On the Iberian Peninsula during the Second Punic War in 206 B.C., the Roman republican army suffered one of its most serious mutinies prior to the Civil Wars of the late republican period. Most of the men stationed at the Sucro military camp had been serving on the peninsula since 217 B.C. They had suffered defeats, lost distinguished commanders, elected a new one contrary to Roman laws, and were now under the command of Publius Cornelius Scipio, who after the war would become known as Scipio Africanus.

Despite the fact that the war in Spain was drawing to a close, and that the Romans had conquered most of the Carthaginian strongholds on the peninsula, together with all their riches, the 8,000 men stationed at Sucro lacked money and resources. After submitting numerous complaints regarding their poor conditions to the military tribunes in charge of the camp in hopes of getting their requests passed up the chain of command to Scipio, the troops decided to mutiny after hearing that Scipio had fallen ill and was close to death. The troops expelled the tribunes from the camp, elected new leaders, and were said to be plotting to join the Carthaginians. This pro-Scipionic version of events is conveyed to us by ancient Roman authors who place the blame on the soldiers. They allegedly rebelled against Rome as soon as they saw an opportunity since they were undisciplined and accustomed to rambunctious living.

Upon closer inspection, we see that the troops were in such a dire situation that it may have threatened not only their own well-being, but also that of their families back in Italy. The men, who were also Roman citizens, had been serving in Spain for 11 years, which was nearly twice as long as was to be expected. They had not been paid in years and were forced to survive on what little booty they were able to get. The camp where the men had been stationed also had not been resupplied in a long time. Scipio had used the spoils of war to win over allies in Spain and North Africa. Shortage of manpower meant that the men were not discharged on time. The indifferent military tribunes behaved in a way that was seen by citizens of the Roman Republic as bordering on tyrannical. With no help in sight, the troops decided to mutiny by drawing on precedents set during the Second Punic War, as well as on historical events from the early republic, and by making good use of a new clause in the military oath that encouraged them to act when the lives of citizens of the republic were in danger.