Editing Second Punic War (section)

=== Iberia 218–211 BC ===
[[File:Relieve de Osuna (M.A.N. Madrid) 03.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7| alt= A black and white photograph of an apparently very old and crude bas-relief of a warrior |{{center|An Iberian warrior from bas-relief {{c.|200 BC}}. He is armed with a [[falcata]] and an oval shield.}}]]

The Roman fleet continued on from Massala in the autumn of 218{{nbs}}BC, landing the army it was transporting in north-east Iberia, where it won support among the local tribes.{{sfn|Zimmermann|2015|p=291}} The Romans' [[lodgement]] between the Ebro and the Pyrenees blocked the route from Iberia to Italy, making the despatch of reinforcements from Iberia to Hannibal difficult.{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=321}} A Carthaginian attack in late 218{{nbs}}BC was repelled{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=321}} at the [[battle of Cissa]].{{sfn|Zimmermann|2015|p=291}} In 217{{nbs}}BC 40 Carthaginian and Iberian warships were beaten by 35 Roman and Massalian vessels at the [[battle of Ebro River]], with the loss of 29 Carthaginian ships.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|pp=248–249}}

In 216 Hasdrubal received orders from Carthage to move into Italy and join up with Hannibal to put pressure on the Romans in their homeland. Hasdrubal demurred, arguing that Carthaginian authority over the Iberian tribes was too fragile and the Roman forces in the area too strong for him to execute the planned movement. In 215 Hasdrubal eventually acted, besieging a pro-Roman town and offering [[battle of Dertosa|battle at Dertosa]],{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|pp=249–250}}{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=321}} where he attempted to use his cavalry superiority to clear the flanks of the Roman army while enveloping their centre on both sides with his infantry. However, the Romans broke through the centre of the Carthaginian line and then defeated each wing separately, inflicting severe losses.{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=322}}{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|p=204}} It was no longer possible for Hasdrubal to reinforce Hannibal in Italy.{{sfn|Zimmermann|2015|p=291}}{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=322}}

The Carthaginians suffered a wave of defections of local [[Celtiberians|Celtiberian]] tribes to Rome.{{sfn|Zimmermann|2015|p=291}} The Roman commanders captured Saguntum in 212{{nbs}}BC and in 211{{nbs}}BC hired 20,000 Celtiberian mercenaries to reinforce their army. Observing that the Carthaginian forces in Iberia were divided into three armies which were deployed apart from each other, the Romans split their forces.{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=322}} This strategy resulted in two separate battles in 211, usually referred to jointly as the [[battle of the Upper Baetis]]. Both battles ended in complete defeat for the Romans, as Hasdrubal had bribed the Romans' mercenaries to desert. The Roman survivors retreated to their coastal stronghold north of the Ebro, from which the Carthaginians again failed to expel them.{{sfn|Zimmermann|2015|p=291}}{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=322}} Claudius Nero brought over reinforcements in 210{{nbs}}BC and stabilised the situation.{{sfn|Edwell|2015|p=322}}