Tiberius Sempronius Longus (consul 218 BC)

Tiberius Sempronius Longus (260 BC-) was a Consul of the Roman Republic in 218 BC, a Roman general during the Second Punic War, and the father of Tiberius Sempronius Longus.

Biography

Tiberius Sempronius Longus became a consul of the Roman Republic in 218 BC, and, early in the Second Punic War, he led 160 quinquiremes from Sicily to capture Malta from Carthage. Afterwards, the Roman Senate sent him north to aid Publius Cornelius Scipio against Hannibal's army in northern Italy, but he launched an unsuccessful amphibious attack at the Battle of the Trebia. His army was crushed, but Sempronius fled to safety and returned to Rome in January 217 BC. In 215 BC, he fought Hanno at the Battle of Grumentum, pushing Hanno out of Lucania and recapturing much of southern Italy.