Before the Hieron Reforms the Carthaginians relied upon a system of hiring foreign mercenaries to fight for them abroad and at home. This usually meant recruiting locals in Africa, then attempting to recruit warriors from populations in the foreign lands they were fighting in. This was incredibly costly though and often led to mercenary rebellions, such as the Mercenary Wars. Not only were they very expensive but the mercenaries also did not fight as a cohesive army, usually specific ethnic units fought together and had their own specific weaknesses and strengths. In order to create a more efficient standing army Hiero Barca II, a Shofet at the time, created a series of reforms which reshaped the army.