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to Hamilcar; his preference is unexplained but may lie in the theophoric name and a
belief that Hamilcar founded the mint at Gades. Seibert opts for the clean-shaven figure
as a representation of Hannibal and uses the image as the cover-piece to his Hannibal.
Lancel leaves the whole question open, and Hoyos, too, is rightly cautious as he dates
the coin to the time of Hannibal but leaves the identification undecided. 165
A supposed bust of Hannibal (Figure 5) from the Museo Archeologico, Naples,
presents a bearded figure, but there is uncertainty, not only over the identity of the
figure, but also over the antiquity of the bust. 166 Although the extant texts make a strong
case for Hannibal as the Carthaginian figure most closely aligned with Hercules, this
does not preclude either or both of his predecessors, or another unknown Carthaginian
figure making the same analogy and celebrating it in coinage. 167
In the historiographical tradition, the extant text of the Histories draws two possible
connections between Hannibal and Hercules. Polybius embeds the first in a critique of
authors who describe such extreme conditions in the Alps that the only way they can
extricate Hannibal is by postulating „gods and heroes‟ who show him the route.
Hercules 168 is a possible contender but clearly not the only option given Polybius‟ use of
the plural (Silius opts for Mercury, discussed below). Polybius‟ objection to these
representations indicates that it was a well-established theme to present Hannibal having
a divine guide, albeit of differing identities (and under the order of Zeus/Jupiter/Baal
Hammon) (Hist. 3.47.6).
Polybius‟ second connection is in the form of a legal document and his presentation
implies that it derives from Hannibal himself, although the point remains questionable.
Polybius quotes the opening preamble of a treaty said to have been under negotiation
between Hannibal and Philip of Macedon until the envoys carrying it were captured by
the Romans. The quotation includes three groups of three divinities by whom the treaty
was to be sworn and the groupings of the gods are notable because Hercules and his
companion, Iolaus, are included but immediately follow the Carthaginian daimon which
separates them from the Greek triad (Hist. 7.9.1). 169 The list of divinities opens with the
Greek triad of Zeus, Hera and Apollo, followed by the daimon of Carthage, Hercules
165
Robinson, 1956, 37; Lancel, 1995, 379; Seibert, 1993; Hoyos, 2008, 75: the coin illustrated in his text
is holed at the top.
166
Hoyos, 2008, 36.
167
It is possible that although the coins were found in Spain, they are not Barcid.
168
De Witt, 1941, 60-1speculates that Hercules appeared in reproduced versions of the march.
169
For discussion on the treaty, see Bickerman, 1944; 1952, 1-23; Walbank, 1940, 68-71; 1967, 42-47;
Barré, 1983, 64-73.
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