Battle of the Bagradas River
Near the Medjerda (Bagradas) River, near Tunis, Tunisia
What happened
A Carthaginian army trained and led by the Spartan soldier Xanthippus fought a Roman army under the consul Marcus Atilius Regulus. During the First Punic War, a Roman army had landed in Africa and threatened Carthage itself. Carthage hired Xanthippus, who drilled its army and chose open, flat ground where its cavalry and war elephants could fight. The elephants broke up the Roman ranks, the cavalry attacked from the sides, and Regulus was captured.
Why it matters
Why it matters: Rome's invasion of Carthage's homeland collapsed. It was Carthage's only major land victory of that war.
What came next
Xanthippus soon sailed home to Greece. The war went on for 14 more years and ended in a Roman victory.
Did you know?
Ancient writers told several legends about what happened to Xanthippus afterwards, but historians doubt them.
Timeline
- Spring 255 BCECarthage wins at the Bagradas.
- 245 BCEA Xanthippus is recorded as a governor for Ptolemy III of Egypt.