Battle of Cissa

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Battle of Cissa
Part of the Second Punic War
Date Fall 218 BC
Location Cissa Spain
Result Roman victory
Combatants
Carthage Roman Republic
Commanders
Hanno Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus
Strength
10,000 infantry,
1,000 cavalry		 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 Allied Legions), 2,200 cavalry
Casualties
6,000 killed and 2,000 captured unknown, light
Second Punic War
Saguntum – Lilybaeum – Ticinus – Trebia – Cissa – Lake Trasimene – Ebro River – Cannae – 1st Nola – Dertosa – 2nd Nola – Cornus – 3rd Nola – 1st Capua – Silarus – 1st Herdonia – Syracuse – Upper Baetis – 2nd Capua – 2nd Herdonia – Numistro – Asculum – Tarentum – Baecula – Grumentum – Metaurus – Ilipa – Crotona – Utica – Bagbrades – Cirta – Po Valley – Great Plains – Zama
Punic Wars
First – Mercenary – Second – Third

The Battle of Cissa is part of the Second Punic War. It was fought in the fall of 218 BC south of the Greek town of Tarraco in north-eastern Spain. A Roman army under Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus defeated an outnumbered Carthaginian army under Hanno, thus gaining control of the territory north of the Ebro River won by Carthage in the summer of 218 BC.

Contents

[edit] Strategic situation

After the successful conclusion of the Siege of Saguntum, Hannibal Barca had rested his army, then in the summer of 218 BC had started out for Italy with either 90,000 foot and 12,000 cavalry (as per Polybius), or with 46,000 foot and 11,000 horse (Dellbruck, Hans, Warefare in Antiquity). He had spent the summer conquering the area north of the Ebro River. After subduing the Spanish tribes but leaving the Greek cities unmolested, Hannibal crossed over into Gaul.

Meanwhile, Rome had prepared two armies for the invasion of Spain and Africa respectively. One army, led by the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio, was to invade Spain with 22,000 soldiers and 60 Quinqueremes. The other army, under the consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus, would sail to Africa escorted by 170 ships.

While Hannibal was marching through Gaul, Scipio had landed with his army in the allied Greek city of Massilia. He then sent a cavalry patrol north following the Rhone River, which clashed with a similar force of Numidian light cavalry and had driven them off. Learning that Hannibal was at least 3 days march away, Scipio decided to send his forces to Spain, while he returned to Italy to organize the defences.

[edit] Prelude

Hasdrubal Barca, younger brother of Hannibal, had 12,650 infantry, 2,550 cavalry and 21 elephants to guard the Carthaginian possessions south of the Ebro. Hannibal had left a certain Hanno with 10,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry to garrison the newly conquered territory north of the Ebro. This Hanno has been identified by various authors as Hannibal’s nephew (son of Hasdrubal the Fair), a brother or no Barcid relation.

Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus, with 20,000 infantry (2 Roman and 2 allied legions) 2,200 cavalry and 60 quinqueremes had sailed from Massilia and landed at Emporiae in Spain. The Greek cities of Emporiae and Tarraco welcomed the Romans, and Gnaeus began to win over the Spanish tribes. Hasdrubal Barca, after being warned, marched north with an army of 8,000 foot soldiers and 1,000 cavalry to join Hanno (Livy xxi, p23, 60).

[edit] The battle

Hanno was completely surprised by the arrival of the Romans. Seeing the grip of the Carthaginians on the newly conquered Spanish tribes was loosening because of the activities of Scipio, he decided to offer battle. Hanno marched and attacked the Romans just south of Tarraco, near a place called Cissa or Kissa. There were no brilliant manoeuvres or ambushes, the armies formed up and faced off. Being outnumbered two to one, Hanno was easily defeated, losing 6,000 troops in battle. Furthermore, the Romans managed to capture the Carthaginian camp, along with 2,000 more troops and Hanno himself. The camp contained all the baggage left by Hannibal (Polybius iii p33, 76). The prisoners also included Indibilis, an influential Spanish chieftain who would cause severe trouble for the Romans later. The Romans also stormed the town of Cissa, which however did not contain any valuable booty (Livy xxi 60)

[edit] Aftermath

Gnaeus became master of Spain north of the Ebro. Hasdrubal, arriving too late to aid Hanno and not being strong enough to attack the Romans, crossed the river and sent a flying column of light cavalry and infantry on a raid. This force caught some Roman sailors foraging and inflicted such casualties that the effectiveness of the fleet was reduced from 60 to 35 ships. The Roman fleet however, raided the Carthaginian possessions in Spain. Roman prestige was established in Spain, while the Carthaginian one had suffered a blow.

If Hanno somehow had won the battle, it might have been possible for Hannibal to get reinforcements from Barcid Spain as early as 217 BC. This battle brought the same results for Scipio in Spain as the Battle of Trebia had for Hannibal in Italy: securing a base of operation, winning over some of the native tribes as a source of provisions and recruits. Unlike Hannibal, Scipio did not immediately launch a major campaign on enemy territory. Nor would he cut lose from his base like Hannibal did. Scipio took time to consolidate his holdings, subjugate or befriend Spanish tribes and raid Carthaginian territory. These activities laid the foundation for the future Roman operations in Spain. Also, The overland communication between Hannibal and the Carthaginian possessions was also cut by the victory of Scipio.

[edit] References

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