Carthage Veterans of the Ochre Shield

While it is true that a majority of the Carthaginian army was comprised of a large number of mercenary and allied forces, there was a very loyal and experienced core of professional soldiers within Hannibal's ranks that comprised the backbone of his military success in Italy during the Second Punic War. This group of soldiers was called to service during the mercenary and Libyan peasant uprising against Hamilcar in 241 B.C. and they successfully defeated the rebels despite being outnumbered and despite continued interference from Rome. The army the Barcid's took to Spain, and eventually Italy, was no rent-a-force, the veterans that they had used to destroy the uprising were never disbanded. This core was to become their professional rather than mercenary force continuously under arms until shattered by Scipio Africanus nearly forty years later.

I completed the final basing of my first Carthaginian veteran unit this weekend and was able to take some photos of the final result. The second unit of veterans (with Azure shields) should be completed in a week or so and then I will begin work on a unit of heavy cavalry.