256 BC
The Roman centre returns
The fight in the centre decides the battle. Ships are rammed and sunk on both sides, but more Carthaginian ships are boarded and taken, and Hamilcar’s centre finally breaks and flees. At the consuls’ signals the Roman centre breaks off the pursuit and rows back to help the rear squadrons.
Boarding and ramming at Ecnomus, a detail of Gabriel de Saint-Aubin’s drawing of about 1763Wikimedia Commons, Gabriel de Saint-Aubin, Public domain (The Naval Battle Near Ecnomus (256 BC) (cropped 2).jpg)
Regulus attacks Hanno’s squadron from its open side, and Hanno withdraws with the ships that can get away. Vulso and then Regulus fall on the Carthaginian landward squadron, which is caught against the shore by the third Roman squadron, and 50 of its ships surrender.
Carthage loses 30 ships sunk and 64 captured and between 30,000 and 40,000 men, most of them taken prisoner. Rome loses 24 ships sunk and about 10,000 men. The Roman fleet puts in to Sicily for repairs and then sails for Africa.
Sources
- Polybius, Histories, book 1, 28.
- John Lazenby, The First Punic War (1996).
- Adrian Goldsworthy, The Fall of Carthage (2006).
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