Naval battle of the Third Punic War fought in 147 BC between the Carthaginians and the Roman Republic
A rare Carthaginian naval success during the Siege of Carthage, though insufficient to break the Roman blockade of the city.
Key Facts
- Year
- 147 BC
- Carthaginian fleet size
- 50 triremes plus smaller vessels
- Roman commander
- Lucius Hostilius Mancinus
- Roman reinforcement commander
- Scipio Aemilianus
- Outcome
- Tactical Carthaginian victory; blockade maintained
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Roman Siege of Carthage in 147 BC, the Roman fleet under Lucius Hostilius Mancinus blockaded the city by sea, later reinforced by Scipio Aemilianus. The Carthaginians discovered an escape route through the blockade and assembled a fleet of 50 triremes and additional smaller vessels to challenge Roman naval supremacy and relieve pressure on the besieged city.
The Carthaginian fleet sortied through an unblockaded passage and engaged the Roman fleet outside the Port of Carthage. They initially repulsed Roman attacks and inflicted heavy casualties. As the battle progressed, the Carthaginians withdrew to port; their smaller vessels blocked the harbor entrance, forcing Roman ships into shallower waters. Though some Carthaginian craft were sunk, most returned safely to port by dawn.
The battle produced a tactical naval victory for Carthage, one of very few during the Third Punic War. However, the result was strategically insignificant: the Roman navy maintained its blockade of Carthage, and the city ultimately fell to Scipio Aemilianus in 146 BC after continued siege operations.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Lucius Hostilius Mancinus, Scipio Aemilianus.
Side B
1 belligerent