The peace settlement did not end Carthage's strategic crisis, because the Mercenary War spread unrest to Sardinia and Corsica. When Carthage prepared forces to recover the islands, Rome threatened another war and imposed further concessions in 237 BC. The Roman move appears opportunistic, but it also followed a clear security fear: a large Carthaginian fleet and army sailing near Italy could pose a direct threat. Hamilcar Barca then shifted Carthaginian expansion toward Iberia, creating a new centre of power that helped set the conditions for the Second Punic War.
Notable Point · 43:15-44:12
From the Mercenary War to Carthage's move into Iberia
The postwar crisis over mercenaries and the western islands pushed Carthage toward a new imperial base in Iberia and the next Punic conflict.