Adherbal (admiral) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adherbal
|
|
|---|---|
| Native name |
𐤀𐤃𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤋
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| Other name(s) | Atarbas |
| Died | 230 BC |
| Allegiance | Carthage |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Battles/wars | First Punic War |
Adherbal (Punic: 𐤀𐤃𐤓𐤁𐤏𐤋, died 230 BC) was a brave admiral from Carthage. Carthage was an ancient city that was a powerful rival to Rome. Adherbal played a key role in the First Punic War (264–241 BC). This was a huge conflict where Carthage and the Roman Republic fought for control of the Mediterranean Sea. Adherbal is most famous for his amazing victory against the Romans at the Battle of Drepana in 249 BC.
The Battle of Drepana
In 249 BC, the Roman consul (a top Roman leader) named P. Claudius Pulcher decided to launch a surprise attack. He wanted to capture the last Carthaginian strongholds in Sicily: Lilybaeum and Drepana. The Romans gathered a large fleet of 123 warships for this attack.
Adherbal was in charge of defending Drepana for Carthage. He had help from other commanders like Hannibal the Rhodian and Carthalo. The Romans tried to attack at night to surprise them, but this made their ships lose formation.
As dawn broke, Adherbal saw the Roman ships approaching in a messy line. He quickly ordered his Carthaginian fleet to set sail and meet them. Adherbal's quick thinking and skill led to a huge victory for Carthage. The Romans lost 93 ships, while Carthage lost none. This battle helped Carthage regain its reputation as a strong sea power.
See also
In Spanish: Aderbal para niños
