The Battle of Thuburbo was a major battle of the civil war between Octavian's Rome and Lepidus' Rome which was fought in North Africa in 37 BC. Octavian's general Sextus Numerius Blaesus decisively defeated the Lepidian garrison of Carthage and destroyed Legio IV Victrix, clearing the way for a final assault on the city which would shatter Lepidian resistance to Octavian's invasion of Africa.
Background[]
In 38 BC, Octavian's general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa landed at Thabraca (Tabarka, Tunisia) with Legio I Alaudae, planning on marching east and capturing the rival triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus' capital, the great city of Carthage (now Tunis). Lepidus and his general Pacuvius Lollius Atellus attempted to drive Agrippa back into the sea by engaging him with both of their legions, Legio III Apollinaris and Legio IV Victrix, but Agrippa smashed Legio III Apollinaris and badly mauled Legio IV Victrix at the Battle of Thinisa along the Mediterranean coast of present-day Algeria.
Agrippa was wounded in battle and was recalled to the side of his close friend Octavian to serve as his military advisor, and Agrippa delegated command of his legion to Sextus Numerius Blaesus. Blaesus proceeded to lead Agrippa's legion eastward, pursuing the remnants of Legio IV Victrix as their general Gnaeus Veturius Barbatus withdrew towards the safety of Carthage.
The two legions met at Thuburbo (present-day Tebourba, Tunisia), where Blaesus' 1,746-strong legion faced Barbatus' 497-strong legion and the 1,280-strong garrison of Carthage, commanded by Septimus Peltrasius Agrippa.
Battle[]
Blaesus took advantage of the opportunity to weaken Carthage's garrison and finish off Legio IV Victrix in the same battle, and he drew up his army on a cliffside. From there, Blaesus watched as the two enemy bodies combined forces at the foot of the hill, and, as the Lepidians took their positions, Blaesus sent forth his mercenary Numidian cavalry to skirmish with the Lepidians. His cavalry swooped past a cohort of Lepidian legionaries and hurled javelins at them before drawing off from combat. A cohort of Lepidian skirmishers ventured forth to return fire, only for the Numidians to draw their daggers and charge the Lepidians, slaughtering them and routing them in a cavalry charge.
The Numidian cavalry withdrew to form Blaesus' right flank as Blaesus marched his army down from the hilltop on deducing that Barbatus would not attack his well-positioned army at a disadvantageous angle. The Octavian army formed its traditional battle line, with the main body of legionaries positioning themselves behind a screening force of skirmishers, and the cavalry forming up on the flanks. Blaesus' Numidian cavalry harried the Lepidian left flank and lured the Lepidian army into attacking the main Roman force.
The two armies clashed, shield against shield and sword against sword, and Blaesus outflanked the Lepidians on both flanks and closed in for the kill. Barbatus was slain, and the Lepidian armies were decimated. 1,246 Lepidians and 183 Octavians were slain, and the Octavians took 200 Lepidians prisoner. Agrippa retreated into Carthage with the remnants of his garrison, and he was able to easily replenish his ranks from the city's large population.
Aftermath[]
Blaesus' victory at Thuburbo destroyed Legio IV Victrix and cleared the way for an advance on Carthage. His victory was soon followed by Octavian's victory over Gaius Sepurcius Mergus' Lepidian guerrilla force near Palermo on Sicily, which eventually enabled Octavian to bring his Legio III Gemina across the Mediterranean to aid in the conquest of Lepidian North Africa. The Lepidian general Furius Tetricus Habitus reformed Legio I Africana at Carthage, desperate to prevent Octavian's armies from attacking Carthage, but Blaesus merged the understrength cohorts in his army, consolidating his ranks, and pressed on to defeat Habitus at the gates of Carthage and capture the city.
Gallery[]
