The Battle of Panormus was fought in 251 BC between Romans led by L. Caecilius Metellus and Carthaginians led by Hasdrubal during the First Punic War. The resulting Roman victory allowed for Panormus to remain in Roman control for the remainder of the war. The First Punic War (264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC - 250s BC - 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC Years: 256 BC 255 BC 254 BC 253 BC 252 BC - 251 BC - 250 BC 249 BC... (This article is about Palermo in Sicily. ... See also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... A map of the central Mediterranean Sea, showing the location of Carthage (near modern Tunis). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The First Punic War (264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. ... 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. ... Combatants Carthage Roman Republic Commanders Boodes Hannibal Gisco Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Asina Strength About 20 ships About 17 ships Casualties Unknown Fleet captured {{{notes}}} 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... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Gaius Duilius Hannibal Gisco Strength About 120 ships About 130 ships The Battle of Mylae took place in 260 BC, during the First Punic War, off the coast of Mylae, Sicily, and was the first real naval battle between the fleets of Carthage and the... The Battle of Sulci was a naval battle fought in 258 BC between the Roman and Carthagenian navys of the coast near the town of Sulci. ... The Battle of Tyndaris is a naval battle of the First Punic War, which took place off Tyndaris (modern Tindari) in 257 BC. Tyndaris 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... The Battle of Adys was fought in 256 BC between Carthaginians and a Roman army led by Marcus Atilius Regulus. ... 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... Combatants Roman Republic Carthage Commanders Gaius Lutatius Catulus Hanno the Great Strength About 200 ships About 250 ships Casualties 30 ships sunk 50 ships sunk 70 ships captured The Battle of the Aegates Islands or Aegusa (Aegadian Islands, off the western coast of the island of Sicily, 10 March 241... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC - 250s BC - 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC Years: 256 BC 255 BC 254 BC 253 BC 252 BC - 251 BC - 250 BC 249 BC... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The First Punic War (264 to 241 BC) was the first of three major wars fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic. ...

Prelude

Towards the end of 252 BC or early 251 BC, Carthage had put down a Libyan revolt in Africa and sent an army under the command of Hasdrubal, son of Hanno the Great, to Sicily. Hasdrubal was present at the Battle of Tunis, along with the Greek mercenary general Xanthippus, and learned much from his experiences. According to Polybius, Hasdrubal roamed the region of western Sicily around the cities of Lilybaeum and Selinus unopposed by the Romans (who kept to high ground) for two years. However, Hasdrubal soon made a choice to attack a Roman consular army under the command of Consul Lucius Cecilius Metellus, which was gathering the harvest around Panormus. Hasdrubal then marched his men and elephants through the Orethus valley towards Panormus. This operation seems reasonable due to the fact the other consular army was on its way to Rome and the conditions favorable. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Hanno the Great was a wealthy Carthaginian aristocrat in the 3rd century BC. Hannos wealth was based on the land he owned in North Africa, and during the First Punic War he led the faction in Carthage that was opposed to continuing the war against Rome. ... The Battle of Tunis between the Roman Republic and Carthage occurred in 256 BC during the First Punic War. ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for private gain, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... Xanthippus was a Greek (possibly Spartan) mercenary general hired by the Carthaginians to aid in their war against the Romans during the First Punic War. ... Marsala is a seaport city located in the province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy, of 77,784 inhabitants (2001). ...

Battle

Having caused the Romans to retreat behind the walls of Panormus, and subsequently ravaged the countryside, Hasdrubals forces came towards the city by exiting the valley and crossing the Orethus River. Metellus then let loose his light troops with orders to harass Carthaginian vanguards and discharge their javelins into elephants. In order to do this, the Roman light troops took asylum in ditches that surrounded the city. The commander of the Carthaginian elephants, believing the resistance to be weak, advanced to scatter the light troops. The elephants were now exposed and the javelins and missiles discharged upon them--from both the city walls and the entrenched light troops--causing them to panic and charge into their own ranks. At this point, Metellus and his legions were stationed outside of a city gate facing the Carthaginian left. At the fleeing of the elephants, Metellus ordered the legions to charge the left flank and caused the opposing army to rout. However, the Romans did not pursue the fleeing army but rather captured the remainder of the elephants, who were later slaughtered in Rome.

Aftermath

As was custom, Hasdrubal was called back to Carthage to be executed. His successor, Adhubal, decided Selinus could no longer be garrisoned and had the town destroyed. With the exception of Hamilcar Barca's guerrilla warfare, this defeat marked the end of significant Carthaginian land campaigning in Sicily.

References

• Bagnall, Nigel. The Punic Wars. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990.