Chapter XXIV - The Punic-Sesonic War (135 - 134 BC)
In 136 BC, 16 years of peace since the Punic War had not eradicated the roman resentments towards Carthage. Rather the opposite. In this period, Carthage had managed to maintain peace, secure control over its territory and increase social stability within its realm.
Fig. 27: Carthage in 136 BC
Even more irritating must have been, that it rebuild its armed forces including a navy, that continuously grew in strength(109). This, together with the fact, that Carthage still controlled the islands in the western Mediterranean, increased Rome`s mistrusts about the renewed bipolarity in the region.
Rome`s worries climaxed, when it learned about a Carthaginian Alliance with the Gaul tribe of the Senones(110). Since the last Gaul War in the year 160 BC, the Senones had subdued the last independent tribes in today`s Normandy and Bretagne and now controlled vast areas within Gaul.
Fig. 28: Gaul in 136 BC
Obviously, this Alliance was directed versus Rome and a potent threat for its supremacy in Gaul and Iberia. Probably sometime in late 136 BC, the Senate came to the conclusion, that another conflict couldn`t be avoided. However, Rome used a quarrel between Roman and Carthaginian merchants in Alexandria as pretence to escalate the diplomatic situation and finally declare war.
The following war took place in three theatres.
Within half a year, Corsica, Sardinia and Malta were occupied, followed by the Balearics in mid autumn 135 BC. The speed of these actions and the lack of any battle report are another evidence for the theory, that the size of the Carthaginian navy as stated by roman authors was completely false.
In Iberia, Carthage had still holdings in today`s central and northern Portugal and a sizable Army stationed. Although being outnumbered(111), the Carthaginian commander decided to advance on roman territory to gain the initiative. Somewhere along the Guadiana, probably a little south of today`s Badajoz, he encountered the IV. Legion, that was commanded by Decius Tiberius Brutus. In the following battle, Tiberius Brutus accomplished to clearly defeat Carthage`s forces at rather low casualties(112).
After this victory, Tiberius Brutus pursued the remaining Carthaginian forces, but his opponent successfully avoided another large battle and switched to a delaying tactic, that forced the IV. Legion to follow him instead of seizing Olissipo(113). This strategy came to an end, when Tiberius Brutus was reinforced by the XII. Legion, that had seized the territory of the Lusitani. In early 134 BC, the remnants of the Carthaginian Army surrendered. With the capture of Olissipo in March, the last Carthaginian stronghold in Iberia was captured.
One year earlier, the Senones attacked roman territory, when they learned about Rome`s declaration of war. But in the battle of Gergovia(114), most of the Senonic force was destroyed, pursued, and the survivors killed in a last stand near Bibracte. Thus, after maybe two months, the Senonic realm was almost defenseless and at Rome`s mercy. In autumn 135 BC, nearly the whole Senonic territory was occupied by Rome. Only Suindinum(115) resisted for almost one year, before it had to open its gates in May 134 BC(116).
Strategically, Rome had achieved its war goals by occupying all enemy territories north of Africa. The Senonic realm was completely occupied. Their Chief Bellicianus had to accept a humiliating peace, that reduced his territory to a meaningless size with no access to the sea. Also Carthage suffered another defeat and had to accept the loss of the Balearics and Malta.
Fig. 29: Gaul in 133 BC
In a giant effort, that probably occupied half of the whole roman army, Rome largely expanded its territory, established the uncontested supremacy in Gaul and consolidated its dominance in the western Mediterranean.
Although Carthage still controlled Corsica and Sardinia, the naval supremacy was obviously on Rome`s side. The combined efforts of Carthage and a relative powerful Gaul tribe were more or less easily repulsed by a Roman Republic, that finally decided the quarrel for the western Mediterranean for its own benefit. For Carthage, the Punic-Sesonic War was another landmark in its slow, but constant decline of power.
(109) Flavius describes the Carthaginian navy as "vast", Cornelius Asina as "equal to the roman". Both descriptions are refuted as exaggerations in order to stress out an imminent danger.
(110) Findings in Bibracte and Avaricum (Bourges) unveiled numerous items of Carthaginian origin. Although there is no evidence of the Alliance mentioned by roman authors, the probability of such a connection is at least average.
(111) The Carthaginian force is estimated to about 20.000 soldiers, while Rome`s forces had about three times the size.
(112) Estimations are about 7.000 dead Carthaginians compared to about 2.000 killed romans.
(114) Today the small village of Gergovie near Clermont-Ferrand. Flavius reports 15.000 slain Gauls.
(115) Le Mans
(116) Cornelius Asina states, that only a few inhabitants had survived. Allegedly they had even permitted acts of cannibalism, although we have no evidence for it. The surviving women were sold into slavery, the men were crucified as cautionary tale.