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259 BC. The third battle of Capua.
259 BC
The new consul Florus was impetuous and headstrong and wanted to deal with Pyrrhus once and for all.
The third battle of Capua*
Eager and confident to come to blows with Pyrrhus, Florus took measures looking for a general engagement, disregarding consul Scipio's caution not to attack and organise a defence. Unfortunately for Florus, Pyrrhus was aware of this, and prepared a plan to take advantage of Florus impetuosity. Pyrrhus had noticed a place between the two camps, flat and treeless, but well adapted for an ambuscade, since a dense forrest was covering all the end of the left side, and here he proposed to lay an ambush to surprise the enemy.
Pyrrhus was relying on a network of spies to keep informed of enemy activity. When they told him that the Romans were ready to do battle, he sent one thousand five hundred of the best cavalrymen for a special mission. This detachment of one thousand five hundred cavalry under the command of Pyrrhus oldest son Ptolemy, were instructed to conceal themselves in the other side of the forest under the cover of night, and prepare an ambush for the Romans. On the following morning, Pyrrhus sent the rest of the cavalry to harass the nearby Roman camp and retreat, so as to lure the Romans into a position from which Ptolemy’s hidden detachment could strike at the set time. In response, Florus and Scipio sent out the Roman cavalry to drive them off, and shortly afterwards they sent out the rest of the army. This led to a full engagement and the battle hung in the air for sometime. In the noon Pyrrhus deployed his war elephants, held in reserve until now. The timing with the ambush cavalry was perfect. As the Romans were driven back to the walls of their camp, to regroup and repel the elephants, the ambush cavalry strike them really hard. It was a glorious win for Pyrrhus! The Romans were annihilated. More than twenty five thousands Romans including Florus died and another nine thousands sold as slaves. The Pyrrhus army had around six thousands dead and wounded. After that Capua was again under siege.
* Roman army was near forty five thousands and Pyrrhus around thirty two(ten thousands reinforcements from Macedonia didn't make it on time, but five thousands Samnite allies made it.)
The new consul Florus was impetuous and headstrong and wanted to deal with Pyrrhus once and for all.
The third battle of Capua*
Eager and confident to come to blows with Pyrrhus, Florus took measures looking for a general engagement, disregarding consul Scipio's caution not to attack and organise a defence. Unfortunately for Florus, Pyrrhus was aware of this, and prepared a plan to take advantage of Florus impetuosity. Pyrrhus had noticed a place between the two camps, flat and treeless, but well adapted for an ambuscade, since a dense forrest was covering all the end of the left side, and here he proposed to lay an ambush to surprise the enemy.
Pyrrhus was relying on a network of spies to keep informed of enemy activity. When they told him that the Romans were ready to do battle, he sent one thousand five hundred of the best cavalrymen for a special mission. This detachment of one thousand five hundred cavalry under the command of Pyrrhus oldest son Ptolemy, were instructed to conceal themselves in the other side of the forest under the cover of night, and prepare an ambush for the Romans. On the following morning, Pyrrhus sent the rest of the cavalry to harass the nearby Roman camp and retreat, so as to lure the Romans into a position from which Ptolemy’s hidden detachment could strike at the set time. In response, Florus and Scipio sent out the Roman cavalry to drive them off, and shortly afterwards they sent out the rest of the army. This led to a full engagement and the battle hung in the air for sometime. In the noon Pyrrhus deployed his war elephants, held in reserve until now. The timing with the ambush cavalry was perfect. As the Romans were driven back to the walls of their camp, to regroup and repel the elephants, the ambush cavalry strike them really hard. It was a glorious win for Pyrrhus! The Romans were annihilated. More than twenty five thousands Romans including Florus died and another nine thousands sold as slaves. The Pyrrhus army had around six thousands dead and wounded. After that Capua was again under siege.
* Roman army was near forty five thousands and Pyrrhus around thirty two(ten thousands reinforcements from Macedonia didn't make it on time, but five thousands Samnite allies made it.)
- In Sicily the Massaliot League advancement continued westward from Agrigentum to siege the Carthaginian stronghold of Lilybeaum. In the North the Greeks with their northern sea flank secured by their naval victory at Mylae, advanced toward Thermae.
- Ptolemy II after hearing of the victories in Sicily, decided to capitalise against Carthage. An expedition of twenty eight thousands troops, forty elephants and a fleet of one hundred ships(mostly eptares) went to conquer the libya territories of Carthage.
- Sersor
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