Battle of Carteia (naval) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Carteia |
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| Part of the Second Punic War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Roman Republic |
 Carthage |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Gaius Laelius |
Adherbal |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1 quinquereme 7 triremes |
1 quinquereme 8 triremes |
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The Battle of Carteia was a naval battle that happened during the Second Punic War. It took place in 206 BC near the ancient city of Carteia in southern Spain. This battle was fought between the navy of the Roman Republic and a fleet from Carthage. The Roman navy was led by Gaius Laelius, while the Carthaginian navy was commanded by Adherbal. The Romans won this battle.
Why the Battle Happened
After the Carthaginians lost a big battle at Battle of Ilipa, many local tribes in Spain started to support the Romans. The Carthaginian generals, Hasdrubal Gisco and Mago, had to retreat with their soldiers to Gades. This city was a safe place from Roman attacks.
Later, there were some local uprisings against Roman rule. After these were handled, a Roman commander named Publius Cornelius Scipio sent a small, fast group of soldiers down the Guadalquivir River. They met a Carthaginian leader named Hanno who was trying to hire new soldiers for Mago. This led to another fight, the Battle of Guadalquivir, which the Carthaginians also lost.
At this time, Gaius Laelius was in charge of a small Roman fleet. It had one large warship called a quinquereme and seven smaller ships called triremes. He sailed to the port of Carteia. Some people in Carteia who were of Punic (Carthaginian) background secretly planned to help the Romans take over their city. However, Mago found out about their plan. The people involved were arrested and sent to Carthage by a Carthaginian fleet. This fleet was led by Adherbal, who was the governor of Gades. His fleet had one quinquereme and eight triremes.
The Battle Begins
When the Carthaginian navy was seen leaving Carteia, Laelius's Roman fleet quickly got ready to fight. Laelius placed his own quinquereme at the front of his fleet. He managed to surprise Adherbal. Adherbal could not escape because of the strong sea currents, so he had to fight.
The battle was very messy as the ships crashed into each other. The triremes found it hard to move around in the crowded sea. There were many smaller fights between individual ships, and soldiers on both sides showed great courage. After some time, Laelius's quinquereme was able to sink two of the Carthaginian triremes. It also badly damaged a third one.
Adherbal realized he was losing the battle. He turned his ship towards the African coast and sailed away to escape. Laelius then returned to Carteia. There, he learned that the secret plan in Gades had been discovered and that the people involved had been sent to Carthage.
What Happened Next
After the battle, Scipio told Laelius and Marcius to go back to their main forces. Mago gathered his remaining soldiers, only a few thousand, and left Gades. He sailed to Cartago Nova (modern-day Cartagena). There, he tried to attack the city, which was now controlled by the Romans. However, the Carthaginian army was defeated in the Battle of Cartagena in 206 BC.
Mago then returned to Gades. But the people of Gades had closed their city gates to him because they were talking with the Romans. Soon after, Mago left Gades completely. He sailed to the Balearic Islands and spent the winter there. The next year, he sailed north to Italy. He hoped to convince the Ligures, a local tribe, to rebel against the Romans.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Carteia para niños
