| Battle Of Alalia |
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| naval battles of ancient greece | |
| alalia | |
| naval battles of carthage | |
| naval battles of the etruscans | |
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Corsica passed to the Etruscans, and Carthage retained Sardinia. Background: The establishment of Greek colonies in Sicily and South Italy (“Magna Graecia”) had intensified the competition between Carthage, the Etruscan cities of Italy and the Greeks in the Western Mediterranean for control of the sea-borne trade. The Phocaean Greeks from Asia Minor (Modern Turkey) had founded the colony of Massilia around 600 BC, which had become a thriving trading center and a major rival of Carthage for the Spanish markets. When the city of Phocaea fell to Cyrus the Great of Persia in 546 BC, most Phocaeans moved to Alalia in Corsica. Fearing that the Greeks would threaten their colonies in North Italy and Sardinia next, the Etruscans and Carthaginians joined forces to oppose the Greeks. The Battle: It is assumed that the Greeks had 60 Pentekonters (ships with 48 oars and 2 rudders for steering), not the trimreme that will become famous at Salamis, and the allied fleet was twice as large. Details of the battle are sketchy, but it is known the Greeks had driven the allied fleet off, but had lost almost two-thirds of their fleet in doing so. Realizing that they could not withstand another attack, the Greeks evacuated Corsica. Carthaginian and Etruscan losses are not known. Aftermath: Corsica passed into Etruscan hands, Carthage retained Sardinia. Carthage would fight two more major naval battles with Massalia, losing both but still managing to close the Strait of Gibraltar to Greek shipping and thus checking the Greek expansion in Spain. Attempts by Etruscans to conquer Greek areas in Italy will be opposed by the Greek city of Cumae. Syracuse will oppose the Carthaginian expansion in Sicily. REFERENCES -G.P. Baker, "Hannibal" Cooper Square Press 1999 ISBN No: 0-8154-1005-0 -Lionel Casson "The Ancient Mariners (2nd Edition) Princeton University Press 1991 ISBN 0-691-01477-9 |
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