Battle of Alalia

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The Battle of Alalia was a naval battle fought between 540 BC and 535 BC off the coast of Corsica between Phocaeans and allied Etruscans and Carthaginians. The Punic-Etruscan fleet of 120 ships defeated the Greek force of sixty ships and the nearby colony of Alalia (now Aléria) was taken over by Carthage. Corsica was shared by the Carthaginians and Etruscans, and Carthage retained Sardinia.

1 Background
2 The battle
3 Aftermath
4 References

[edit] Background

The establishment of Greek colonies in Sicily and South Italy (Magna Graecia) had intensified the competition between Carthage, the Etruscan cities of Italy and the Greeks in the Western Mediterranean Sea for control of the sea-borne trade.

The Phocaean Greeks from Asia Minor (Modern Turkey) had founded the colony of Massilia around 600 BC, which had become a thriving trading center and a major rival of Carthage for the Spanish markets and the tin trade through Gaul. When the city of Phocaea fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 546 BC, most Phocaeans moved to Alalia in Corsica. Fearing that the Greeks would threaten their colonies in North Italy and Sardinia next, the Etruscans and Carthaginians joined forces to oppose the Greeks.

[edit] The battle

It is assumed that the Greeks had 60 Pentekonters (ships with 48 oars and 2 rudders for steering), not the trireme that will become famous at the Battle of Salamis, and the allied fleet was twice as large. Details of the battle are sketchy, but it is known the Greeks had driven the allied fleet off, but had lost almost two-thirds of their fleet in doing so. Realizing that they could not withstand another attack, the Greeks evacuated Corsica. Carthaginian and Etruscan losses are not known.

[edit] Aftermath

Corsica passed into Etruscan hands, Carthage retained Sardinia. Carthage would fight two more major naval battles with Massalia, losing both but still managing to close the Strait of Gibraltar to Greek shipping and thus containg the Greek expansion in Spain. Attempts by Etruscans to conquer Greek areas in Italy will be opposed by the Greek city of Cumae. Syracuse will oppose the Carthaginian expansion in Sicily. This will set the stage for the Sicilian Wars between Carthage and the Greeks.