Second battle of Drepana
| date | 243 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Drepana, coastal town in Sicily |
| output | Roman victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
Agrigento - Mylae - Aeolian Islands - Sulci - Tyndaris - Cape Ecnomus - Aspis - Adys - Tunes - Cape Bon - Panormus - Drepana I - Drepana II - Aegatic Islands
The Second Battle of Drepana, or Siege of Drepana, was a skirmish between the Romans and the Carthaginians around 243 BC. Chr.
prehistory
The Romans had in 244 BC BC in the First Punic War now the upper hand, since Carthage was now insolvent for major military actions. So the Roman legions wandered around Sicily and plundered the land. Only Drepana seemed impregnable due to the good defensive walls. The Roman officers began building large siege engines and set about starving the city by cutting off supplies.
The battle
After a short period of siege, it was clear to the city's residents that no more help could be hoped for, as the Carthaginian military coffers were empty and no relief troops were being sent to Drepana. But there were none of the imprisoned Carthaginians who now wanted to die a heroic death. One waited until the Roman siege machines were ready and then ran to the enemy without weapons. The Roman response was mild compared to other battles, with some executed, the rest of the Carthaginians sold into slavery.
consequences
This battle did not have any major territorial consequences, rather it showed that the Carthaginian civilian population was war weary at the end of the First Punic War. Only a few years later came a Carthaginian general who was able to win something for the Carthaginians in this war: Hamilcar.
See also
Web links
literature
- Adrian Goldsworthy : The Fall of Carthage. The Punic Wars 265-146 BC. Phoenix, London 2006, ISBN 0-304-36642-0 , pp. 295-298.