Hannibal\'s Archers..?

[Johnny Shumate]

Did Hannibal use archers? In the book "Arrows against Steel", the author stated Hannibal used both foot and horse archers. I can't find any proof of this in Livy's account. I thought the main missle weapon of Hannibal were the Balearic slingers, not archers!
Any information would be helpful.
Thanks,
Johnny

[hoplite14gr]

At that time there were civil wars in Crete. the loosing side was migrating and offered services to other armies. Cretan archers were reknowned from the Bronze age. The Greek colony of Kyrene would be the first place that Carthagenian recruiting agents would look. Lubians would also be apossibility.
Kind regards

[Paullus]

I also believe that Mauritanian archers were also employed by the Carthaginians, but I'm not sure about Hannibal. One or two for sure

[gie]

Moorish bowmen are mentioned at Zama in 202 BC and by implication at Trebia in 218 BC as mercenaries.
The Carthaginians themselves, being of Semitic origin, should have been familiar with the composite bow. No mention is made of other African troops armed with the bow, but it is safe to assume there must have been some Carthaginian armed with the composite bow, for the Carthaginians had brought other Canaanite weapons such as the chariot from Palestine.
These bowmen would probably have been used when the citizens were levied in 202 BC and again in 150 BC. Cretan archers would certainly have been used, and are mentioned amongst the Carthaginian defenders of Syracuse in 211 BC during the siege by Marcellus.

From â€