spanish mercenaries would not work individually, but in small-sized units formed by friends and relatives, managed by their own chiefs and keeping their own cultural traits, including armament and tactics. mercenaries having left hispania didn't always return to their countries, and some of them, like balearics, were known for spending all their gained money during their service, but they would be met with prestige and fame among their countrymen if they did, given the warrior character of their societies. however, their destinations were not always abroad, but also merely nearby regions of hispania with a better economical profile, like turdetania or bastetania. important southern war chiefes like indortes, istolatius and possibly audax, ditalcus and minurus were celts hired by the turdetanians. nevertheless, the most important roles played by spaniard mercenaries in ancient story were in the armies of carthage, rome and hellenic countries. important centers of recruitment were gadir, empúries, castulo, baria (modern day villaricos) and the balearic islands. hispanic mercenaries were coveted for their toughness, discipline and skill, aside from their weapons, and not less for their ferocity; it was believable abroad that peninsulars even practiced cannibalism, like other barbarians supposedly did.