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As part of the peace treaty that ended the First Punic War, Carthage could not intervene in the affairs of Italy. However, there was a faction in Carthage that was determined to renew the war with Spain. They were supported by the Barcids in Spain. It seemed that the Barca’s first Hamilcar, then Hasdrubal and finally Hannibal supported a faction in Carthage that wanted a war of ‘national revenge’. This faction briefly won a majority in the Carthaginian Senate or Assembly and entered into a secret agreement with the Celts in Northern Italy .<ref> Livy, History of Rome, xxi</ref>. They were based in the Po Valley and had a formidable army and they had once even sacked Rome. The Romans feared the Celts ever since.

The Celts with the support of the Carthaginians planned to move south into Roman territory. However, the Romans became aware of the plan and they launched a preemptive strike. Rome was now very much afraid of a Celtic-Carthaginian alliance and attacked Cisalpine Gaul (Southern France) to deny the Carthaginians an opportunity to attack the Republic. Rome had been complacent about the Carthaginians and they adopted a more aggressive stance. The adopted a strategy to contain Hannibal in Spain. The Hannibal inspired attempts by the Carthaginians to engineer a Celtic or a Celtic-Carthaginian invasion placed Rome on a war-footing .<ref> Livy, History of Rome, xxiii</ref>.