Battle of Utica (203 BC)

Battle of Utica
Part of the Second Punic War
Date 203 BC Location Utica, modern Tunisia Result Decisive Roman victory
Belligerents
Carthage	Roman Republic
Commanders and leaders
Hasdrubal, son of Gisgo Syphax	Scipio Africanus Masinissa

The Battle of Utica was fought in 203 BC between armies of Rome and Carthage during their second war for dominance over the Western Mediterranean. By a sudden attack the Roman commander Scipio Africanus managed to destroy a numerous force of the Carthaginians and their Numidian allies not far from the outflow of the Medjerda River in modern Tunisia. Thus he gained a decisive strategic advantage, switched the focus of the war from Italy and Iberia to the Carthaginian northern Africa and contributed largely for the final victory of Rome.

The Romans first invaded ancient Libya (modern Tunisia) during the First Punic War. This expedition ended with a disastrous defeat. The second one was to follow only fifty years later.

The invasion of Africa was a part of the initial Roman plans for the conduct of the Second Punic War. The Carthaginian leader Hannibal thwarted them when he set out from his base in Iberia, went through western southern Gaul and crossed the Alps in 218 BC. The consul, to whom the expedition to Carthage was entrusted, decided to transfer his army from Sicily to Cisalpine Gaul to defend the north of Italy. This resulted in the battle of Trebia and a series of other heavy defeats of the Romans by Hannibal which put the idea of an assault on the Carthaginian homeland out of question. During the following years the war raged primarily in Italy, Iberia and Sicily, but north Africa was largely spared. The situation changed with the growing fortunes of Rome. By 205 BC the Romans had effectively dealt with two invasions of Italy – that of Hannibal, who was gradually worn out and stripped of allies, and that of Hasdrubal, son of Hamilcar Barca, who was defeated outright in the battle of the Metaurus river. The various Carthaginian forces had been driven off Sicily and Iberia or hemmed in the far south and northwestern corners of the Apennine peninsula. By the fall of Syracuse and the reconquest of the parts of Sicily which had been temporarily lost after the battle of Cannae, the Romans secured a base for naval assault on Carthage. They made use of that by carrying out a number of raids on African soil in 208, 207 and 205 BC.

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