Battle of Rhone Crossing

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 Battle of the Rhone was the end of September instead of 218 BC between the forces of the Carthaginian general Hannibal and the Celtic tribe of the Volcae. This battle of the Second Punic War was the first that won Hannibal outside the Carthaginian power range. The battle took place near the present-day Orange likely.

The allied with the Romans Volcae camped on the east side of the Rhone river, to prevent the Carthaginians in translating the river and thus to meet a Carthaginian invasion of Italy. As Hannibal from the camp on the east bank of the Rhone, the Volcae learned he ordered Hanno, to go with a smaller force at a remote location over the river and attack the Celts from behind. After Hanno had his troops stationed unnoticed in the back of Volcae, he gave his brother character to attack and the Volcae could be defeated in the ensuing battle of encirclement.

Prehistory

After successful for the Carthaginians siege of Saguntum Hannibal sent his troops into winter quarters. With the beginning of the summer 218 BC, he began to establish his armies again and spread over the Carthaginian sphere of influence. 15,000 men and 21 elephants remained in the Iberian Peninsula back as protection against raids. 20,000 troops he sent, including 4,000 garrison troops for Carthage, Africa. With the main army, estimated at 90,000 infantry ( with allies ), 12,000 cavalry and 37 elephants, he marched up to Italy.

The Romans sent Publius Cornelius Scipio counter with two legions and 15,000 allies Hannibal. The force was established due to the use of other parts of the Roman army for the suppression of uprisings in North Italy Gallic Boii and Celtic Insubres relatively small.

The Battle

Hannibal marched in May 218 BC from Cartagena in three army columns over the Ebro and the Pyrenees towards the Alps. Approximately 20,000 men he had to leave on the Iberian Peninsula, to protect the conquered land just before uprisings of indigenous peoples or possible invasions by the Romans. However, its now shrunk to about 50,000 man army, he was able to increase troops allied with many Celtic tribes. As a good diplomat he had managed to make many chiefs north of the Pyrenees to its allies against Rome. When he had reached the end of September the Rhone, he encamped on the west side of the river, within sight of the Celtic troops on.

After three days camped on the banks of the river, he sent up Hanno, son of Bomilcar, the bank of the Rhone. There should this set with a small rapid force composed of cavalry and light infantry on a shallow point of the Rhone river, to bypass the Volcae. As Hanno a suitable location, 30 km from the camp of Hannibal was, he let his troops with the help of rafts and inflated animal skins translate. After the Carthaginians had crossed over, they waited for nightfall and marched south to line up at dawn behind the camp of Volcae in battle.

Hanno gave Hannibal the signal to attack by smoke and light signals. The main force of the Carthaginians now began to ferry across the river about a kilometer wide. The Numidian cavalry tied their horses to rafts or boats and crossed the river relatively quickly. The infantry crossed the river by swimming or in a hurry made ​​little wooden boats. After the Carthaginian army began to gather on the eastern shore, attacked the Volcae who had observed the crossing of the river, immediately. Hanno, meanwhile, had put his troops the camp of Volcae on fire and attacked the completely surprised Celts from behind. Although these were still trying to defend their camp, a large part of their troops was, however, panicked and fled.

Follow

The main part of the Carthaginian army crossed after the battle the Rhone with the help of ships. The accompanying elephants were transported on rafts partly across the river. After the entire army had crossed the river, Hannibal sent out cavalry scouts. One of these cavalry troops met a advance party of Scipio and had to withdraw after a brief skirmish. Scipio was gone after five days voyage to the coasts of Liguria near the present-day Marseille on land. After exploring the surrounding area and was aware that the Carthaginians were still in the area, he marched in the direction of their camp on the Rhone. When he arrived, Hannibal, however, was left three days earlier. Then Scipio returned to Marseille and imputed his forces to his brother Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus, so that to Spain, to conquer the local Carthaginian territories drove. He went back to Italy to organize the resistance against Hannibal.

Swell

  • Polybius, Histories 3, 42-43 (in Greek / English PACE )
  • Livy 21, 26-28 (online)
Battle of Ticinus Battle of the Trebia Battle of Cissa Battle of Ager Falernus Battle of Geronium Battle of Nola (215 BC) Battle of Dertosa Battle of Cornus Battle of Nola (214 BC) Battle of Beneventum (214 BC) Battle of Capua Battle of the Silarus Battle of Herdonia (212 BC) Battle of the Upper Baetis Battle of Capua (211 BC) Battle of Herdonia (210 BC) Battle of Canusium Battle of Cartagena (209 BC) Battle of Baecula Battle of Grumentum Battle of the Metaurus Battle of Ilipa Battle of Crotona Battle of Cirta Cartagena, Spain Bomilcar (3rd century BC) Avignon
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