Orissus facts for kids
Orissus (also spelled Orisson) was an important leader of the Iberians, a group of people who lived in ancient Spain. He was the chief of the Oretani tribe around 228 BC.
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Orissus's Amazing Victory
Orissus first became famous when he helped the city of Heliké. This city was under attack by the Carthaginians, a powerful group from North Africa. Their army was led by a famous general named Hamilcar Barca.
Orissus was very clever. He gathered a large army from nearby towns. Then, he pretended to want to join Hamilcar to help defeat Heliké. The Carthaginians believed him and let their guard down. But as soon as they were relaxed, Orissus launched a surprise attack! He broke the siege and forced the Carthaginian army to run away. This was a big defeat for Carthage in Spain.
The Battle with War Elephants
The Carthaginians had fearsome war elephants. But Orissus had a plan! He hid a group of fighting bulls behind his army. He had torches tied to their horns. When the elephants charged, Orissus's warriors lit the torches and sent the bulls running towards the elephants.
The elephants got scared and panicked. They caused chaos in their own army and even set fire to their camp!
Historians have slightly different stories about this event. Some say it was definitely bulls with torches. Others suggest it might have been chariots carrying burning branches. But everyone agrees that Orissus won by using a clever trick!
The Death of Hamilcar Barca
Hamilcar Barca's death is often linked to this battle, but there are different accounts of how he died:
- Some historians say Hamilcar fell from his horse while being chased by Orissus's forces and drowned in a river.
- Another story suggests he crossed the river but was then killed by warriors from Heliké.
- One account says he fell in his own camp while trying to escape the chaos caused by the elephants.
- Another historian simply states that Hamilcar died at the hands of an Iberian tribe, but doesn't say exactly when or where.
Orissus's Final Battle
The next year, in 227 BC, Orissus faced a new challenge. Hamilcar's son-in-law, Hasdrubal the Fair, came back with a huge army. He had 50,000 soldiers, 6,000 horsemen, and 200 elephants!
This time, Orissus was defeated. It is believed that he was executed after this battle. The twelve cities he ruled were then taken over by the Carthaginians.
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