During the long and indecisive conflict between Carthage and the Greeks for control of the island of Sicily, a strange occurrence lead to a small island being named “The Bone Island”
Carthage was in the midst of a brutal conflict against the city of Syracuse for hegemony over the whole island of Sicily. At this time Carthage had employed a great host of mercenaries from Gaul, Libya and the Balearics amongst others. These mercenaries were often known to be unruly and prone to mutinies, especially on occasion when they did not receive their pay promptly. About six thousand men were in the service of Carthage when the generals had not the funds in the war chest to pay them their dues. disenfranchised by the unfolding situation, they formed a mutiny and set about protesting their grievances to the Carthaginian General. The situation blazed on for some time and still they were without their pay from the Senate. Eventually becoming irate to the point of fury they set upon their General and resolved to take up arms and wreak havock on Carthage itself.
Once aware of the worsening situation and realising the entire mercenary host could no longer be trusted, the Senate set about devising secret plans to be rid of them without paying their dues. They sent secret orders to the Generals in Sicily to promise the mercenaries their pay after they had embarked on their ships and had arrived at their new destination in some mission of war. Unbeknownst to the mercenary host they sailed for the desolate and remote island of Osteodes. In the midst of the Tyrrenian sea. Once there the Generals disembarked the entire army and sailed away leaving the recalcitrants behind.
Before long the mutinous host had realised they had been abandoned with no hope of rescue never mind vengeance upon their cruel masters for their crime. Abandoned on a tiny island with no escape, devoid of food and water or any sort of shelter. In deep distress many resorted to cannibalism before finally succumbing to hunger and perishing one and all where they lay. With such a great number of men in such a small place their bodies rotted away leaving their bones strewn all over the surface of the small island and for this reason the island came to be known as ‘Osteodes’ – the Island of Bones.
Obscure Antiquity 