Battle of Cissa

Part of the Second Punic War

Date	Fall 218 BC
Location	Cissa or Tarraco, present-day Spain
Result	Roman victory

Belligerents

Carthage

Roman Republic

Commanders and leaders

Hanno

Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus

Strength

10,000 infantry,
1,000 cavalry

20,000 infantry,
2,200 cavalry

Casualties and losses

6,000 killed,
2,000 captured

unknown

The Battle of Cissa was part of the Second Punic War. It was fought in the fall of 218 BC, near the Greek town of Tarraco in north-eastern Iberia. A Roman army under Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus defeated an outnumbered Carthaginian army under Hanno, thus gaining control of the territory north of the Ebro River that Hannibal had just subdued a few months prior in the summer of 218 BC. This was the first battle that the Romans had ever fought in Iberia.

After the successful conclusion of the Siege of Saguntum, Hannibal Barca had rested his army. Then, in the summer of 218 BC, he had started out for Italy with either 90,000 foot and 12,000 cavalry (according to Polybius), or with 46,000 foot and 10,000 horse. He had spent the summer conquering the area north of the Ebro River. After subduing the Iberian tribes, but leaving the Greek cities unmolested, Hannibal crossed over into Gaul to continue his march to Italy, leaving a contingent to guard the newly conquered territories and sending 10,000 less reliable troops home.

The Roman navy had been mobilized in 219 BC, fielding 220 quinqueremes for the Second Illyrian War. Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus received 4 legions (2 Romans and 2 allied, 8,000 Roman and 16,000 allied infantry and 600 Roman and 1,800 allied horse) and instructions to sail for Africa with 160 quinqueremes. Publius Cornelius Scipio received 4 legions (8,000 Roman and 14,000 allied infantry and 600 Roman and 1,600 allied horse) and was to sail for Iberia escorted by 60 ships. However, the Gallic Boii and Insubre tribes in northern Italy had attacked Roman colonies, causing part of Scipio’s force to deploy there and fresh legions were raised to replace them, delaying his departure.

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