REYNOLDSDC writes:
I have no confirmation of any Romans crucifying any Carthaginians or allies. The Carthaginians did crucify some of their losing generals. Recommendations for crucifixion usually came from his immediate subordinates. As you surely know, crucifixion was not allowed for Roman citizens and they would not have crucified their allies (deserters, etc). Roman military corporal punishment was beheading (the ax in the fasces represents the right of execution, the rods represent the right to scourge). The Romans and the Carthaginians kept prisoners in Italy during the Second Punic War and I know of at least one exchange of prisoners early in the conflict (before Cannae in 216). In this story, the Romans had fewer prisoners than the Carthaginians and Fabius had to pay the difference out of his own pocket (he sold a property) because the senate wouldn't pay for prisoners due to standing policy.
When Hannibal's father, Hamilcar Barca, general of ground forces in Sicily from 249 to 241 B.C., was ordered by Carthage to ship his army home because they had made a treaty with the Romans ending the conflict, Hamilcar was livid. He had beaten the Romans in almost every land conflict in Sicily. Moreover, Carthage refused to pay the army their back pay, now over two years in arrears. Hamilcar had promised them what he could not now deliver, so he quit his command and returned to Carthage and to private life, leaving the whole mess to the policy makers in Carthage.
To get to the point, the entire arriving army revolted and a massive war (and massive brutality and killing), broke out that only Hamilcar's skill could end. Hamilcar had rebel prisoners trampled by his elephants. In a famous scene, with Hamilcar's army facing the rebels, Hamilcar sent in negotiators who were immediately crucified in front of Hamilcar's army. Hamilcar, who himself had a rebel leader prisoner, promptly crucified him in front of the rebels. I know the general, Hannibal, not a Barca, was captured by the rebels in a night raid and crucified. The two rebel leaders, Mathos and Spendius, were also crucified by Hamilcar, whose popularity now earned him the province of Spain, the mother lode of Carthaginian wealth. So prolific were the Spanish mines and so much of the wealth accrued to the Barcas that Hannibal, leaving Spain for Italy, was probably the richest man in the world. His army of 100,000 was paid from his personal coffers.
Regulus, Roman general of African invasion forces in the First Punic War, was captured and allowed to go to Rome to sue for peace. He recommended that the senate not take the Carthaginian offer and returned to Carthage on his own promise. They tortured him to death, but did not crucify him.
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