her, GNAEUS CORNELIUS SCIPIO
CALVUS, were winning victories over the Carthaginians under HANNO
and HASDRUBAL. The greatest of these was fought in 215 at Ibera, the
location of which is uncertain. Spain was gradually being gained over
to Rome, when the Carthaginians, making desperate efforts, sent large
reinforcements there (212). The armies of the Scipios were separated,
surprised, and overwhelmed. Both their leaders were slain, and Spain was
lost to Rome.

Unless checked, the Carthaginians would now cross the Alps, enter Italy,
and, joining forces with Hannibal, place Rome in great danger. PUBLIUS
CORNELIUS SCIPIO, son of one of the slain generals, then but twenty-four
years of age, offered to go to Spain and take command. He had previously
made himself very popular as Aedile, and was unanimously elected to the
command. On his arrival in Spain in 210, he found the whole country west
of the Ebro under the enemy's control.

Fortunately for the Romans, the three Carthaginian generals, HASDRUBAL
and MAGO, brothers of Hannibal, and HASDRUBAL, son of Gisco, did not act
in harmony. Thus Scipio was enabled, in the following spring (209), to
capture Carthago Nova, the head-quarters of the enemy. A good harbor was
gained, and eighteen ships of war, sixty-three transports, $600,000, and
10,000 captives fell into the hands of the Romans.

Shortly after, Scipio fought Hasdrubal, the brother of Hannibal, at
BAECULAE, in the upper valley of the Baetis (Guadalquivir); but the
battle was not decisive, for Hasdrubal was soon seen crossing the
Pyrenees, with a considerable force, on his way to Italy. He spent the
winter (209-208) in Gaul.

The two Carthaginian generals now in Spain, Mago, and Hasdrubal, the son
of Gisco, retired, the latter to Lusitania, the former to the Baleares,
to wait for reinforcements from home.

The next year another battle was fought near Baecula, resulting in
the total defeat of the Carthaginians, who retreated to Gadus, in the
southwestern part of Spain.

The country being now (206) under Roman influence, Scipio crossed
the straits to Africa, and visited the Numidian princes, SYPHAX and
MASINISSA, whom he hoped to stir up against Carthage. On his return,
after quelling a mutiny of the soldiers, who were dissatisfied about
their pay, he resigned his command, and started for Rome, where he
intended to become a candidate for the consulship.

OPERATIONS IN ITALY.

The news of the approach of Hasdrubal