Anecdote
BATTLE OF THE AEGATES ISLANDS
In 249, Rome lost another entire fleet to a storm. Carthage returned to mastery of the sea. Were there any trees left in Italy to build another fleet and enough plebeians to man it? You would think the Romans had had enough of naval warfare and its meteorological capriciousness. Read more
Anecdote
THE BATTLE OF BAGRADAS (TUNIS)
Xanthippus was a Spartan who fortunately arrived in Carthage at just the right time to buck them up. He proceeded to make no secret of his disdain for Punic generalship. Put up or shut up, he was told. He was given command of the army. He trained it and Read more
Uncategorized
THE BATTLE OF ECNOMUS
Here is the story of one of the great naval battles of the First Punic War. In 256 B.C., Rome sent a huge fleet of 330 galleys and transports to pick up most of its Sicilian army and drop it in North Africa. The fleet sailed along the southern coast Read more
Anecdote
BATTLE OF MYLAE
The First Punic War began in 264 B.C. and early on it became apparent it would be a war fought for control of Sicily. Since Sicily is an island, Carthage was confident it would win because of its powerful navy. The fact that Rome did not even have a navy Read more
Uncategorized
THE CORVUS
In the First Punic War, all warships were wooden, oared galleys. The standard tactic was called the diekplus (“break through”). Fleets advanced line abreast (the galleys would approach in a side by side line). A few of the galleys would attempt to speed through a gap in the enemy line Read more
Anecdote
THE QUINQUEREME
The quinquereme was the dominant oared galley in the Punic Wars. Dionysius of Syracuse is credited with inventing it. Five referred to the five oarsmen that rowed a bank of oars. It is believed that this meant two oars (the top and middle) had two men apiece and one oar Read more
Anecdote
THE BATTLE OF BENEVENTUM
The return of Pyrrhus from his Sicilian adventure found Rome in bad straits. It was war-weary (constant warfare can do that to you) and suffering from a plague. In spite of that, Rome was still Rome. In 275 B.C., it sent two consular armies southward. Pyrrhus marched to meet them. Read more
Anecdote
THE BATTLE OF HERACLEA
The first battle in the Pyrrhic War was fought near Heraclea in 280. Heraclea was located southwest of Tarentum on the sole of Italian boot. The Romans camped on the other side of a river. When a scout was captured, the Romans knew Pyrrhus was nearby. Pyrrhus’ army consisted Read more
Anecdote
THE STAINED TOGA
In 282 B.C., the city of Thurii asked Tarentum to help it against the Lucanians. When the Tarentines turned them down, Thurii asked Rome. As you can imagine, the Romans were only too happy to rescue the damsel in distress. A Roman army defeated a Lucanian Read more