Battle of the Great Plains

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The Battle of the Great Plains

Date	203 BC
Location	Near Utica, North Africa
Result	Roman victory

Belligerents

Roman Republic

Carthaginian

Commanders

Scipio Africanus
Masinissa
Gaius Laelius

Hasdrubal
Syphax

Casualties and losses

Unknown

Rout of whole army

v • d • e

Second Punic War

Saguntum – Lilybaeum – Rhone – Ticinus – Trebia – Cissa – Lake Trasimene – Ebro River – Ager Falernus – Geronium – Cannae – 1st Nola – Dertosa – 2nd Nola – Cornus – 3rd Nola – 1st Beneventum – 1st Tarentum – 1st Capua – 2nd Beneventum – Silarus – 1st Herdonia – Syracuse – Upper Baetis – 2nd Capua – 2nd Herdonia – Numistro – Asculum – 2nd Tarentum – Baecula – Grumentum – Metaurus – New Carthage – Ilipa – Crotona – Utica – Great Plains – Cirta – Po Valley – Zama

The Battle of the Great plains was a battle fought between Scipio Africanus of Rome and a combined Carthaginian and Numidian army late in the Second Punic War, designed as diversionary tactic by Rome to disrupt Hannibal's attack on Italy. By defeating the Carthaginians, Scipio Africanus caused Hannibal to leave Italy and return to Africa, where he was later defeated at the battle of Zama.

[edit] The Lead up to the Battle

Hasdrubal and Syphax had both succeeded in escaping from their camps which the Roman general Scipio Africanus, and his Numidian allies Masinissa and Laelius had destroyed. Hasdrubal and Syphax fell back, with a few followers who had also escaped the massacre at the Carthaginian camps. The arrival of four thousand mercenaries from Southern Iberia made the Carthaginians determined to make one more effort to stop the armies of Scipio Africanus from advancing across North Africa. New levies were raised in Carthage and in Numidia, and soon Hasdrubal and Syphax found themselves at the head of an army of 30,000 men. In 203BC Scipio, whose command had been extended until the end of the war, marched from his camp at Utica to meet Hasdrubal and Syphax at a place called the Great Plains.

[edit] Battle

In the Battle that followed the entire Carthaginian army was routed. Syphax fled back to his kingdom in Numidia, but was pursued by Masinissa and Laelius, and was captured and brought back to the Roman camp as a prisoner. Masinissa was given command of Syphax's kingdom, the land from which he had originally been exiled.

[edit] Aftermath

Following the battle, the Carthaginians had little choice but to sue for peace with Rome. Scipio proposed modest terms for the Carthaginians in a peace treaty, but while the Carthaginians were still considering the treaty, they suddenly decided to recall Hannibal, who had an army of elite veterans loyal to his command, from Italy, for one more stand against Rome. This encounter became the battle of Zama, which ended the second Punic war and completed the legend of Scipio Africanus, who had become one of Rome's greatest generals.