Battle of Ticinus

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Battle of Ticinus

Date	November, 218 BC
Location	Ticinus River, Italy
Result	Carthaginian victory

Combatants

Carthage

Roman Republic

Commanders

Hannibal

Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder

Strength

6,000 cavalry

unknown

Casualties

small

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

The Battle of Ticinus was a battle of the Second Punic War fought between the Carthaginian forces of Hannibal and the Romans under Publius Cornelius Scipio in November 218 BC. It was the first battle to take place on Italian soil.

[edit] Battle

After Hannibal left Spain, an army under Scipio was sent to Massilia (today Marseille) in order to halt his advance. The two forces crossed paths near the Rhône, but as they were several days apart there was no contact. Scipio left the army to continue on to Spain and face the remaining Carthaginian forces there, while he returned for Italy to face Hannibal in Cisalpine Gaul. Having recently entered Italy, Hannibal was busily trying to recruit among the local Gaulish tribes when he heard of Scipio's return. He decided to face him as a show of force, hoping to improve his standing among the local tribes, and immediately set out for the Po river. Scipio was just as eager for a fight, and was then marching northward up the Po to meet him. The two scouting forces met near the Ticinus river, and both armies made camp.

The next day both forces set out scouting parties. Hannibal probably took the majority of his 6,000 cavalry that remained after crossing the Alps, while Scipio took all of his cavalry and a small number of velites (light infantry armed with javelins). The two forces both met, with the heavy cavalry in both forces soon mixing into a huge melee in the center. Hannibal had kept his lighter Numidian cavalry on the flanks however, and soon ordered them to attack the flanks of the velite skirmish line. The line collapsed and the Romans disengaged and fled for their camp.

[edit] Aftermath

The immediate outcome of the battle itself was trivial, with both forces suffering only minor setbacks and the main force of each army intact and combat-effective. Nevertheless, as a result of Rome’s defeat at Ticinus, the Gauls were encouraged to join the Carthaginian cause. Soon the entirety of northern Italy was unofficially allied to Hannibal, both Gallic and Ligurian troops soon bolstering his army back to 40,000 men. Hannibal’s army, significantly supplemented, now stood poised to invade Italy. Scipio, injured in the battle, retreated across the Trebia River with his army still intact, and encamped at the town of Placentia to await reinforcements from the other consul, Tiberius Sempronius Longus. The result would be the Battle of the Trebia.