A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

10. Commander of the garrison of New Carthage when that city was attacked by P. Scipio in B. C. 209. So little had the Carthaginian generals thought it necessary to provide for the defence of this important post, that Mago had only 1000 regular troops under his orders when the enemy appeared before the walls. He, however, armed about 2000 more as best he could, and seems to have displayed all the qualities of an able and energetic officer; making a vigorous sally in the first instance, and repulsing the troops of Scipio in their first assault. But all his efforts were ineffectual: the Romans scaled the walls where they had been supposed to be guarded by a lagoon, and made themselves masters of the town; and Mago, who had at first retired into the citadel, with the intention of holding out there, at length saw that all further resistance was hopeless, and surrendered to Scipio. He himself, with the other more eminent of the Carthaginian captives, was sent a prisoner of war to Rome. (Plb. 10.8, 12-15, 18, 19; Liv. 26.44_46, 51; Appian, App. Hisp. 19_22.) Eutropius (3.15) and Orosius (4.18) have confounded this Mago with the brother of Hannibal.