Battle of the Aegates Islands
Part of the First Punic War
Location of the Aegates (modern Aegadian) Islands
Date: March 10, 241 BC Location: Aegadian Islands, western Sicily Result: Roman victory; end of First Punic War
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 BC) was the final naval battle fought between the fleets of Carthage and the Roman Republic during the First Punic War. The result was a decisive Roman victory which forced an end to the protracted conflict, to Roman advantage. The First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... Image File history File links Aegadian_Islands_map. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in Leap years). ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 246 BC 245 BC 244 BC 243 BC 242 BC - 241 BC - 240 BC 239 BC 238... The Aegadian islands (Italian Isole Egadi; Latin Aegales Insulae), are a group of small mountainous islands off the north western coast of Sicily. ... Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... 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). ... Temple to Juturna, built by Catulus to celebrate his victory at . ... 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 First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ... 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... 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 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. ... The Battle of Panormus was fought in 251 BC between Romans led by L. Caecilius Metellus and Carthaginians led by Hasdrubal. ... 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... The Aegadian islands (Italian Isole Egadi; Latin Aegales Insulae), are a group of small mountainous islands off the north western coast of Sicily. ... Sicilian disambiguates here; see also Sicilian language or Sicilian Defence. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in Leap years). ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 246 BC 245 BC 244 BC 243 BC 242 BC - 241 BC - 240 BC 239 BC 238... 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 First Punic War was fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic from 264 to 241 BC. It was the first of three major wars between the two powers for supremacy in the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Prelude

The years preceding the battle were of relatively quiet development within the First Punic War. Rome lacked a fleet — the ships it had possessed at the beginning of the war had been largely destroyed in the Battle of Drepana and in the storm that followed — Carthage, however, took little advantage of this situation. Hostilities between Roman and Carthaginian forces gradually stalled, becoming concentrated in small scale land operations in Sicily. The Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca was slow to complete his advantage on the island and, probably due to this, from 242 BC Rome eventually decided to build another fleet and regain naval supremacy. 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... Hamilcar Barca (about 270 - 228 BC), or Barcas (Canaanite baraq lightning), was a Carthaginian general and statesman, father of Hannibal. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 247 BC 246 BC 245 BC 244 BC 243 BC - 242 BC - 241 BC 240 BC...

This resolution notwithstanding, after 20 years of war the finances of the Republic were in a calamitous state, the treasury empty. A popular movement quickly formed to counter this difficulty in a typically Roman manner: wealthy citizens, either alone or in groups, decided to show their patriotism and finance the construction of one ship apiece. The result was a fleet of approximately 200 quinqueremes, built, equipped and crewed without public expense. Defense of the homeland is a commonplace of military patriotism: commemorating the students at the École Polytechnique, Paris, 1814 Patriotism denotes positive attitudes by individuals to their own nation, to its national homeland, its culture, its members, and to its interests. ... A quinquireme was a galley, a warship propelled by oars, developed from the earlier trireme. ...

The new fleet was completed in 242 BC and entrusted to the consul Gaius Lutatius Catulus, assisted by the praetor Quintus Valerius Falto. The reversals of fortune suffered in past naval defeats and difficulties served as invaluable acquired experience. The Roman ships were now more resistant to adverse weather conditions, with the corvus having been abandoned. Catulus and Falto also endeavoured to drill the crews in manoeuvres and exercises before leaving secure waters. The result was a fleet at the peak of condition and fighting ability. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 247 BC 246 BC 245 BC 244 BC 243 BC - 242 BC - 241 BC 240 BC... For modern, semi-diplomatic or colonial consuls, see Consul (representative). ... Temple to Juturna, built by Catulus to celebrate his victory at . ... // Definition According to Cicero, Praetor was a title which designated the consuls as the leaders of the armies of the state. ... A corvus (meaning raven in Latin) was a Roman military boarding device used in naval warfare during the First Punic War against Carthage. ...

In Carthage meanwhile, the news of enemy activity was not allowed to be left unanswered. A new Carthaginian fleet was also built, numbering about 250 warships (although probably undermanned), and launched to the Mediterranean under the command of Hanno (the general defeated at Agrigentum and Cape Ecnomus). 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. ... 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...

Aegates Islands

Catulus' first move was to besiege the Sicilian port city Lilybaeum once more, by blocking its harbour and the connection to Carthage. The intent was seemingly to cut Hamilcar Barca's supply and communication lines. The Carthaginian fleet arrived to relieve the blockade soon afterwards. Hanno called a halt near the Aegates Islands to wait for a favourable breeze that would speed him to Lilybaeum. The Carthaginian fleet was spotted by Roman scouts, however, and Catulus abandoned the blockade to meet his enemies. Marsala is a seaport city located in the province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy, of 77,784 inhabitants (2001). ...

On the morning of March 10, the wind blew to favour the Carthaginians and Hanno immediately set sail. Catulus measured the risk of attacking with the wind in his prow versus the risk of letting Hanno reach Sicily to relieve Hamilcar Barca and Lilybaeum. Despite unfavourable conditions, the consul decided to intercept the Carthaginians and ordered battle formation. Perhaps due to the extra weight of stored provisions, or to the inexperience of hurriedly levied crews, Hanno did not take advantage of the favourable wind and lost the battle that followed. About half of the Carthaginian fleet was captured or sunk, the rest escaped when the wind changed. March 10 is the 69th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (70th in Leap years). ...

End of the First Punic War

Upon achieving decisive victory over the Carthaginian fleet, Catulus renewed the siege and conquered Lilybaeum, isolating Barca and his army on Sicily, now scattered among the few strongholds that Carthage still retained. Without the resources to build another fleet or to reinforce the land troops, Carthage subsequently admitted defeat and signed a peace treaty with Rome, bringing the First Punic War to a conclusion.

To celebrate his victory, Lutatius Catulus built a temple to Juturna in Campus Martius, in the area currently known as Largo di Torre Argentina. In Roman mythology, Juturna was the goddess of fountains, wells and springs. ... The Campus Martius, or Field of Mars, was a publicly owned area of ancient Rome about 2 km² (600 acres) in extent. ... Largo di Torre Argentina, Temple A (to Juturna), with part of Temple B on the left. ...

References