Battle of Beneventum (214 BC)

Saguntum - Lilybaeum II - Rhone - Ticinus - Trebia - Cissa - Lake Trasimeno - Ager Falernus - Geronium - Cannae - I Nola - Nola II - Ibera - Cornus - Nola III - Beneventum I - Syracuse - Tarentum I - Capua I - Beneventum II - Silarus - Herdonia I - Upper Baetis - Capua II - Herdonia II - Numistro - Asculum - Tarentum II - New Carthage - Baecula - Grumentum - Metaurus - Ilipa - Crotona - Large fields - Cirta - Zama

The First Battle of Beneventum was in the Second Punic War 214 BC a material discharged battle between an army of slaves under Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus on the Roman side and Hanno on Carthaginian side.

Prehistory

While Hannibal 214 BC, laid siege to the city, located in Campania Nola, he waited Hanno zuführte him reinforcements. Hanno marched with allegedly 17 000 existing mainly from Bruttians and Lucanians infantrymen and 1,200 cavalrymen of African Bruttium against Beneventum, but which previously was occupied by the consul of the previous year, Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus. So Hanno pitched his camp on the river Caloris three miles from Beneventum. Then Gracchus went against the Carthaginians, and established his base camp about a mile from the camp of Hanno removed. The Roman army consisted mainly of slaves. Gracchus promised everyone who brought the head of a Carthaginian enemy from the battlefield freedom. This was a tactic resorted to the Romans only in extreme emergencies.

The Battle

The Roman historian Livy, the ensuing battle between the Romans and Carthaginians in great detail and embellished dar. After the battle developed very tedious and was initially undecided. The slaves in the Roman army would have fought less than dealt with the cutting of the heads of slain enemies, so as to gain their freedom. Since Gracchus had spent the slogan that they have already demonstrated courage enough to be released, and that they should focus solely on attacking their opponents now. The battle had been fought out fierce, but still a stalemate had prevailed. Finally Gracchus had announced that none of his men would have their freedom if they did not defeat the enemies. These words are said to have inspired the slaves so that they would now be fought resolutely, broke the enemy resistance and finally stormed the Carthaginian camp. Only 2000 enemies, mainly riders had escaped along with their commander Hanno. The fact is certain is that the Romans won a decisive victory and the victorious slaves for the promised them freedom was granted.