Battle of the Great Plains
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Great plains (also known as Battle of Campi Magni, Battle of Bagrades) was a battle fought between Scipio Africanus
of Rome
and a combined Carthaginian and Numidia
n 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
.
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 203 BC 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.
), of which the Carthaginian part was led by Hasdrubal Gisco and the Numidian part by Syphax.
Hasdrubal positioned the Spanish mercenaries in the center, subsequently flanked by the Carthaginian infantry and cavalry. The Roman infantry was drawn up in the triplex acies. That is to say, the hastati
formed the first line, the principes
the second, and the triarii
formed the third line.
The charge of the Roman cavalry made the Carthaginian infantry and cavalry flee from the field. Only the Spanish infantry remained standing. The Spanish infantry defended themselves fiercely. The number of Spanish mercenaries was about equal to the first line of the Romans, the hastati. Then Scipio ordered his principes and triarii to march from behind the hastati and attack the flanks of the Spanish mercenaries. The Spanish mercenaries were routed with only a handful managing to escape.
Syphax fled back to his kingdom in Numidia, but was pursued by Masinissa and Laelius
, who defeated him at the Battle of Cirta
, as a result of which he 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.
, which ended the second Punic war and completed the legend of Scipio Africanus, who had become one of Rome's greatest generals.
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus , also known as Scipio Africanus and Scipio the Elder, was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and a combined Carthaginian and Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
n army late in the Second Punic War
Second Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
, designed as diversionary tactic
Feint
Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
by Rome to disrupt Hannibal's attack on Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. 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
Battle of Zama
The Battle of Zama, fought around October 19, 202 BC, marked the final and decisive end of the Second Punic War. A Roman army led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus defeated a Carthaginian force led by the legendary commander Hannibal...
.
Prelude
Hasdrubal and SyphaxSyphax
Syphax was a king of the ancient Algerian tribe Masaesyli of western Numidia during the last quarter of the 3rd century BC. His story is told in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita .-Biography:...
had both succeeded in escaping from their camps which the Roman general Scipio Africanus
Scipio Africanus
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus , also known as Scipio Africanus and Scipio the Elder, was a general in the Second Punic War and statesman of the Roman Republic...
, and his Numidian allies Masinissa
Masinissa
Masinissa — also spelled Massinissa and Massena — was the first King of Numidia, an ancient North African nation of ancient Libyan tribes. As a successful general, Masinissa fought in the Second Punic War , first against the Romans as an ally of Carthage an later switching sides when he saw which...
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 203 BC 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.
Battle
The battle was fought between a Roman army under the leadership of Scipio Africanus and a combined Carthaginian/Numidian army, supplemented by Spanish mercenaries (CeltiberiansCeltiberians
The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
), of which the Carthaginian part was led by Hasdrubal Gisco and the Numidian part by Syphax.
Hasdrubal positioned the Spanish mercenaries in the center, subsequently flanked by the Carthaginian infantry and cavalry. The Roman infantry was drawn up in the triplex acies. That is to say, the hastati
Hastati
Hastatii were a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally fought as spearmen, and later as swordsmen. They were originally some of the poorest men in the legion, and could afford only modest equipment — light armour and a large shield, in their service as the...
formed the first line, the principes
Principes
Principes were spearmen, and later swordsmen, in the armies of the early Roman Republic. They were men in the prime of their lives who were fairly wealthy, and could afford decent equipment. They were the heavier infantry of the legion who carried large shields and wore good quality armour. Their...
the second, and the triarii
Triarii
Triarii were one of the elements of the early Roman military Manipular legions of the early Roman Republic . They were the oldest and among the wealthiest men in the army, and could afford good quality equipment. They wore heavy metal armour and carried large shields, their usual position being...
formed the third line.
The charge of the Roman cavalry made the Carthaginian infantry and cavalry flee from the field. Only the Spanish infantry remained standing. The Spanish infantry defended themselves fiercely. The number of Spanish mercenaries was about equal to the first line of the Romans, the hastati. Then Scipio ordered his principes and triarii to march from behind the hastati and attack the flanks of the Spanish mercenaries. The Spanish mercenaries were routed with only a handful managing to escape.
Syphax fled back to his kingdom in Numidia, but was pursued by Masinissa and Laelius
Gaius Laelius
Gaius Laelius — also Caius Lelius — general and statesman, was a friend of Scipio Africanus, whom he accompanied on his Iberian campaign...
, who defeated him at the Battle of Cirta
Battle of Cirta
The Battle of Cirta was a battle during the Second Punic War between the forces of the Roman Republic under Publius Cornelius Scipio and Carthage's main ally, Syphax....
, as a result of which he 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.
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 ZamaBattle of Zama
The Battle of Zama, fought around October 19, 202 BC, marked the final and decisive end of the Second Punic War. A Roman army led by Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus defeated a Carthaginian force led by the legendary commander Hannibal...
, which ended the second Punic war and completed the legend of Scipio Africanus, who had become one of Rome's greatest generals.