THE ELEPHANTS AND THE SPARTAN: XANTHIPPUS OF AMYCLAE AT THE BATTLE OF TUNIS (255 BC)
https://doi.org/10.37493/2409-1030.2020.4.1
Abstract
The article is dedicated to the protagonist of an important episode of the 1st Punic War between Rome and Carthage (264-241 BC) - The Battle of Tunis (or The Battle of the Bagradas River, 255 BC). Its result affected the course of the war for several years although it did not change its outcome. In the Battle of Tunis the opposing armies were approximately commensurate (the Carthaginians had 12 000 infantry, 4 000 cavalry and 100 war elephants against the Romans with 15 000 infantry and 500 cavalry), but the Roman army was encircled and almost annihilated, its commander was taken captive, thus saving the city of Carthage. The architect of this spectacular victory was Spartan mercenary general named Xanthippus; in a way, his triumph at Tunis can be considered as an anticipation of the great victory of Hannibal at Cannae (216 BC). Xanthippus' life, excluding his service in Africa, remains virtually unknown. Practically the only important detail concerning his early biography, mentioned by the Greek historian Polybius, regards his "Laconic education" - meaning he was raised in the Spartan martial way of Classical times. Nevertheless, Xanthippus obviously could not get the military skills he had demonstrated at Tunis (mainly concerning elephantry) via traditional Spartan training; presumably, earlier he had served in some Hellenistic army (Epirote, Seleucid, or Ptolemaic). In other words, Xanthippus was "an untypical Spartiate", one of those who were forced to take up a mercenary profession due to long-lasting crisis in Sparta. The author analyses Xanthippus' tactical decisions made at Tunis in view of Hellenistic warfare (especially combat use of war elephants) to specify whether his tactics were typical or unique.
About the Author
A. Abakumov
Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinsky
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
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Review
For citations:
Abakumov A. THE ELEPHANTS AND THE SPARTAN: XANTHIPPUS OF AMYCLAE AT THE BATTLE OF TUNIS (255 BC). Humanities and law research. 2020;(4):8-13. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.37493/2409-1030.2020.4.1
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