The Battle of Lilybaeum was the first naval clash between the navies of Carthage and Rome during the Second Punic War. The Carthaginians had sent 35 Quinqueremes to raid Sicily, starting with Lilybaeum. The Romans, warned by Hiero of Syracuse of the coming raid, had time to intercept the Carthaginian contingent with a fleet made of 20 Quinqueremes and capture several Carthaginian ships.




Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Marsala is a seaport city located in the province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy, of 77,784 inhabitants (2001). ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Tiberius Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa, Minucius†, Servilius Geminus† Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco†, Syphax... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... This article refers to the state which existed from the 6th century BC to the 1st century BC. For alternate meanings, see Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... Roman Carthage with former military harbor Carthage (Greek: , Latin: , from the Phoenician meaning new town; Arabic: ) refers both to an ancient city in Tunisia and to the civilization that developed within the citys sphere of influence. ... This article refers to the state which existed from the 6th century BC to the 1st century BC. For alternate meanings, see Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... A quinquireme was a galley, a warship propelled by oars, developed from the earlier trireme. ... A Greek trireme Triremes were ancient war galleys with three rows of oars on each side. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Tiberius Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa, Minucius†, Servilius Geminus† Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco†, Syphax... Sagunt (Spanish Sagunto; Latin Saguntum) is an ancient city in Hispania, in the modern fertile district of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia in eastern Spain. ... Combatants Carthage Gauls Commanders Hannibal Barca Unknown Strength 38,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, 37 elephants Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Rhone Crossing took place during the Second Punic War. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder Strength 6,000 cavalry unknown Casualties small small The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. It... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Tiberius Sempronius Longus Strength 10,000 cavalry, 28,000 infantry and thirty elephants 36,000-38,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry Casualties Unknown, but low 20,000 The Battle of the Trebia (or Trebbia) was the first major battle of the Second Punic... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hanno Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus Strength 10,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 2,200 cavalry Casualties 6,000 killed and 2,000 captured unknown, light // Introduction The Battle of Cissa is part of the Second Punic... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Gaius Flaminius † Strength 30,000 soldiers 30,000-40,000 soldiers Casualties 1,500 soldiers 15,000 killed or drowned 15,000 captured The Battle of Lake Trasimeno (June 24, 217 BC, April on the Julian calendar) was a Roman defeat in the Second... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Himilco Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus Strength 40 Quinqueremes 55 Quinqueremes and Triremes Casualties 4 sunk, 25 captured Unknown Battle of Ebro River was a naval battle fought between a Carthaginian fleet of approximately 40 quinqueremes under Himilco and a Roman fleet of 55 ships under... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Barca Quintus Fabius Maximus Strength 2,000 infantry, 2,000 Oxen, 2000 Camp Followers 4000 infantry, plus reserves Casualties Light 1000+ The Battle of Ager Falernus is part of the Second Punic War. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders M. Minucius Rufus Quintus Fabius Maximus Hannibal Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Geronium was fought in 217 BC during the Second Punic War between Roman forces under M. Minucius Rufus and Hannibals Carthaginian army. ... For the 11th-century battle in the Byzantine conquest of the Mezzogiorno, see Battle of Cannae (1018). ... The First Battle of Nola was fought in 216 BC between the forces of Hannibal and a Roman force led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal Barca Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus, Publius Cornelius Scipio Strength 25,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, 20 Elephants 30,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 3,000 cavalry Casualties Severe Heavy The Battle of Dertosa, also known as the ‘’’Battle of Ibera’’’, was... The Second Battle of Nola was fought in 215 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman Army under Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal The Bald, Hampsicora Titus Manlius Torquatus Strength 15,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry +Sardinians (?) + Elephants (?) 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 1,200 cavalry Casualties Most killed or captured unknown, The Battle of Cornus, or Caralis took place when a Carthaginian... The Third Battle of Nola was fought in 214 BC between Hannibal and Roman army led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Tiberius Gracchus Hanno Strength unknown unknown Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Beneventum was fought in 214 BC near modern Benevento during the Second Punic War. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Marcus Livius Strength 10,000 Unknown Casualties Minimal Nearly entire force Second Punic War Saguntum â€“ Lilybaeum â€“ Ticinus â€“ Trebia â€“ Cissa â€“ Lake Trasimene â€“ Ebro River â€“ Ager Falernus â€“ Geronium â€“ Cannae â€“ 1st Nola â€“ Dertosa â€“ 2nd Nola â€“ Cornus â€“ 3rd Nola â€“ Beneventum â€“ 1st Tarentum â€“ 1st Capua â€“ Silarus â€“ 1st Herdonia â€“ Syracuse... The First Battle of Capua was fought in 212 BC between Hannibal and a Roman army. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Marcus Centenius Penula â€  Casualties moderate entire army destroyed The Battle of the Silarus was fought in 212 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman force led by praetor Marcus Centenius Penula. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Gnaeus Fulvius Strength 20,000-30,000 18,000 Casualties Minimal 16,000 The first Battle of Herdonia was fought in 212 BC during the Second Punic War between Hannibals Carthaginian army and Roman forces led by Praetor Gnaeus Fulvius Flaccus, brother of... The Siege of Syracuse was fought from 214 BC to 212 BC between the rebellious city of Syracuse, and a Roman army under Marcellus sent to put down the citys rebellion. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal Barca Publius Cornelius Scipio† Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus† Strength 35,000 foot, 3,000 Numidians, 7,500 Spanish tribals 30,000 foot, 3,000 Horse + 20,000 Celt-Iberian mercenaries Casualties unknown- approximately 22,000 // Introduction The Battle of the Upper Baetis was fought... The Second Battle of Capua was fought in 211 BC when the Romans besieged Capua. ... The Second Battle of Herdonia of the Second Punic War, was fought in 210 BC between Hannibals army and the Roman forces of Fulvius Centumalus. ... The Battle of Numistro was fought in 210 BC between Hannibals army and a Roman army led by Marcus Claudius Marcellus. ... The Battle of Asculum was fought in 209 BC between Hannibals Carthaginian army, and a Roman force. ... The Battle of Baecula was Scipio Africanus’s first major field battle after he had taken command of Roman interests in Spain during the Second Punic War, in which he routed the Carthaginian army under the command of Hasdrubal Barca. ... The Battle of Grumentum was fought in 207 BC between Romans led by Gaius Claudius Nero, and Hannibals Carthaginian army. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal Barca † Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Porcius Licinus Strength unknown Livius: 2 city legions, Nero: 6,000 foot, 1,000 horse, Licinus: 2 legions Casualties 57,000 killed, 5,400 prisoners 8,000 killed The Battle of the Metaurus was a pivotal battle... The Battle of Ilipa was a battle of the Second Punic War. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Sempronius Tuditanus The battles of Crotona in 204 and 203 BC were the last larger scale engagements between the Romans and the Carthaginians in Italy during the Second Punic War. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo Syphax Publius Cornelius Scipio Strength much larger than the Roman army approximately 25,000 Casualties reportedly tens of thousands negligible The Battle of Utica was fought in 203 BC between armies of Rome and Carthage during their second war for dominance... Combatants Roman Republic Carthaginian Commanders Scipio Africanus, Masinissa, Laeliu Hasdrubal, Syphax Casualties Unknown Rout of whole army The Battle of the Great plains Hasdrubal and Syphax had both succeded in escaping from their camps which the Roman general Scipio Africanus, and his Numidian allies Masinissa and Laeliu had destroyed. ... The Battle of Cirta was a battle during the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage. ... The Po Valley Raid was a engagement during the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic East Numidia Commanders Hannibal Scipio Africanus Masinissa Strength almost 58,000 infantry 6,000 cavalry 80 war elephants 34,000 Roman infantry 3,000 Roman cavalry 6,000 Numidian cavalry Casualties 20,000 killed 11,000 wounded 15,000 captured 1,500 killed 4,000 wounded... The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage. ... Osama was here and he doesnt enjoy this site???? the red sox won and i am one happy camper. ... The Mercenary War was a uprising of mercenaries in the employ of Carthage in the 3rd century BC. The revolt was a consequence of delays in payment following the defeat of Carthage in the First Punic War. ... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Tiberius Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa, Minucius†, Servilius Geminus† Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco†, Syphax... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Scipio Aemilianus Hasdrubal the Boetarch Strength 40,000 90,000 Casualties 17,000 62,000 The Third Punic War (149 BC to 146 BC) was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between the former Phoenician colony of Carthage, and the Republic of... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Publius Cornelius Scipio†, Tiberius Sempronius Longus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, Gaius Flaminius†, Fabius Maximus, Claudius Marcellus†, Lucius Aemilius Paullus†, Gaius Terentius Varro, Marcus Livius Salinator, Gaius Claudius Nero, Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus†, Masinissa, Minucius†, Servilius Geminus† Hannibal Barca, Hasdrubal Barca†, Mago Barca†, Hasdrubal Gisco†, Syphax... A quinquireme was a galley, a warship propelled by oars, developed from the earlier trireme. ... Marsala is a seaport city located in the province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy, of 77,784 inhabitants (2001). ... Syracuse (Italian Siracusa, Sicilian Sarausa, Greek , Latin Syracusae) is an Italian city on the eastern coast of Sicily and the capital of the province of Syracuse. ...

Strategic Situation

The Roman Senate had declared war on Carthage after Hannibal Barca had attacked, besieged and finally taken the city of Saguntum in Spain in 219 BC. Rome had declared Saguntum an ally but had done nothing to help the city during the eight month long siege. Hannibal Barca (247 BC – c. ... Saguntum, now Sagunt, (Castilian Sagunto) is an ancient city in the fertile district of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia in eastern Spain. ...

Roman preparations

The Roman navy had been mobilized in 219 BC, fielding 220 Quinqueremes for fighting Illyrians. Publius Cornelius Scipio received 4 legions (8,000 Roman and 14,000 allied infantry and 600 Roman and 1,600 allied horse) and was to sail for Spain escorted by 60 ships. A quinquireme was a galley, a warship propelled by oars, developed from the earlier trireme. ... Publius Cornelius Scipio (died 211 BC) was a general and statesman of the Roman Republic. ...

However, Gauls of the Boii and Insuber tribes in north Italy attacked Roman colonies of Placentia and Cremona, causing the Romans to flee to Mutina, which the Gauls then besieged. Praetor L. Manlius Vulso marched with 2 Roman legions, 600 Roman Horse, 10,000 allied infantry and 1,000 allied cavalry towards Cisalpine Gaul from Ariminium. This army was ambushed twice on the way, lost 1,200 men, and although the siege of Mutina was raised, the army itself fell under a loose siege a few miles from Mutina^[1]. This event prompted the Roman Senate to send 1 of Scipio's legions and 5,000 allied troops to aid Vulso. Scipio had to raise troops to replace these and thus could not set out for Spain until September of 218 BC. Placentia is the name of some places in the world: Placentia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Placentia, California, United States of America The Palace of Placentia was a royal palace in Greenwich, London Piacenza in Italy was formerly called Placentia in Latin and English Placencia de las Armas and Plentzia are... Cremona is a city in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left shore of the Po river in the middle of the Pianura padana (Po valley). ... Modena is a city and a province on the south side of the Po valley, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ... Map with location of Cisalpine Gaul This article is about the Roman province. ... Romagna is an Italian historical region which approximately corresponds to modern Emilia-Romagna regions south-eastern portion. ...

Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus received 4 legions (2 Romans and 2 allied, 8,000 Roman and 16,000 allied infantry and 600 Roman and 1,800 allied horse)^[2] and instructions to sail for Africa with escorted by 160 Quinqueremes. Sempronius had set sail for Sicily, where he was to complete his preparations for invading Africa. Tiberius Sempronius Longus was a Roman consul in 194 BCE, and a contemporary of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

Punic preparations

Hannibal had dismissed his army to winter quarters after the Siege of Saguntum. In the summer of 218 BC, Hannibal stationed 15,000 soldiers and 21 elephants^[3] in Spain under his brother Hasdrubal Barca, and sent 20,000 soldiers in Africa with 4,000 garrisoning Carthage itself^[4]. The army that marched for Italy from Cartagena supposed to have numbered 90,000 foot and 12,000 cavalry, and 37 elephants. Hannibal divided his army into 3 column before crossing the Ebro River, and attacked the Spanish tribes of Illergetes, Bergusii and Ausetani in Catalonia. In a 2 month long campaign, Hannibal subdued parts of Catalonia between the Ebro, the Pyrenees and the Sicoris river in a swift, if costly^[5] campaign. Sagunt (Spanish Sagunto; Latin Saguntum) is an ancient city in Hispania, in the modern fertile district of Camp de Morvedre in the province of Valencia in eastern Spain. ... Hasdrubal Barca (d. ... Cartagena is the name of two cities: Cartagena, Spain Cartagena, Colombia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... This article is about the Spanish river. ... Anthem: Capital Barcelona Official language(s) Catalan,Spanish and Aranese. ...

The Spanish contingent of the Punic navy numbered 50 Quinqueremes (only 32 were manned) and 5 triremes, which remained in the Spanish waters, having shadowed Hannibal's army for some way^[6]. Carthage mobilized at least 55 Quinqueremes for immediate raids on Italy and Sicily.

Prelude

The Carthaginian navy struck the first blow when a fleet of 20 Quimqueremes, loaded with 1,000 soldiers, raided the Lipari Islands. Another group of eight ships attacked the Vulcan islands, but were blown off-course in a storm towards the Straits of Messina. The Syracusan navy, then at Messina, managed to capture three of the ships without resistance. Learning from their crews that a Carthaginian fleet was to attack Lilybaeum, Hiero II, who was at Messina awaiting the arrival of Sempronius, warned the Roman praetor Marcus Amellius at Lilybaeum. Hiero II, tyrant of Syracuse from 270 to 215 BC, was the illegitimate son of a Syracusan noble, Hierocles, who claimed descent from Gelo. ...

The Battle

The Carthaginian fleet was hampered by bad weather and had to wait before comencing their operation. Although the Romans only had 20 ships present at Lilybaeum, the praetor, after receiving the warning from Hiero of Syaracuse, provisioned them for a long sail and put in a proper contingent of Roman legionaries on board each ship before the Carthaginian fleet appeared. He also posted lookouts along the coast to watch for the Carthaginian ships.

The Carthaginians had broken their journey at the Aegatess Islands, and when they sailed for Lilybaeum on a moonlit night, they intended to make their approach coincide with the dawn. The Roman lookouts spotted them well before they reached the harbour. As the Romans sallied forth, the Carthaginians lowered their sails for battle and moved to the open sea. The Carthaginians outnumbered the Romans, but their ships were undermanned and the Romans had the advantage of containing a larger number of soldiers aboard their ships. Playing to their individual strengths, the Roman ships tried to close with the Carthaginian ships and grapple them, while the Carthaginians tried to evade the onrushing Roman ships and ram them if possible. In the melee, the Romans managed to board and capture seven Carthaginian ships and take 1,700 prisoners. The remaining Carthaginian ships managed to retreat. The Roman losses are unknown.

Aftermath

The Romans had managed to thwart the attempt by the Carthaginians to establish a base in Sicily. The Consul T. Sempronous Longus soon arrived with his army and fleet in Sicily. He sailed with his fleet to Malta, where he captured the island and bagged 2,000 prisoners, along with the Carthaginian garrison commander, Hamilcar Gisco. He then sailed to intercept a Carthaginian naval contingent raiding the Vulcan islands. The Carthaginian contingent had sailed and raided the Roman territory around Vibo in Bruttium. Sempronis received the news of the Battle of Ticinus and was summoned by the Roman senate to aid Scipio. He posted 50 ships at Lilybaeum under Marcus Amellius, another 25 in Vibo, then sent his army via land and sea to Ariminium. Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Hannibal Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder Strength 6,000 cavalry unknown Casualties small small The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. It...

References

Bibliography

• Bagnall, Nigel (1990). The Punic Wars. ISBN 0-312-34214-4. 
• Cottrell, Leonard (1992). Hannibal: Enemy of Rome. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80498-0. 
• Lazenby, John Francis (1978). Hannibal's War. Aris & Phillips. ISBN 0-8061-3004-0. 
• Goldsworthy, Adrian (2003). The Fall of Carthage. Cassel Military Paperbacks. ISBN 0-304-36642-0. 
• Peddie, John (2005). Hannibal's War. Sutton Publishing Limited. ISBN 0-7509-3797-1. 
• Dodge, Theodore Ayrault (1891). Hannibal. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81362-9. 

Further reading

• Lancel, Serge (1997). Carthage A History. Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 1-57718-103-4. 
• Warry, John (1993). Warfare in The Classical World. Salamander Books Ltd.. ISBN 1-56619-463-6. 
• Casson, Lionel (1981). The Ancient Mariners 2nd Edition. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01477-9. 
• Lancel, Serge (1999). Hannibal. Blackwell Publishers. ISBN 0-631-21848-3. 
• Baker, G. P. (1999). Hannibal. Cooper Square Press. ISBN 0-8154-1005-0. 
• Casson, Lionel (1991). The Ancient Mariners. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-01477-9.