Hampsicora and his rebellion against the Romans

Hampsicora was a rich Sardinian landowner (perhaps the richest) from Carrus, in the third century B.C. Probably  of Carthaginian origin, even if some historians suggest he could have been originally from Numidia, North-East Africa.

After the First Punic War, Sardinia became a Roman province:it still had a vast population of Carthaginians along the coasts and Sardinian Iliensi on the mountains. While not tolerating each others, they hated even more the new invaders. Hence, they took on war to the Romans together.

Hampsicora.

The opportunity for Hampsicora’s rebellion

During the Second Punic Wars, Hannibal invaded the Italian peninsula by marching through the modern Spain and the South of France and then crossing the Alps with the army. Consequently, the sudden invasion brought chaos among the Romans. And the several defeats that the African general inflicted to the consuls of Rome brought even more lack of order. Many of whom, previously submitted by the Romans, started to rebel and help the Carthaginians. Certainly, Hampsicora wasn’t different: he saw the opportunity to free his island and he seized it.

Hampsicora starts his war

The Casus Belli (Latin locution for “reason of war”) was the lack of support from the Romans to the Sardinians. Being the most important Magistrate of Carrus, an influent settlement situated along the Western coast of the Island, Hampsicora declared war to Rome.

In the year 215 B.C., he asked Chartagofor help and tried to mobilize the Iliensi. The Iliensi were an ancient population that has lived in Sardinia for centuries (if not for millennia!). According to  legends, they were descendants of Iolaus, Heracle’s companion in Greek mythology. They were very wild and dangerous for other populations, but they had trade relationships for centuries with the Carthaginians.

Hiostus’ defeat

Surely, luck didn’t help for sure the poor Hampsicora: the Chartaginian fleet was scattered towards the Iberic peninsula by strong winds and storms.

While the Magister went on the mountains to get the alliance with the Iliensi, his son Hiostus saw the chance to destroy the Roman army. The latter was quickly setted up by Titus Manlius Torquatus in Karalis. Thus, Hiostus decided to battle without the reinforcements. As a result, it was a disaster, with a vast majority of Hiostus’ forces fallen or captured, and the young commander ran away.

The battle of Decimomannu

Hampsicora’s rebellion of year 215 B.C.

Finally, the Carthaginians arrived in Tharros, another city supporting Hampsicora’s rebellion. They were under the guide of Asdrubal Barca the Bald and Magon Barca, Hannibal’s brother.

Meanwhile, Hampsicora succeded by forming an alliance with the Iliensi and joined forces with the North-Africans. At this point, the new army started marching to the South, where Manlius Torquatus was waiting for them. Manlius was forced to leave Karalis to protect his allies and caught the rebellious in proximity of Decimomannu, where a large battle occurred. The Sardinians and the Carhaginians were defeated. Their generals took prisoners and brought them to Rome. This was the end of Hampsicora’s rebellion.

At the end, Hampsicora himself was able to escape from the battle and hide in the Inland, with the few survivors of his army. However, his son Hiostus tragically fell in the battle.

After losing his war, his son and his possessions, certainly cornered by his enemies, Hampsicora decided to take his life. The legend narrates that he did it during the night, because so great was the respect that his comrades had for him that they would have never allowed him to do it.

In conclusion, Hampsicora survives today as one of the greatest characters of Sardinian history.

Sardinia.

Resources:

• Casula, F. ( 19/07/2014). Amsicora: chi era costui? Un ascaro o un eroe barbaricino?. LaBarbagia.net. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021: https://www.labarbagia.net/notizie/territorio/7813/amsicora-chi-era-costui-un-ascaro-o-un-eroe-barbaricino

• Unknown. (06/10/08). Amsicora non era punico. “La Nuova Sardegna”. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021: https://www.lanuovasardegna.it/regione/2008/10/06/news/amsicora-non-era-punico-1.3307446

• Unknown. Amsicora. Wikipedia. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampsicora

• Unknown. Iliensi. Wikipedia. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021:
  https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliensi

• Unknown. Battaglia di Decimomannu. Wikipedia. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battaglia_di_Decimomannu

• Unknown. La rivolta di Ampsicora. Patrimonio Culturale Sardegna: Virtual archeology. Last consultation: 16th August 2021: http://virtualarchaeology.sardegnacultura.it/index.php/it/siti-archeologici/periodo-romano/area-delle-basiliche-di-cornus/schede-di-dettaglio/1014-la-rivolta-di-ampsicora

• Unknown. Storia della Sardegna fenicio-punica. Last consultation: 16^th August 2021: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storia_della_Sardegna_fenicio-punica

Image Resources:

• Amsicora. In Tola, P. (1837). Dizionario biografico degli uomini illustri di Sardegna. Turin:Chirio e Mina. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Amsicora,_militare_cartaginese.png

• Sardinia. Sandrino 14, CC BY-SA 4.0. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Flag_of_the_Istrangios_Sardinia.png

• Amsicora’s rebellion of year 215 B.C. File:Italy Sardinia relief location map.svg: Sémhur (talk)Derivative work: Cristiano64, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons).
  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Sardinia_215_aC_-_Ampsicora_rivolta.png