Battle of Utica (49 BC)

Battle of Utica
Part of Caesar's Civil War
The first phase of the battle
Date 49 BC Location Utica, North Africa 37°03′28.6″N 10°03′45.35″E / 37.057944°N 10.0625972°E / 37.057944; 10.0625972 Result Caesarian victory
Belligerents
Caesarians	Pompeians Numidia
Commanders and leaders
Gaius Scribonius Curio Gaius Caninius Rebilus	Publius Attius Varus
Units involved
Legio XV Legio XVI Gallic auxiliary cavalry	3 unknown Optimates' legions Numidian light infantry and cavalry
Strength
10,000+ (2 legions + 500 Gallic cavalry)	15,000+ (3 legions + unknown number of Numidian allies)
Casualties and losses
100	1,600
class=notpageimage| Location within modern Tunisia

The Battle of Utica (49 BC) in

After ordering his fleet to sail to Utica, Curio began his march there around the gulf. Within three days he had reached the southern bank of the

Next, Curio, observing that some 200 ships containing the supplies for Varus's army lay unprotected in Utica's harbour, and that his fleet was already in position, decided to take possession of the supplies. He ordered the captains of the vessels to remove their cargoes and place them on the shore, next to where Curio was planning to make his camp. After threatening to kill them, they complied and promptly set sail after they had emptied their holds.[15]

Returning victorious to his camp on the Bagradas, the legions acclaimed him as Imperator.^[15] The next day he ordered his forces to march towards Utica, but instead of heading towards the Castra Cornelia which he had spied out for his camp, he decided to take the offensive and placed himself on a ridge to the south-west of the town.^[15] His soldiers were still preparing their camp when patrols reported seeing large Numidian reinforcements on their way, King Juba having sent them to reinforce Varus's position. When they came into view, Curio, who had not bothered to send out scouts, started showing signs of nervousness.^[15] He urgently sent out his cavalry to impede the Numidian advance, while he impatiently recalled his legionaries from the trenches and began to line them up in battle formation.^[15] His cavalry engaged the Numidians who, approaching in a disorganized fashion, were caught unawares and were dispersed with heavy losses. Before Curio could send his legions in, the Numidian cavalry had escaped from the slaughter, and quickly made their way into the town.^[15]

The following night, two centurions, accompanied by twenty-two men, deserted Curio's camp and made their way to Varus. They told him that Curio's troops were deeply unhappy with their commander, and that he should attempt to win them over prior to battle.^[16] Varus agreed with this strategy and the following morning, he assembled his troops and led them out of their camp. Curio followed suit.^[16] The two armies were separated by a valley some 70 metres (230 ft) in width, between the town and a morass, with Curio's right flank and Varus's left touching by the morass.^[16] Varus's brother,^[17] Sextus Quintilius Varus, a senator, emerged from Varus's troops and urged Curio's troops not to fight for their commander, but to join their own side. The troops listened in silence, and Varus returned to his camp, with Curio again doing the same.^[16] That day, with Curio's men contemplating abandoning their commander, Curio summoned his officers to seek their advice. Some counselled Curio to attack immediately, before mutiny could break out. Others suggested that he wait and let Varus come to him, giving his soldiers time to calm themselves down. Curio rejected both sets of advice and decided to talk to the men directly.^[18] Ordering his troops to line up, he reminded them of their oaths to Caesar, and that they had acclaimed him Imperator. By the time he was done, his troops had been brought around to supporting him, and all mutterings subsided.^[19]

The battle

The next day it was Curio who led his men out for battle, with Varus following. They lined up their troops as they had the day before, on either side of the valley. Although the sides of the valley were only about seven feet high, they were quite steep,^[17] so each army waited for the other to commence operations and start crossing the valley.^[19] Eventually Varus ordered the Numidian cavalry, with support from lightly armed auxiliaries, to cross the valley. As they proceeded, Curio sent in his cavalry, supported by two cohorts, and they launched themselves at Varus's advancing troops. The Numidian cavalry, already having been beaten two days before, turned around and fled.^[19] The auxiliaries in turn were surrounded and slaughtered where they stood. At this point Curio's legate, Gaius Caninius Rebilus, turned to Curio and urged him to take the opportunity and press his advantage.^[19] Reminding his men of the oaths they had taken the day before, Curio led the charge. Crossing the valley and scrambling up the enemy embankment, Curio discovered that Varus's men had broken and run.^[20] Chasing after them, many of Varus's troops were trampled to death by their own men in their haste to flee, while others were killed by Curio's men. Many never stopped until they reached the town of Utica.^[20] Varus was so completely demoralised that he withdrew almost his entire army into the town, leaving only a trumpeter and a few tents behind to keep up appearances.^[20] The end result was Varus lost some 600 men, while another 1,000 were wounded; Curio's own tally of injured came to 100.^[20]

Aftermath

In the confusion of the battle, Curio was urged to take the town before Varus could regroup, but he held himself back, as he did not have the means at hand to undertake an assault of the town.

Sources

• Goldsworthy, Adrian Keith, Caesar’s Civil War, 49 – 44 BC, Osprey Publishing, 2002
• Holland, Tom, Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic, Abacus, 2004
• Holmes, T. Rice, The Roman Republic and the Founder of the Empire, Vol III, Oxford University Press, 1923
• Syme, Ronald, The Roman Revolution, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1939

References