Carthage's defeat of the Roman expeditionary force under Regulus ended Rome's only direct invasion of North Africa during the First Punic War.
Key Facts
- Date
- Spring 255 BC
- Roman force size
- 15,500 men
- Roman survivors captured
- 500, including Regulus
- Romans who escaped
- 2,000 retreated to Aspis
- Distance from Carthage
- 16 km (10 mi) from Tunis to Carthage
- War duration remaining
- 14 more years after battle
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Rome's naval victory and invasion of North Africa, Roman commander Regulus advanced toward Carthage, defeated Carthaginian forces at Adys, and captured Tunis. His harsh peace terms forced Carthage to continue fighting. In desperation, Carthage hired the Spartan mercenary Xanthippus to reorganize and command their army, equipping it with cavalry and war elephants.
In spring 255 BC, Xanthippus led a Carthaginian army with superior cavalry and elephants against the Roman infantry force near the Bagradas River. The Roman cavalry, heavily outnumbered, was driven from the field. Carthaginian cavalry then encircled the main Roman body and destroyed it. Only 500 Romans survived to be captured, while a separate force of 2,000 escaped to Aspis.
The battle eliminated Rome's African expeditionary force and ended any prospect of a direct Roman assault on Carthage. The First Punic War continued for another fourteen years, shifting focus back to Sicily and surrounding waters, ultimately concluding with a Roman victory on terms more lenient than those Regulus had demanded.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Xanthippus.
Side B
1 belligerent
Marcus Atilius Regulus.