Balearic slinger

Initially recruited voluntarily, conflicts with the Balearic populations arose during the final phase of the Punic Wars, leading to forced conscriptions, especially in Menorca.

Diodorus Siculus places them among Carthaginian fighters during the capture of Agrigento and, already in the Third Sicilian War, in the Battle of Ecnomus (310 BCE), under the command of Hamilcar, son of Gisco.

According to chroniclers, Hannibal had approximately 2000 Balearic slingers, positioned at the forefront of his army during the early stages of the Italian campaign, responsible for initiating the fight to harass the Romans.

Gaius Sallustius informs us of Balearic slingers among Roman troops fighting in Numidia against King Jugurtha (111–105 BCE).

Caesar mentions Balearic slingers as fighters in the Gallic Wars around 56 BCE, fighting alongside other elite troops such as Numidian cavalry and Cretan archers.