A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

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.)