Bostar

• a Carthaginian proper name, Cic. Aem. Scaur. 2, 1 sqq.; 4, 8; Liv. 22, 22, 9 sqq.; 23, 34, 1; Sil. 3, 647.

Βώστωρ, (Plb. 3.98; Βώδταρος, Plb. 1.30; Βοδόστωρ, Diod. Erc. xxiv.).

1. A Carthaginian general, who, in conjunction with Hamilcar and Hasdrubal, the son of Hanno, commanded the Carthaginian forces sent against M. Atilius Regulus when he invaded Africa in B. C. 256. Bostar and his colleagues were, however, quite incompetent for their office. Instead of keeping to the plains, where their cavalry and elephants would have been formidable to the Romans, they retired to the mountains, where these forces were of no use; and they were defeated, in consequence, near the town of Adis, with great slaughter. The generals, we are told, were taken prisoners; and we learn from Diodorus, that Bostar and Hamilcar were, after the death of Regulus, delivered up to his family, who behaved to them with such barbarity, that Bostar died of the treatment he received. The cruelty of the family, however, excited so much odium at Rome, that the sons of Regulus thought it advisable to burn the body of Bostar, and send his ashes to Carthage. This account of Diodorus, which, Niebuhr remarks, is probably taken from Philinus, must be regarded as of doubtful authority. (Plb. 1.30; Oros. 4.8; Eutrop. 2.21; Flor. 2.2; Diod. Exc. xxxiv.; Niebuhr, Hist. of Rome, iii. p. 600.)

2. The Carthaginian commander of the mercernary troops in Sardinia, was, together with all the Carthaginians with him, killed by these soldiers when they revolted in B. C. 240. (Plb. 1.79.)

3. A Carthaginian general, who was sent by Hasdrubal, the commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian forces in Spain, to prevent the Romans under Scipio from crossing the Iberus in B. C. 217. But not daring to do this, Bostar fell back upon Saguntum, where all the hostages were kept which had been given to the Carthaginians by the different states in Spain. Here he was persuaded by Abelox, who had secretly gone over to the Romans, to set these hostages at liberty, because such an act would secure the affections of the Spanish people. But the hostages had no sooner left the city, than they were betrayed by Abelox into the hands of the Romans. For his simplicity on this occasion, Bostar was involved in great danger. (Plb. 3.98, 99; Liv. 22.22.)

4. One of the ambassadors sent by Hannibal to Philip of Macedonia in B. C. 215. The ship in which they sailed was taken by the Romans, and the ambassadors themselves sent as prisoners to Rome. (Liv. 23.34.) We are not told whether they obtained their freedom; and consequently it is uncertain whether the Bostar who was governor of Capua with Hanno, in 211, is the same as the preceding. (Liv. 26.5, 12; Appian, Annib. 43.)