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Cum in apparando acerrime esset occupatus, Karthaginienses bellum
cum Romanis composuerunt. Ille nihilo setius exercitui postea praefuit
resque in Africa gessit usque ad P. Sulpicium C. Aurelium consules.
Cornelius Nepos, Hann. 7.1
While he was busily engaged in these preparations the Carthaginians
made peace with the Romans. Hannibal, however, continued after that
to command the army and carried on war in Africa until the consulship
of Publius Sulpicius and Gaius Aurelius.
Rolfe, 1984, 269
Hannibal retains command of the army and continues warfare for at least another couple
of years although his enemy is not specified (possibly the Numidian allies of Rome, or
Romans left in Africa). Nepos supports the portrait with a description of the reaction at
Rome when Carthaginian envoys arrive to present a gold crown in thanks for making
peace. The envoys requested the release of Carthaginian prisoners and the relocation of
Carthaginian hostages to Fregellae. The Senate accepted the crown, agreed to the
relocation of the hostages but refused to return any prisoners 408 because Hannibal and
his brother, Mago, 409 still commanded the Carthaginian army:
His ex senates consulto responsum est: munus eorum gratum
acceptumque esse; obsides quo loco rogarent futures; captivos non
remissuros, quod Hannibalem, cuius opera susceptum bellum foret
inimicissimum nomini Romano, etiam nunc cum imperio apud
exercitum haberent itemque fratrem eius Magonem.
Cornelius Nepos, Hannibal, 7. 3
To them, in accordance with a decree of the senate, the following
anser was made: that their gift was received with thanks; that the
hostages should live where they had requested; that they would not
return the prisoners, because Hannibal, who had caused the war and
was bitterly hostile to the Roman nation, still held command in their
army, as well as his brother, Mago.
Rolfe, 1984, 269
The Carthaginians adroitly comply with the Roman conditions, yet show their
continuing support for Hannibal because they recall him from his army command and
make him king (sufete): rex factus est (Nepos, Hann. 7.4).
408 Cf. Livy who writes that some Carthaginian prisoners were returned with the Carthaginian envoys who
had been sent to Rome to plead for acceptance of the peace terms, Livy, 30.43.5-6.
409 Lancel, 1998, 180 prefers the tradition that Mago had died of his wounds after invading Italy and
consequently discounts the entire passage in Cornelius Nepos. Hoyos, 2003, 189 suggests Cornelius
Nepos confused Mago „the brother‟ for one of two other „Mago‟ figures known in the texts.
190