the first mentions of spanish mercenaries come from the sicilian wars (460-307 bc), where they were part of the carthaginian military in sicilian ground. while they might have been already in their payroll as soon as 535 bc in their campaigns in sardinia, their true introduction happened in the battle of himera in 480, when diodorus and herodotus tell they were part of the expedition of hamilcar i against the greek forces of gelo. large contingents of iberians reappear again in the capture of selinunte, as well as the second battle of himera, the battles of akragas, gela and camarina, and the siege of syracuse in 404 bc.