The battle of Agrigentum (Sicily, 261 BC) was the first pitched battle of the First Punic War and the first large-scale military confrontation between Carthaginians and the Republic of Rome. The battle was fought after a long siege which started in 262 BC and resulted both in a Roman victory and the beginning of the Roman control of Sicily. History -- Military History -- War The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 BC to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 266 BC 265 BC 264 BC 263 BC 262 BC - 261 BC - 260 BC 259 BC... Map of central Mediterranean Sea, showing location of Agrigentum (modern Agrigento). ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century) The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) was the representative government of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, sometimes placed at 44 BC (the year of Caesars appointment as perpetual... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... Hanno is a name that can refer to the following entities: Hanno the elephant, Pope Leo Xs pet Hanno the Elder, Carthaginian general Hanno the Great, Carthaginian general Hanno the Navigator, Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Rab, Carthaginian politician Hanno von Sangerhausen, great master of the Teutonic Knights Hanno crater... Hannibal Gisco (lived 3rd century BC) was a Carthaginian military commander in charge of both land armies and fleets during the First Punic War. ... History -- Military History -- War The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 BC to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... Battle of the Lipari Islands Conflict First Punic war Date 260 BC Place Lipara harbour, in Sicily Result Carthaginian victory The Battle of the Lipari Islands or Lipara (Lipara harbour, 260 BC) was the first encounter between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic, fought during the First Punic... The battle of Mylae (offshore Mylae Sicily, 260 BC) was the first real naval battle between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic, fought during the First Punic War. ... The Battle of Tindarys is a naval battle of the First Punic War, which took place off Tindarys (modern Tindari) in 257 BC. Tindarys was a Sicilian town founded as a Greek colony in 396 BC located on the high ground overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea in the Gulf of Patti. ... Battle of Cape Ecnomus Conflict First Punic War Date 256 BC Place Offshore Cape Ecnomus, in Sicily Result Roman victory The battle of Cape Ecnomus (offshore Cape Ecnomus, southern coast of Sicily, 256 BC) was a naval battle between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic, fought during the... Battle of Drepana Conflict First Punic War Date 249 BC Place Offshore Drepana, in Sicily Result Carthaginian victory The battle of Drepana or Drepanum (offshore modern Trapani, western coast of Sicily, 249 BC) was the a naval battle between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic, fought during the... Battle of the Aegates Islands Conflict First Punic War Date March 10, 241 BC Place Offshore western Sicily Result Roman victory; end of First Punic War The battle of the Aegates Islands or Aegusa (offshore western coast of Sicily, 10 March 241 BC) was the final naval battle between the... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 266 BC 265 BC 264 BC 263 BC 262 BC - 261 BC - 260 BC 259 BC... History -- Military History -- War The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 BC to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century) The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) was the representative government of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, sometimes placed at 44 BC (the year of Caesars appointment as perpetual... A siege is a prolonged military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 267 BC 266 BC 265 BC 264 BC 263 BC - 262 BC - 261 BC 260 BC...

Prelude

In 288 BC, a group of Italian mercenaries, the Mamertines, occupied the city of Messina on the north-eastern tip of Sicily, killing all the men and taking the women as their wives. From this base, they ravaged the countryside and became a problem for the independent city of Syracuse. When Hiero II of Syracuse in 265 BC came to power, he decided to take definitive action against the Mamertines and besieged Messina. The Mamertines applied for help to two states: Carthage and the Roman Republic. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC - 280s BC - 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 293 BC 292 BC 291 BC 290 BC 289 BC 288 BC 287 BC 286 BC 285... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for money, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... The Mamertines (Mamertini sons of Mars) were mercenaries of Italian origin who had been hired from their home in Campania by Agathocles, the king of Syracuse. ... Location within Italy Messina is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, Italy and the capital of the province of Messina. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ... Map of central Mediterranean Sea, showing location of Syracuse on the island of Sicily. ... Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse from 270 to 215 BC, was the illegitimate son of a Syracusan noble, Hierocles, who claimed descent from Gelo. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 270 BC 269 BC 268 BC 267 BC 266 BC - 265 BC - 264 BC 263 BC... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century) The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) was the representative government of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, sometimes placed at 44 BC (the year of Caesars appointment as perpetual...

Eager to control the fertile island of Sicily, Carthage and Rome sent armies to the area. For the Romans, who did not possess a navy at the time, it was the first involvement in a campaign outside Italy. Soon, the Messina problem was forgotten and the real issue between these two super-powers, with Syracuse somewhat placed in the middle, became apparent. In the following years, there were a few skirmishes between the armies, with the two opponents testing the terrain and learning how to manoeuvre in the hilly grounds of Sicily. U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Nimitz on November 3, 2003. ...

Siege of Agrigentum

In 262 BC, the Romans sent a full-scale army to Sicily, commanded by the two consuls Lucius Postumius Megellus and Quintus Mamilius Vitulus, comprising the four consular legions and allied alae in a total of 40,000 men. This was the response to the major recruiting and training being held in the Carthaginian side. Supported by Syracuse, now an official ally of Rome, the consular army marched in June to Agrigentum on the south-western coast of Sicily. This city was intended to act as base camp for the expected Carthaginian army, but at the time was occupied only by the local garrison, commanded by Hannibal Gisco. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC Years: 267 BC 266 BC 265 BC 264 BC 263 BC - 262 BC - 261 BC 260 BC... For modern diplomatic consuls, see Consulate general. ... The Roman legion (from the Latin legio, meaning levy) was the basic military unit of ancient Rome. ... Hannibal Gisco (lived 3rd century BC) was a Carthaginian military commander in charge of both land armies and fleets during the First Punic War. ...

Gisco responded to the threat and barricaded the population of Agrigentum and his garrison within walls, along with all the supplies they could gather from the surroundings. The city was prepared for a long siege and all he had to do was to wait for the Carthaginian reinforcements already being prepared. At the time, siege engineering and the construction of assault devices such as towers was an art foreign to the Romans. The only way at their disposal to conquer a fortified city like Agrigentum was blockade. Thus the army camped outside the city walls, prepared to wait the necessary time for the city to surrender by starvation. With logistical help guaranteed by Syracuse, their own supplies were not a problem.

A few months later, Gisco was beginning to feel the strain of the blockade and appealed for urgent help from Carthage. The reinforcements landed in Heraclea Minoa in the beginning of the winter of 262-261 BC, comprised by 50,000 men, 6,000 cavalry and 60 war elephants were commanded by Hanno. The Carthaginians then marched south to rescue their allies and, after a few minor cavalry confrontation won by Hanno, they set camp very close to the Romans. Hanno immediately deployed his troops in battle formation, but the Romans declined the invitation. Instead they fortified themselves on the outer side, building a line of circumvallation. The Agrigentum blockade continued, but now the Romans were themselves besieged. Indian war elephant, relief at Mathura, 2nd century BC War elephants were important, although not widespread, weapons in ancient military history. ... Hanno is a name that can refer to the following entities: Hanno the elephant, Pope Leo Xs pet Hanno the Elder, Carthaginian general Hanno the Great, Carthaginian general Hanno the Navigator, Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Rab, Carthaginian politician Hanno von Sangerhausen, great master of the Teutonic Knights Hanno crater... circumvallation in Alesia Circumvallation is a standard military tactic of siege used in ancient and modern warfare. ...

Battle of Agrigentum

With Hanno camped outside their own base, the Roman's line of supply from Syracuse were no longer available. Themselves in the risk of starvation, the consuls chose to offer battle. This time was Hanno's turn to refuse, probably with the intention of defeating the Romans by hunger. Meanwhile, the situation inside Agrigentum after more than six months of siege was close to desperate. Hannibal Gisco, communicating with the outside by smoke signs, sent urgent pleas for relief and Hanno was forced to accept a pitched battle. The details of the actual fighting are, as usual, confusing from the several sources.

Apparently, Hanno deployed the Carthaginian infantry in two lines, with the elephants and reinforcements in the second and the cavalry probably placed in the wings. The Romans battle plan is unknown but their possibly organized in the typical triplex acies formation. All the sources agree that the fighting was long and that were the Romans who managed to break the Carthaginian front. This provoked panic in the rear and the reserves fled the battlefield. It is also possible that the elephants also panicked and in their flight disorganized the Carthaginian formation. In any case, the Romans routed the enemy and were victorious. Their cavalry managed to attack the Carthaginian camp and capture several elephants. But this was not a complete success. Most of the enemy army fled and Hannibal Gisco, together with the garrison of Agrigentum, also managed to break the Roman line and escape for security. The Roman legion (from the Latin legio, meaning levy) was the basic military unit of ancient Rome. ...

Aftermath

Following this battle (the first among four land pitched battles fought in the First Punic War), the Romans occupied Agrigentum and sold the whole population into slavery. The two consuls were victorious, but possibly because of Gisco's escape were not awarded with a triumph on their return. History -- Military History -- War The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 BC to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... A Roman Triumph was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly honour the military commander (dux) of a notably successful foreign war or campaign and to display the glories of Roman victory. ...

After 261 BC, Rome controlled most of Sicily and secured the grain harvest for their own use. Moreover, being this the first large scale campaign fought outside Italy, this victory gave the Romans an extra confidence to pursue overseas interests.

References

• The Fall of Carthage, by Adrian Goldsworthy, Cassel