Mu'tines
*Mouti/nas, (Polybius calls him
Μυττόνας), an African by birth, belonging to the halfcaste race called the Lybio-Phoenicians.
He was brought up and trained in war under the eye of Hannibal, and having given frequent proofs of his ability and activity as an officer, was selected by that general to take the command in Sicily after the death of Hippocrates.
He accordingly joined Epicydes and Hanno at Agrigentum before the close of the year B. C. 212, and being placed at the head of the Numidian cavalry, quickly spread his ravages through great part of the island. Marcellus was now compelled to turn his arms against this new enemy, and advanced as far as the river Himera, where he sustained a severe check from the cavalry of Mutines; but shortly after the jealousy of Hanno and Epicydes prompted them to give battle during a temporary absence of the Numidian leader, and they were totally defeated. (
Plb. 9.22;
Liv. 25.40,
41.)
But even after this blow Mutines was soon able to resume the offensive, and, instead of shutting himself up within the walls of Agrigentum, carried his daring and destructive excursions into every part of the island. Laevinus, the new consul, who had succeeded Marcellus in the command, seems to have been wholly unable to repress these sallies; but the envy and jealousy of the Carthaginian general at length effected what the Roman arms could not, and Hanno having been prompted by these base motives to the dangerous step of superseding Mutines in his command, the latter, fired with resentment at the indignity, immediately entered into communication with the Romans, and betrayed Agrigentum into the hands of Laevinus. (
Liv. 26.21,
40;
Zonar. 9.7.) For this service he was rewarded with the rights of a Roman citizen, in addition to other honours. (
Liv. 27.5.)
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E.H.B]
