Battle of Tricamarum
| date | December 15, 533 |
|---|---|
| place | Tricamarum, southwest of Carthage |
| output | Decisive Eastern Roman victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
|
Gelimer |
|
| Troop strength | |
| unknown | unknown |
| losses | |
|
unknown |
over 3,000 |
Iberian War
Dara - Satala - Callinicum
Vandal
War Ad Decimum - Tricamarum
Gothic War
1. Naples - 1. Rome - Verona - Faventia - Mucellium - 2. Naples - 2. Rome - 3. Rome - Sena Gallica - Busta Gallorum - Mons Lactarius - Casilinus
Moors wars
Mammes and Bourgaon - Babosis and Zerboule - Cillium - Marta - Fields of Cato
The Battle of Tricamarum was fought on December 15, 533 between the Vandals under their King Gelimer and his brother Tzazon and the Eastern Roman Empire under Emperor Justinian I , whose troops were under the command of General Flavius Belisarius . It followed a few months after the defeat of the Vandals in the Battle of Ad Decimum and led to the destruction of the Vandal Empire in North Africa . Then North Africa, formerly a western Roman province, became part of the Eastern Roman Empire as the exarchate of Carthage .
initial situation
The events of the wars of Emperor Justinian I are presented by the late antique historian Prokopios of Caesarea in his eight-volume war history (Bella) . In Books III and IV he deals with the war in North Africa against the Vandals.
Tricamarum was in late ancient North Africa. The place cannot be precisely located, but it is believed that Tricamarum was on the main ancient route from Carthage to Numidia , near what is now La Mornaghia , southwest of Tunis . After the fall of Carthage as a result of the defeat in the Battle of Ad Decimum on September 15, 533 and the expulsion of the Vandals from the city, King Gelimer settled in the Numidian Bulla Regia , which was about 160 kilometers west of Carthage, not far from today's western border Tunisia . He knew that in his situation at the time he was unable to face the troops of Belisarius, so he turned to his brother Tzazon, the governor of the Vandals in Sardinia . Tzazon hurried to his brother's aid and crossed over to North Africa.
In the meantime, Gelimer tried to diminish the Belisarius's powers. For example, he offered a reward to any local Berber or Punic tribe who would deliver a Roman soldier to them. He dispatched spies to find out under what conditions the Hunn mercenaries in the Roman army would betray Belisarius; the Huns had played a decisive role in Belisarius's victory in the battle of Ad Decimum.
Tzazon and his army united with Gelimer's troops at the beginning of December 533. Gelimer now felt strong enough to go on the offensive. With the two brothers at their head, the Vandals marched towards Carthage. On their way there, they destroyed the large aqueduct that supplied the city with water. Belisarius had continuously strengthened the fortress walls of Carthage over the past twelve weeks. He probably also knew about Gelimer's spies and their activities and believed that he could no longer trust the Hunnic mercenaries. Instead of waiting in Carthage for the Huns to betray him during the siege by the Vandals, he reformed his army and left the city with the cavalry at the head and the Huns at the end of the column.
The battle and its aftermath
The two armies met at Tricamarum. The Roman cavalry immediately rushed to the Vandal lines at the start of the battle. After the first defense, Belisarius rearranged his troops and let his riders attack the vandals two more times. During the third attack, Tzazon fell. Gelimer, who is said to have seen the death of his brother, lost his courage, as he did in the battle of Ad Decimum, and he fled the battlefield. The vandals then backed away and a little later also turned to flee. Gelimer fled back to Numidia with the remains of his army . Over 3,000 vandals are said to have died in the battle or were taken prisoner by the Romans.
The rule of the Vandals in North Africa and their provinces in Sardinia , Corsica and the Balearic Islands was over. After leaving the battlefield, Belisarius marched into Hippo Regius , southwest of present-day Tunis, which opened the city gates for him. Gelimer realized that his kingdom was lost and probably attempted to escape to Spain. Roman troops tried to intercept him. Leaving his belongings behind, he fled to the Berbers in the mountains around Carthage.
In 534 the Romans learned where Gelimer was staying. Under the guidance of Pharas the Herulier , they circled his refuge. After a long siege and the promise that his life would be spared, Gelimer passed into the hands of Belisarius.
Web links
- Texts by Prokop in Project Gutenberg (including vandal war, English)