Battle of Carteia
Battle of Carteia | |||||||
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Part of the Second Punic War | |||||||
Map of the Second Punic War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Roman Republic | Carthage | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Lucius Marcius Septimus | Hanno | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown |
6,000 soldiers (including 4,000 Celtiberians) 700 Cavalry |
The Battle of Carteia, also known by the modern name Battle of the Guadalquivir, took place during the Second Punic War in 206 BC between the forces of Carthage and the Roman Republic. The name "Battle of the Guadalquivir" is anachronistic, since the river's name "el Guadalquivir", from the Arabic al-wadi al-kabir ("the great valley"), was not used until the Islamic conquest of Spain over nine hundred years after the battle. The Carthaginian forces were commanded by Hanno and the Romans by Gaius Lucius Marcius Septimus. The battle resulted in a Roman victory.
Context
After the Carthaginian defeat at the
The battle
Hanno had at his command 700 cavalry and 6,000 infantrymen, of whom 4,000 were Celtiberian warriors and the rest Africans. Lucius Marcius Septimus attacked the Carthaginian force and surrounded them on a hill.
The mercenaries quickly opened negotiations with Marcius, who asked Hanno to hand over any deserters and prisoners that he had in his care. He further asked them for payment, after which they could reach an agreement. Once the mercenaries had come down from the hill, Marcius gave his final demand for the mercenary forces to surrender their arms and return to their respective cities.
However, the last demand infuriated the Celtiberians, whose culture established that death was preferable to surrender their weapons. They refused to comply and promptly resumed battle. After brave resistance from the Carthaginian forces, over half their number were slaughtered and the rest were able to escape.
Consequences
The Celtiberian mercenaries and African fighters who were able to escape fled towards the army of
Mago Barca returned defeated to Gadir where he found that the local population had shut their gates to his army as they had begun negotiations with the Romans. Shortly thereafter, Mago abandoned the city and sailed to the
See also
References
- Ab urbe condita28.36.7-9
- ISSN 1696-991X.
- ^ Revista Cartagena Historica, La conquista Bárcida