Siege of Utica (204 BC)

Coordinates: 37°3′25″N 10°3′43″E / 37.05694°N 10.06194°E / 37.05694; 10.06194
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Battle of Utica (204 BC)
)
The siege of Utica
Part of Second Punic War
DateAutumn 204 BC
Location
Utica, present-day Tunisia
37°3′25″N 10°3′43″E / 37.05694°N 10.06194°E / 37.05694; 10.06194
Result Carthaginian victory
Belligerents
Carthage
Masaesyli
Roman Republic
Commanders and leaders
Hasdrubal Gisco
Syphax
Scipio Africanus
Strength
33,000–47,500 35,000[1]

The siege of Utica was a

general Scipio Africanus besieged Utica, intending to use it as a supply base for his campaign against Carthage in North Africa. He launched repeated and coordinated army-navy assaults on the city, all of which failed. The arrival of a large Carthaginian and Numidian relief army under Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Gisco and Numidian king Syphax in late autumn
forced Scipio to break off the siege after 40 days and retreat to the coast.

Prelude

After a three-day journey from

kidnapped and sent to Sicily as hostages, along with considerable booty.[3]

Siege

Scipio moved to Utica and set up his forces on a line of hills one mile from it. The Roman fleet attempted to blockade Utica's port. Scipio's intention was to capture the ancient Phoenician port city and make it a supply base for his further operations.[4][5] Scipio had siege engines and artillery with him, received further artillery as reinforcements from Sicily and had craftsmen build more artillery in an arsenal. The direct assault on the walls was repulsed even though it was supported by siege engines and the Roman fleet, so that the Romans had to undertake a regular siege of the city.[6] The emergence of two large armies of the enemy effectively ended the siege after forty days.[7] These were the forces of Hasdrubal Gisgo and his son-in-law Syphax, who apparently did not hesitate anymore. Their numerical superiority (according to the tradition passed by ancient authors such as Polybius and Livy, the army of Hasdrubal amounted to more than 30,000 and that of Syphax was twice as many,[8][9][10] but these numbers are considered as exaggerated by modern researchers[11]) forced Scipio to retreat to a promontory not far from Utica, which was later called Castra Cornelia. He fortified the narrow neck of land and set his winter quarters, relying on supplies of corn and clothing that were being sent to him from Sicily, Sardinia, and Iberia. Hasdrubal and Syphax built their separate camps some distance from Castra Cornelia.[12][13][7][14]

References

Citations

  1. ^ Livy, XXIX.25
  2. ^ Livy, XXIX.28
  3. ^ Livy, XXIX.29
  4. ^ Livy, XXIX.35
  5. ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
  6. ^ Appian, The Punic Wars, 3.16; Caven, The Punic Wars, pp. 238-239
  7. ^ a b Cassius Dio, XVII, 69
  8. ^ Livy, XXIX.35
  9. ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
  10. ^ Polybius, The Histories, XIV, 1.14
  11. ^ According to Scullard (Scipio Africanus, p. 124) Hasdrubal and Syphax could not muster more than 35,000 soldiers. Fournie (TheHistoryNet|Ancient and Medieval Wars|Second Punic War: Battle of Zama, p. 1) is on the same opinion. Caven (Punic Wars, p. 240) suggests that the Livy's figure of 93,000 is undoubtedly inflated, but nevertheless the Carthaginians and their Numidian allies had a significant numerical advantage that forced Scipio to retreat.
  12. ^ Livy, XXIX.35
  13. ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
  14. ^ Scullard, Scipio Africanus, pp. 124-125

Bibliography

  • Scullard, H. H., Scipio Africanus: Soldier and Politician, New York, Cornell University Press, 1970, Standard Book Number 8014-0549-1