Xanthippus of Carthage

Xanthippos was a Greek mercenary leader of the 3rd century BC, who probably came from Sparta.

When the Carthaginians BC fell during the First Punic War, after the landing of the Romans in Africa in the year 256 in a desperate situation - the Roman army under the consul Marcus Atilius Regulus stood before the walls of their capital and the Carthaginians already asked for peace but then rejected the harsh conditions of the Romans from - they called the Spartan generals Xanthippos for help. In a short time he succeeded in putting together and form a considerable army. In the Battle of Tunes ( at today's Tunis ) in 255 BC because also managed a decisive victory against the Roman invasion forces, whose remains had to re-embark, were destroyed in a devastating storm at sea, however.

On Xanthippos the new Carthaginian formation goes back, in which the cavalry was divided between the two wings in the center of a number of phalanx fighters and war elephants in front of the infantry.

• Military person (Sparta )
• Greek ( Ancient )
• Born on the 4th or 3rd century BC
• Died in the 3rd century BC
• Man