Siege of Utica (204 BC)
The siege of Utica | |||||||
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Part of Second Punic War | |||||||
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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
Prelude
After a three-day journey from
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
- ^ Livy, XXIX.25
- ^ Livy, XXIX.28
- ^ Livy, XXIX.29
- ^ Livy, XXIX.35
- ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
- ^ Appian, The Punic Wars, 3.16; Caven, The Punic Wars, pp. 238-239
- ^ a b Cassius Dio, XVII, 69
- ^ Livy, XXIX.35
- ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
- ^ Polybius, The Histories, XIV, 1.14
- ^ 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.
- ^ Livy, XXIX.35
- ^ Cassius Dio, XVII, 68
- ^ 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