Africans against the Numidians. These and other acts of hostility between the Carthaginians and Masinissa called for the interference of the Romans, who however rather fostered the hostile feeling, than allayed it. The result was an open war between the Carthaginians and Masinissa. When at length the Romans began to make preparations for the third Punic war, the Carthaginians endeavoured to conciliate the Romans by condemning to death the authors of the war with Masinissa; and Carthalo was accordingly executed. (Appian, de Bell. Pun. 63, 74.) [L.S]