1-Acest articol este copiat !
2-Istoria ramane pasiunea mea nr-1!
“If we are victorious in one more battle with the Romans, we shall be utterly ruined.”
The Epirote King Pyrrhus had uttered those words after two victories over the Roman legions had brought him no closer to defeating them in war. Victories cost him heavy losses, which he could not replenish in his invading force, while the populous Romans and their allies – defending central Italy, and looking to continue their expansion south in Magna Graecia – could keep filling their ranks after each defeat. Instead his attention turned to the south west, and to the other Greek problem – driving the Carthaginians out of Sicily.
Pyrrhus had numerous offers that would enable him to pull out of Italia with just cause – or rather, without admitting defeat. The Macedonians had asked him to accede to their throne when their king, Ptolemy Keraunos, was killed. Pyrrhus’ absence had seen a huge invasion of Gauls into Greece, crushing many of the disparate Greek forces that opposed them. One group of Greeks event attempted to hold the same pass at Thermopylae where Leonidas and his Spartans had made their fabled last stand 201 years earlier, though the story of the goat path was now fairly common, and they were outflanked while also diverted by attacks on their homeland. Brennus would go on to sack a huge number of temples, including those of the Pythia (Oracle) at Delphi. After defeat, the Gallic army began to break up in different directions. Some went back and suffered heavy losses due to the “cursed” gold, which would be submerged within the lake around modern-day Toulouse. It would remain there for over 150 years, until the famous Roman villain Caepio found it while Proconsul in the province, and infamously (allegedly!) arranged an ambush of the convoy of the treasure, stealing the Gold of Telosa for himself before achieving further infamy when his inability to work with a less esteemed colleague at Arausio resulted in one of Rome’s worst ever military defeats. Other parts of the Gallic force would cross the Hellespont and settle in the centre of Asia Minor (Turkey), founding the kingdom of Galatia. Ptolemy Keraunos had been captured and beheaded by the Gauls following his army’s defeat, hence the Macedonians appealing for Pyrrhus to lead them following the retreat of the Gauls.
Pyrrhus, though, had other ideas – and other offers. His most inviting offer was to intervene in Sicily, to unite the various squabbling Greek states and drive out the Carthaginians. Ultimately, Pyrrhus hoped to annex Carthage itself, and in conquering the city expand Greek influence into Africa (modern day Tunisia), which the Greeks called “Libya” and the Romans called “Africa”. Carthage was essentially the last remnant of Phoenicia, the mother-city Tyre having submitted to the Achaemenid Empire before it was razed by Alexander the Great during a lengthy siege in his conquest o the Persian Empire. The Greeks had seemingly shown their superior soldiery with the previous victory in Africa at White Tunis, and with the correct siege equipment, Pyrrhus hoped to capture Carthage itself – a city that relied on mercenaries, and was not a martial society. Pyrrhus also had a claim to Sicily, having married Lanassa, daughter of Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse and self-proclaimed king of Sicily.
Pyrrhus thus set off of Sicily with around 8,000 infantry, his cavalry, and his elephants, promising to his Italian allies in Magna Greacia that he would return. He left Milo to garrison Tarentum, and his son Alexander to garrison Locris, fully intending to continue asserting his control in the south of the peninsular and keep the Romans at bay. As Pyrrhus prepared to set sail, the Carthaginians moved swiftly to impress their control over Sicily, besieging the Greek capital Syracuse and pillaging the surrounding countryside with 50,000 men, while using its vast fleet to blockade the harbour.
Carthage asserted its control by use of some of their mercenary allies – who will become hugely important in the following decades – the Mamertines. The Mamertines had seized the city of Messana (Messina), holding the city to block Pyrrhus from crossing the Strait of Messina. However Tyndarion, the tyrant of Tauromenia (Taormina), support Pyrrhus, and received his forces in the city. The Greek expeditionary force thus landed at Catana, betwixt Messana and Syracuse. Having successfully landed in Sicily, various Greek cities began to declare their loyalty and support for Pyrrhus. Tributes of gold, resources and troops poured in, and Pyrrhus began building another Greek coalition as he had in Italy. His force quickly swelled in size, and he was soon in command of an army with which he was confident of using to expel the Carthaginians from Sicily.
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu