HASDRUBAL, more correctly ASDRUBAL (one helped by Baal), a name of frequent occurrence in Carthaginian history, there being nearly twenty more or less celebrated individuals so called. One of the best known is that son-in-law of Hamilcar (see il.klu ncAit BincA), who accompanied his father-in-law to Spain (236 B. C.), and for eight years after the death of the latter, continued to carry out the plans of his great kinsman. The empire which the military talent and energy of Hamilcar had founded was consolidated by the skillful statesmanship of Hasdrubal. He formed the s. and e. coasts of Spain into Carthaginian provinces, and founded many towns, the most famous of which was Carthago Novo (now Cartagena), possessing a fine harbor, and having in its neighborhood rich mines. This city he adorned with a splendid "royal palace." Under his direction, agriculture flourished; mining was vigorously prosecuted; the tribes as far north as the Ebro became subject to Carthage, and paid tribute; and powerful chiefs were attached to Carthaginian interests by intermarriage and other means. Hasdrubal was at length (220 n.c.) murdered by a slave, whose master he had put to death. He was a leader of the popular party at Carthage after the conclusion of the first Punic war, and was early brought out into public life. He was a skillful general, and showed great energy and prudence in a war with the Numidian tribes. But his talents were more particularly administrative, as has been already seen in his Spanish government. So powerful was he in Spain, and so independent of the home government, that the Romans made the famous treaty in regard to the Iberns as the common frontier not with the Carthaginians, but with Hasdrubal.
Another Hasdrubal, brother of the great Hannibal, and son of Hamilcar Barca, bore a conspicuous part in the second Punic war, first as the opponent of the Scipios and the conqueror of Cn. Scipio in Spain, and afterwards as the commander of a Punic army in
Italy. While he was marching southward to join Hannibal in Umbria, he encountered the Roman consuls, C. Nero and M. Livius, at the river Metaurus. The Rornans gained a complete victory; an immense number of the Carthaginian forces were slain; and lIasdrubal himself, when he saw that all was lost, rushed into the midst of the enemy, and fell (207 n.c.)as became the son of the great Hamilcar. In generalship and in mili tary bravery he seems to havd been little inferior to his father and brother.
A third Hasdrubal was one of Hannibal's principal officers in his Italian campaigns. and largely contributed, by a, well-timed charge, to decide the victory on the great day of Cannre.—A fourth, called Calvus, i.e., the Bald, led an expedition to Sardinia in 215 um., during the second Punic war. He was defeated by the Roman general. and carried to Rome as a captive.—A fifth, son of Gisco, co-operated with Ilasdrubal. son of Hamilcar, in Spain, and afterwards. in conjunction with Syphax, unsuccessfully opposed Scipio in Africa (204 n.c.).—The last we shall mention is that unfortunate general to whom fell the hopeless task of defending Carthage against time Romans in the third Punic war. He was at first commander without the city (another Hasdrubal, grandson of the Numidian 3(asinissa, being general within the city), but he ultimately became sole leader, and opposed all the plans and movements of Scipio with great energy and skill. But at length Carthage fell, and Hasdrubal was carried prisoner to Rome. to adorn the triumph of his conqueror.