Battle of Ecnomus

E200337

The Battle of Ecnomus was a major naval engagement of the First Punic War in 256 BC, often considered one of the largest naval battles of antiquity, in which Rome decisively defeated Carthage off the southern coast of Sicily.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Battle of Ecnomus canonical 4

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf battle of the First Punic War
naval battle
belligerent Carthaginian Empire
surface form: Carthaginian Republic

Roman Republic
casualtiesCarthage heavy ship losses
casualtiesRome significant but lower than Carthage
category Naval battles involving Carthage
Naval battles involving Rome
chronologyPosition midpoint phase of the First Punic War
combatantCommander Hamilcar Barca
surface form: Hamilcar (Carthaginian commander)

Hanno the Great
Lucius Manlius Vulso Longus
Marcus Atilius Regulus
combatantStrengthCarthage experienced naval crews and warships
combatantStrengthRome large invasion force of soldiers embarked on fleet
conflictIn First Punic War
date 256 BC
describedAs one of the largest naval battles of antiquity
engagementType fleet action
era Roman Antiquity
surface form: Ancient Rome
fleetSizeCarthage approximately 350 warships
fleetSizeRome approximately 330 warships
followedBy Roman invasion of Africa (256–255 BCE)
surface form: Roman invasion of Africa in 256 BC
historicalPeriod 3rd century BC
location Mediterranean Sea
off the southern coast of Sicily
modernCountryLocation Italy
namedAfter Cape Ecnomus
navalTheatre central Mediterranean
notableFeature complex Roman fleet formation resembling a wedge
use of boarding tactics by Roman marines
objective to escort a Roman invasion army to Africa
opponent Carthaginian Empire
surface form: Carthaginian Republic

Roman Republic
partOf First Punic War
surface form: First Punic War Roman invasion of Africa

Punic Wars
surface form: Roman–Carthaginian conflicts
precededBy naval operations off Sicily in 257 BC
primaryShipType quinquereme
result Roman victory
side Carthage
Rome
significance demonstrated Roman naval competence against Carthage
helped shift strategic initiative to Rome in the First Punic War
strategicOutcome secured Roman sea passage to Africa
technology corvus boarding device (by Romans)
theatre Sicilian waters
typeOfWarfare naval warfare
year 256 BC

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Roman navy significantEvent Battle of Ecnomus
First Punic War notableBattle Battle of Ecnomus
Carthaginian navy participatedIn Battle of Ecnomus
Carthaginian army notableBattle Battle of Ecnomus