Battle of Saguntum (75 BC) facts for kids

The Battle of Saguntum was a major fight that happened in 75 BC. It was part of a bigger conflict called the Sertorian War, which was a civil war within the Roman Republic. In this battle, the Roman armies, led by two famous generals, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) and Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius, fought against an army of rebels led by Quintus Sertorius. The exact place of the battle is debated, but many historians think it was near what is now Langa de Duero in Spain, close to the Douro river. The battle started around noon and lasted until night, ending in a draw, meaning neither side won clearly.

Why the Battle Happened

The Start of the War

The story of the Battle of Saguntum begins with a Roman general named Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In 88 BC, Sulla marched his army into Rome, which started a period of civil wars. A man named Quintus Sertorius joined a different group led by Gaius Marius. Sertorius fought against Sulla's supporters.

After Marius and another leader died, Sertorius felt that his group's leaders were not strong enough. So, in 82 BC, he left Italy and went to a Roman province called Hispania (modern-day Spain).

Sertorius's Rise to Power

Soon after Sertorius left Italy, Sulla's side won the civil war. In 81 BC, Sulla sent an army to take Hispania from Sertorius. Sertorius and his men were forced to leave Hispania. They ended up in Mauretania, a region in North Africa.

While in Africa, a brave Iberian tribe called the Lusitanians asked Sertorius for help. They were about to be invaded by a Roman governor loyal to Sulla. In 80 BC, Sertorius returned to Hispania. He quickly defeated several Roman armies and drove Sulla's supporters out of the region.

Rome Sends More Armies

Sertorius became very successful, which worried the Roman Senate in Rome. They sent a powerful general named Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius with a large army to fight him. Sertorius was very clever and used guerrilla tactics (small, surprise attacks) to wear down Metellus's army.

In 76 BC, Rome decided to send an even larger army, led by the famous general Pompey, to help Metellus. Around the same time, Sertorius gained more strength when another rebel leader, Marcus Perpenna Vento, joined him with his army. With these new forces, Sertorius decided to try and take control of the eastern coast of Hispania, where many cities supported his enemies.

Leading Up to Saguntum

In 75 BC, Sertorius decided to focus on Metellus. He left Pompey to be dealt with by his own generals, Perpenna and Gaius Herennius. However, Pompey defeated Sertorius's generals in a battle near Valentia. This forced Sertorius to come and take charge himself.

While Sertorius was busy, Metellus defeated Sertorius's general, Lucius Hirtuleius, in another battle. Metellus then followed Sertorius. Pompey and Sertorius, not wanting to wait for Metellus, fought a battle called the Battle of Sucro, which also ended in a draw. After this, Sertorius had to give up his plans for the eastern coast and moved his army further inland. Metellus and Pompey followed him to a place called "Saguntum," which was likely not the coastal city but another town inland.

Getting Ready for Battle

After the tough battles at Valentia and Italica, and the draw at Sucro, Sertorius needed to boost his troops' spirits. He did this by using his special White Fawn. Sertorius claimed this white deer gave him messages from the goddess Diana. This made his soldiers feel more confident.

With his army's morale high, Sertorius waited for the Roman armies. He also sent out many small groups to launch guerrilla raids. These raids helped to weaken the Romans as they advanced and made it harder for them to get supplies. The Romans were running low on food, so Metellus decided to march to a Celtiberian town called Segontia to get supplies from there. Sertorius's Celtiberian troops did not want their town to fall into Roman hands, so fighting began.

The Battle Itself

The ancient writer Plutarch said that Sertorius's own Iberian and Celt-Iberian troops pushed him into this battle. The fighting started at noon and continued late into the night.

Sertorius first fought against Pompey's army. At the same time, his generals, Perpenna and Hirtuleius, fought against Metellus. After Hirtuleius was killed, Sertorius quickly swapped places with Perpenna. Sertorius then personally led several attacks directly at Metellus, trying to take him out of the fight.

Metellus bravely held his ground, but during the intense fighting, he was wounded by a spear. This moment changed the battle. When Metellus's soldiers saw their commander wounded, they felt ashamed for nearly letting him down. This also made them furious at the enemy. They quickly formed a shield wall around Metellus and carried him to safety. Then, they attacked the Iberians with great energy, pushing them back. The battle started to turn in favor of the Romans.

After this, Metellus decided to let his troops rest and set up camp. But Sertorius, who was very clever, quickly regrouped his men. In the evening, he launched a surprise attack on Metellus's camp. He tried to dig a trench to cut off the camp, making it even more vulnerable. However, Pompey and his army arrived at that moment, forcing Sertorius's men to retreat.

During the battle, Pompey's army lost about 6,000 men. Sertorius's army lost fewer, around 3,000. But Perpenna, Sertorius's general, lost about 5,000 soldiers. Metellus's losses are not known, but they were likely significant too. Sertorius's second-in-command, Lucius Hirtuleius, was killed. Pompey's brother-in-law, Gaius Memmius, also died in the battle.

What Happened Next

The Battle of Saguntum was the last major pitched battle (a planned, large-scale fight) that Sertorius fought. He probably didn't want this battle to happen in the first place.

After the battle, Sertorius ordered his army to split up and meet again at a specific location. He then went to a strong fortress town called Clunia and prepared for a siege (when an army surrounds a place to try and capture it). Even while fortifying Clunia, Sertorius sent messages to his allies, asking them to gather new soldiers. The war was far from over. Sertorius still had allies, a strong reputation, and an army. After the Siege of Clunia, he went back to using guerrilla warfare. The war continued for another three years and only ended when some of his own men plotted against Sertorius and killed him.

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Sagunto (75 a. C.) para niños

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