Abelux

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Abelux (this form of name for Titus Livius ; for Polybius, however, Abilyx ) was a distinguished Iberian who lived in the second half of the 3rd century BC. Lived. In the early stages of the Second Punic War, he played the Spanish hostages of Hannibal , who were held captive in Sagunt , into the hands of the Romans .

Abelux is only mentioned in the sources for the year 217 BC. Mentioned. The previous year, Hannibal had marched from Spain to Italy, where he had celebrated his first major military successes. The Romans, for their part, had begun to wage war against the Punians in the Iberian Peninsula. In the summer of 217 BC The proconsul Publius Cornelius Scipio landed in Spain and united with his brother Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus . Both crossed the Ebro for the first time in this war and marched against Sagunto. There Hannibal had the sons of the most respected Iberians, who came from various communities considered unreliable, placed under supervision as hostages in order to ensure the loyalty of these cities.

One of those men to whom Hannibal had entrusted the guarding of Sagunt was Abelux, who the Carthaginians believed to be absolutely loyal. However, Abelux apparently came to the conclusion that the Romans had a better chance of ending the war victorious. He therefore decided to switch sides and play Hannibal's hostages into the hands of the Romans in order to gain a great reputation among them. According to the report of the Greek historian Polybius, he succeeded in this by outwitting the Carthaginian commander, Bostar, who was described as simple-minded. He explained to Bostar that in view of the fact that the Romans were now close and would offer themselves to the Iberians as a new alliance partner, the Punians could win the sympathy of their Iberian subjects by releasing their hostages and thus most likely ensure their continued loyalty. Bostar let himself be persuaded and gave Abelux the task of leading the children back to their home communities. But now Abelux secretly turned to some of the Iberians belonging to the Roman auxiliary troops, through whom he contacted the Scipions and promised them the delivery of the hostages. After the plan succeeded and the hostages fell into the hands of the Romans, Abelux received great awards from the Scipions. The defector now brought the freed children back to their homeland in the name of the Romans, whereupon many Iberians became friends of the Romans.

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Polybios 3, 98f .; Livy 22.22.
personal data
SURNAME Abelux
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Abilyx
BRIEF DESCRIPTION distinguished Spaniard who lived in 217 BC Overflowed to the Romans
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 3rd century BC BC or 2nd century BC Chr.