But the life of a Carthaginian was too valuable to
risk it without necessity. Carthage preferred to pay mercenary
soldiers, recruiting them among the barbarians of her empire and among
the adventurers of all countries. Her army was a bizarre aggregation
in which all languages were spoken, all religions practised, and in
which every soldier wore different arms and costume. There were seen
Numidians clothed in lion skins which served them as couch, mounted
bareback on small fleet horses, and drawing the bow with horse at full
gallop; Libyans with black skins, armed with pikes; Iberians from
Spain in white garments adorned with red, armed with a long pointed
sword; Gauls, naked to the girdle, bearing enormous shields and a
rounded sword which they held in both hands; natives of the Balearic
Islands, trained from infancy to sling with stones or balls of lead.
The generals were Carthaginians; the government distrusted them,
watched them closely, and when they were defeated, had them crucified.
=The Carthaginians.=--Carthage had two kings, but the senate was the
real power, being composed of the richest merchants of the city.
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