Battle off Carteia (46 BC)

Last updated
Battle off Carteia
Part of Caesar's civil war
Date46 BC
Location
Result Caesarian Victory
Belligerents
Caesarians Pompeians
Commanders and leaders
Gaius Didius Publius Attius Varus
Strength
Small fleet of Ships Small fleet of Ships
Casualties and losses
Light Light

The Battle off Carteia was a minor naval battle during the latter stages of Caesar's civil war won by the Caesarians led by Caesar's legate Gaius Didius against the Pompeians led by Publius Attius Varus.

Contents

Background

Caesar's Civil War had begun in 49 BC due to the escalating tensions over the previous decade between Gaius Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, who turned to his old ally Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon river in January, being labeled as "enemy of the people" by the senate. Caesar would go on to conquer Italy, Spain, Sardinia, and Sicily. Caesar would next invade Greece and although suffering a setback at Dyrrhachium, he eventually crushed Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated by the Egyptians in an attempt to appease Caesar. Caesar then intervened in the Alexandrian Civil War to avenge Pompey as well as fighting the king of Pontus, Pharnaces II as well as performing other affairs in the east. Caesar would return to Italy and set upon conquering the last of Pompey's supporters in the province of Africa. Caesar would carry out his plan, succeeding in 46 BC when he crushed a Pompeian army at the Battle of Thapsus. Many Pompeian's were killed in the aftermath including Cato the Younger, Metellus Scipio, Lucius Afranius, Marcus Petreius, Faustus Cornelius Sulla, and the king of Numidia, Juba I. Others had fled to Hispania, modern day Spain to continue the fight including Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, his brother Sextus, Titus Labienus, and the commander of the Pompeian fleet at Thapsus, Publius Attius Varus.

Prelude

The Sons of Pompey, Labienus, and Varus then started a rebellion together with Veterans of the Battle of Ilerda and set upon taking and besieging several towns belong to the Caesarians. Caesar was in Rome, so two of his subordinates Quintus Fabius Maximus and Quintus Pedius were assigned to deal with the situation, however it was clear the situation was out of hand, and so awaited Caesar's arrival. Caesar immediately set to campaigning against the Pompeians.

Prior to the Battle of Munda, Publius Attius Varus had fled to the southern Spanish port of Carteia, taking the entire fleet of Thapsus with him. Meanwhile Caesar's dispatched one his legates Gaius Didius with a small fleet from Sardania, and ordered him to travel to Hispania. [1] [2]

Battle

Little is known or recorded about the actual battle itself, Didius arrived at Carteia and probably attempted to blockade the town rather than risk attacking the harbor of Carteia itself as such was folly during this era. Varus then responded by moving out of the harbor and engaging in combat, Didius. The Caesarians managed to gain the best of the fighting, destroying and capturing several Pompeians ships, and began to purse into the harbor, Cassius Dio states that the Pompeians ships were only able to escape due to Varus quick thinking by having anchors to be sunk side by side across the mouth of the harbor. The pursuing ships ran into these anchors, 'as on a reef', and had to abandon the pursuit. [3]

Aftermath

Varus would then join up with the rest of the Pompeians at Munda to meet Caesar. Despite fierce resistance the Pompeians were defeated by Caesar and both Labienus and Varus were killed. Gnaeus Pompey reached Carteia after the defeat at Munda, but was briefly captured by pro-Caesarians in the city, however the pro-pompeians then attacked and killed the leaders of pro-Caesarians and freed Gnaeus. This caused a fight between the two factions in which Gnaeus was wounded. He and his men then boarded 20 ships and although lacking supplies traveled along the coast north. However Didius, who had remained near by following the victory got wind of this and set to pursue, stationing sentries along the coast to watch for the fleet and keep eyes upon it. Gnaeus lacking supplies was forced to make landfall, while burning most of ships, the rest captured by Didius. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus would eventually make his last stand against Lucius Caesennius Lento at the Battle of Lauro, in which he and most of his remaining supporters were killed. Sextus would Flee Corduba and become a pirate prior to the Bellum Siculum. Casear had won the civil war. [4]

Didius was unable to enjoy his victory as following Gnaeus's death, he would be killed by the Lusitanians in an ambush shortly afterwards. [5] [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">40s BC</span>

This article concerns the period 49 BC – 40 BC.

Year 45 BC was either a common year starting on Thursday, Friday or Saturday or a leap year starting on Friday or Saturday and the first year of the Julian calendar and a leap year starting on Friday of the Proleptic Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar without Colleague. The denomination 45 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Titus Labienus was a high-ranking military officer in the late Roman Republic. He served as tribune of the Plebs in 63 BC. Although mostly remembered as one of Julius Caesar's best lieutenants in Gaul and mentioned frequently in the accounts of his military campaigns, Labienus chose to oppose him during the Civil War and was killed at Munda. He was the father of Quintus Labienus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sextus Pompey</span> Roman politician and general (c. 67–35 BC)

Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, also known in English as Sextus Pompey, was a Roman military leader who, throughout his life, upheld the cause of his father, Pompey the Great, against Julius Caesar and his supporters during the last civil wars of the Roman Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Munda</span> Final battle of Caesars Civil War in present-day southern Spain, 45 BC

The Battle of Munda, in southern Hispania Ulterior, was the final battle of Caesar's civil war against the leaders of the Optimates. With the military victory at Munda and the deaths of Titus Labienus and Gnaeus Pompeius, Caesar was politically able to return in triumph to Rome, and then govern as the elected Roman dictator. Subsequently, the assassination of Julius Caesar began the Republican decline that led to the Roman Empire, initiated with the reign of the emperor Augustus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Thapsus</span> Battle of Caesars Civil War (46 BCE)

The Battle of Thapsus was a military engagement that took place on April 6, 46 BC near Thapsus. The forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio, were defeated by the forces of Julius Caesar. It was followed shortly by the suicides of Scipio and his ally, Cato the Younger, the Numidian King Juba, and his Roman peer Marcus Petreius.

Publius Attius Varus was the Roman governor of Africa during the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey. He declared against Caesar, and initially fought Gaius Scribonius Curio, who was sent against him in 49 BC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caesar's civil war</span> War in the Roman Republic (49 to 45 BC)

Caesar's civil war was a civil war during the late Roman Republic between two factions led by Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey), respectively. The main cause of the war was political tensions relating to Caesar's place in the republic on his expected return to Rome on the expiration of his governorship in Gaul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quintus Labienus</span> 1st-century BCE Roman general

Quintus Labienus Parthicus was a Roman general in the Late Republic period. The son of Titus Labienus, he made an alliance with Parthia and invaded the Roman provinces in the eastern Mediterranean which were under the control of Mark Antony. He occupied the Roman province of Syria together with the Parthians in 40 BC. He then pushed into southern Anatolia, still with Parthian support. The main Parthian force took charge of Syria and invaded Judea. Both Labienus and the Parthians were defeated by Publius Ventidius Bassus, who recovered these provinces for Mark Antony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Didia gens</span> Ancient Roman family

The gens Didia, or Deidia, as the name is spelled on coins, was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which first appears in history during the final century of the Republic. According to Cicero, they were novi homines. Titus Didius obtained the consulship in 98 BC, a dignity shared by no other Didii until imperial times.

Marcus Petreius was a Roman politician and general. He was a client of Pompey and like Pompey he came from Picenum a region in eastern Italy. He cornered and killed the notorious rebel Catiline at Pistoia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Lauro</span>

The Battle of Lauro was the last stand of Gnaeus Pompeius the Younger, son of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, against the followers of Julius Caesar during the civil war of 49–45 BC. After being defeated during the Battle of Munda, the younger Pompeius unsuccessfully attempted to flee Hispania Ulterior by sea, but was eventually forced to land. Pursued by Caesarian forces under Lucius Caesennius Lento, the Pompeians were cornered at a wooded hill near the town of Lauro, where most of them, including Pompeius the Younger, were killed in battle.

The Battle of Hippo Regius was a naval encounter during Caesar's Civil War which occurred off the coast of the African city of Hippo Regius in 46 BC. Metellus Scipio and a number of influential senators from the Optimate faction were fleeing the disastrous Battle of Thapsus when their fleet was intercepted and destroyed by Publius Sittius, a mercenary commander in the employ of the Mauretanian king Bogud, an ally of Gaius Julius Caesar's. Scipio committed suicide and all of the other senators were killed during the battle.

Marcus Octavius was a Roman senator and military commander. He fought for Pompey in the civil war against Julius Caesar.

Saburra was a Numidian general who served the king of Numidia, Juba I, and fought Julius Caesar during Caesar's Civil War. He managed to defeat one of Caesar's lieutenant, Gaius Scribonius Curio at the Battle of the Bagradas before eventually being killed in battle by a mercenary commander Publius Sittius, who was loyal to Caesar.

The Battle of Tauris was a naval battle during Caesar's civil war in which a Pompeian fleet led by Marcus Octavius was defeated by a Caesarian fleet led by Publius Vatinius operating off the coast of Dalmatia.

The siege of Corduba was an engagement near the end of Caesar's Civil War, in which Julius Caesar had besieged the city of Corduba after Sextus Pompey, Son of Pompey Magnus had fled the city leaving Annio Scapula in charge. Caesar stormed the city and 22,000 people died.

Caesar's invasion of Macedonia occurred as part of Caesar's civil war, starting with his landing near Paeleste on the coast of Epirus, and continuing until he forced Pompey to flight after the Battle of Pharsalus.

References

Citations

  1. Cassius Dio, Vol 43, pg 28
  2. Cassius Dio, Vol 43, pg 29
  3. Cassius Dio, Vol 43, pg 31
  4. Goldsworthy, Adrian (2006)
  5. Cassius Dio, Roman History, xliii. 14, 31, 40.
  6. Caesar, De Bello Hispaniensis, 37, 40.

Sources