Description
Liby-Phoenicians are the closest Carthaginian society came to an indigenous population, and their numbers were limited following the catastrophic defeat of the Sacred Band in battle against Syracuse in 340BC. Afterwards, Carthage was unwilling to risk many of its own citizens again in a single struggle. This reluctance led to the greater use of mercenaries during the Punic Wars against Rome. However, some Carthaginians were in the field at Cannae, the greatest single Roman defeat of the period. Their trusted commander, Muttines, later betrayed the Sicilian stronghold of Acragas to the Romans following the Carthaginian senate's change of heart towards Hannibal towards the end of the Second Punic War. They withdrew support, fearing his ambitions more than they feared the Romans.
