Siege of Tunis (Mercenary War)

The Siege of Tunis was a significant event during the Mercenary War (241-237 BC), also known as the Truceless War, fought between Carthage and its former mercenary soldiers. Following the First Punic War, Carthage struggled to pay its large mercenary army. This led to a revolt, and the mercenaries, joined by discontented Libyan subjects of Carthage, turned against their former employer.

The mercenary army, under the leadership of Spendius and Matho, initially besieged Tunis. This strategic city was close to Carthage and vital for controlling the surrounding region. The siege was aimed at putting pressure on Carthage, cutting off its supply lines, and potentially capturing the city itself.

The siege of Tunis was marked by brutality and shifting fortunes. The mercenaries engaged in acts of cruelty, fuelled by resentment over unpaid wages and harsh treatment. Carthaginian generals, including Hanno the Great and later Hamilcar Barca, attempted to relieve the city and break the siege.

Hamilcar Barca, who eventually became the dominant Carthaginian commander, employed skilled tactics to outmaneuver the mercenaries. He managed to lift the siege of Tunis on several occasions, only for the mercenaries to regroup and resume their efforts.

The siege finally ended with a decisive Carthaginian victory. After a prolonged and bloody struggle, Hamilcar Barca and his forces crushed the mercenary army. Spendius was captured and later executed. Matho was also captured after a subsequent battle and subjected to torture and execution in front of the walls of Carthage. The crushing of the mercenary army at Tunis and elsewhere marked a turning point in the Mercenary War, paving the way for Carthage to reassert its control and eventually suppress the revolt. The brutal nature of the fighting at Tunis and the fate of the mercenary leaders underscored the viciousness and scale of the conflict.