Pyrenees. The Roman lodgement was preventing the Carthaginians from sending reinforcements from Iberia to Hannibal or to the insurgent Gauls in northern Italy. The Carthaginian setbacks caused some of the Iberian tribes to turn against them, notably the Turdetani in the south west. While Hasdrubal was putting down this uprising, Gnaeus Scipio received 8,000 reinforcements, under his brother Publius Scipio, in 217 BC. Hasdrubal received orders from Carthage to move into Italy and join up with Hannibal to put pressure on the Romans in their homeland. Hasdrubal demurred, arguing that Carthaginian authority over the Spanish tribes was too fragile for him to move out of the south west. In 217 BC he received 4,500 reinforcements from Africa, and in 216 BC an entire army, although of unknown size. The historian of the Punic Wars Dexter Hoyos points out this was “even though [Iberia] itself was supposed to be a reservoir of first-class fighting men.” Clearly the enthusiasm for Carthage of the indigenous Iberians was suspect. Prelude Having quelled the Turdetani, Hasdrubal left his subordinate Himilco in charge at Cartagena and marched north with his field army in early 215 BC. He intended to confront the Romans and secure Spain before leaving for Italy, rather than avoiding the Romans and heading for Italy, the strategy he adopted in 207 BC. The Romans crossed the Ebro River in force and laid siege to Ibera (later known as Dertosa Ilercavonia, modern Tortosa), a small town on the south bank of the River Ebro which was allied to Carthage. Hasdrubal in turn laid siege to a Roman-aligned town and the Scipios lifted their siege and moved to engage him. Opposing forces Roman Most male Roman citizens were eligible for military service and would serve as infantry, a better-off minority providing a cavalry component. Traditionally, when at war the Romans would raise two legions, each of 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry. Approximately 1,200 of the infantry, poorer or younger men unable to afford the armour and equipment of a standard legionary, served as javelin-armed skirmishers, known as velites. They carried several javelins, which would be thrown from a distance; a short sword; and a shield. The balance were equipped as heavy infantry, with body armour, a large shield and short thrusting swords. They were divided into three ranks, of which the front rank also carried two javelins, while the second and third ranks had a