MILITARY EXPEDITIONS

BEYOND THE SEAS.

CHAPTER XIV.

SOME EXPEDITIONS BEYOND THE SEAS IN THE

EARLY AGES.

Carthage in 490 U.c. was mistress of the sea-The Romans build a fleet-Naval tactics of the period-The Romans substitute boarding for ramming-Battle of Mylae-Carthage assailed in Africa-Battle of Ecnomus-Regulus lands in AfricaHis defeat and capture-Survivors shut up in Clupea-Battle near the Hermaean promontory-Clupea relieved-The Roman fleet overtaken by a storm-The Romans build a second fleet-Publius Claudius defeated before DrepanumDestruction of the Roman fleet-Another fleet built by private subscription-Carthaginian fleet defeated at Aegusa-End of the First Punic War-Second Punic War, Publius Cornelius Scipio appointed to command-Scipio lands in Africa -He surprises and sets fire to the enemy's camps-Hannibal recalled from Italy-Battle of Zama-End of the warCæsar and Pompey, the latter flies to Brundisium and crosses to Greece-Forces of the two leaders-Cæsar crosses over to the coast of Epirus-His first successes-Cæsar's fleet attacked when returning to Italy-Brundisium blockaded— Blockade raised, Mark Antony crosses to Epirus with reinforcements for Cæsar-Pompey fails in preventing the junction of Mark Antony and Cæsar - Cæsar fails in carrying Dyrrhachium and retires to Apollonia-Marches to VOL. II.

B

Thessaly-Battle of Pharsalia-Cæsar experiences difficulties in provisioning his army.

In war the results are guided by law, and there are certain fixed principles which, notwithstanding succeeding changes in weapons and in the mode of combating, have remained fundamental. The history of the past has not lost any of its instructiveness when the conditions of strategy are more or less what they were in bygone ages, and this history must endure as a guide for our actions in the future.

The armies of the Roman republic and empire had to contend with adversaries in many countries, and, like ours, had often to cross the sea to get at their enemy. Historians have dwelt on their victories and defeats, and have recorded a mass of facts from which the military student can draw very profitable lessons.

In the year 490 of Rome* Carthage was the first maritime nation of the world, and her fleets ruled the central and western Mediterranean without a rival. At the outbreak of the first Punic War, the Romans had an insignificant fleet; they were, however, not slow in realizing how fruitless it was without a navy to attempt to put an end to the ravages of the Carthaginian squadrons, and prevent the commerce of Rome and of her allies being paralyzed by the irruptions of the Africans. They consequently determined to build a fleet. Hitherto they had only triremes, galleys with three banks of oars; *This corresponds with the year 264 E.C.