Rather than meet with them, and knowing full well that they will speed to Carthage to call for your head, you send your fastest messengers straightaway to Carthage with the express instructions that they should meet with the Barcine faction, a party of the Carthaginian Senate composed of your friends and relatives, telling them not to give any advantage to the Romans. The Barcine faction spreads propaganda quickly, telling them that it was the Saguntines who antagonized the Carthaginian ally the Turetani first and that you are merely righting this injustice. They further speak of the evils of Roman hegemony and the great spoils of war you are taking in. Public support grows.

Next.