Ilipa

[?], 206 BC
Strategic Context
In 218 BC, Hannibal Barca leads a Carthaginian army from Spain across the Alps to
invade the Roman Empire. Despite consistently defeating Roman armies in Italy for over

To view animation on PC: hit F5

a decade, Hannibal is unable to defeat Rome, and eventually loses the imitative. The
decisive defeat of Hasdrubal Barca at the Battle of the Metaurus in 207 BC isolates
Hannibal from reinforcements in Italy and leaves him struggling for survival. Hasdrubal
To view animation on Mac: hit ⌘ + enter
Gisco still fields a large army in Spain which skirmishes with a Roman army led by
Scipio Africanus. The opposing sides now meet in a climactic battle at Ilipa.

Stakes
+ A Roman victory would end
Carthaginian rule in Iberia and allow No Image
Rome to assume control.
+ A Carthaginian victory would keep Available
control of Iberia and maintain hope that
Hannibal could be reinforced in Italy.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 Ilipa, 206 BC
Strength

 Romans  Carthaginians

 Scipio Africanus  Hasdrubal

Gisco
 45,000  50,000 infantry
 3,000
infantry  4,500
cavalry  cavalry
32 war
 Well  elephants
Well

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Mediterranean c. 218 BC
The battlefield consists of a grassy plain between low hills to the north and south.

Carthaginians
(Hasdrubal)
N

Romans
(Scipio)
For several days, Hasdrubal and Scipio deploy their forces in the same array each morning only to withdraw each time. Both commanders place their hardened
veterans at the center with their cavalry and less reliable Spanish allies on the wings. Hasdrubal possesses war elephants, which he deploys in front of his
Spanish allies, and numerical superiority. Scipio, however, is always careful to deploy after Hasdrubal.

Carthaginians
(Hasdrubal) N
Symbol guide

Romans Carthaginians
Veteran infantry Veteran infantry
Allied infantry Allied infantry
Cavalry Cavalry
Camp Camp
War elephant
Carthaginians
(Hasdrubal
RomansGisco)
50,000
(Scipio infantry
Africanus)
4,500 cavalry
45,000 infantry
Romans
32 warcavalry
3,000 elephants (Scipio)
Hasdrubal’s
Scipio
Hasdrubal
For undertakes
several
Hasdrubal center
becomes
days, ainfantry
complex
familiar
Hasdrubal
strengthens remain
with
and
his march fixed
todeployment
Scipio’s
Scipio
camp’s position
with their
deploy
defences few
hisother
best
and the
forces
for troops
options
thedaily for
while
aninarray
routine
ininevitable
the same attack
his
which
Roman flanks
on
he Hasdrubal’s
each continue
leisurely
morning
assault to weaker
disintegrate.
deploys,
only
but wings
astoalways Hasdrubal’s
while
followed
withdraw
darkness falls,by
each his own
only
Scipio,
time.
his Both
armyASpanish
lasting
few days
commanders
begins allies
advantage,
later,advance
Scipio
to place
desert. his but
cavalry,
instead
their remain is
orders
hardened
Hasdrubal
outside
wasted
his troopsof
veterans when
tocombat.
at eat
the they
and The
arewith
arm
center easily
attack
themselves
theiris
defeated
very
at effective;
dawn,
cavalry by
andthe
and Roman
raids
lessHasdrubal’s
cavalry
Hasdrubal’s
reliable front
camp
Spanish after
rank
withbeing
allies isoncavalry
his shattered
trampled
the in aand
wings. once
hugesome again
of his
display;
Hasdrubal bywar
warelephants
Hasdrubal
possesses elephants
rushes
war hisarefleeing
panicked
troops
elephants, out in panic.
into
to the
which he rampaging
field Scipio
unfed.in
deploys encircles
backwards,
Hasdrubal
front of the
does
his
opts
not
to slip
noticeallies,
away
untilcavalry
the
during the nighttobut Roman scouts reportthat their disappearance and Scipio orders a pursuit. Hasdrubal escapes to one of
stunning
Carthaginian
Spanish his andRomans
infantry and arehalted
numerical too
but delaying
is close
by
superiority. carry
anya action
sudden out
by
Scipio, a safe redeployment
cloud-burst
them. Theis
however, that
Carthaginian
pourscareful
always down Scipio
infantry
much haswater,
reversed
are
to deploy his
completely
muddling
after deployment, placing
immobilized
Hasdrubal.the ground toasahis veterans
standstill.
any attempt ontothehelp
Instead wings andtroubled
thetheir allies at the
Carthaginians arecenter.
wings able
or
the
break
to highest
Instead
escape
Scipio’s summits
of attacking
to camp.
center but
immediately, his
would expose army
Scipiotheiris virtually
waitsown
for the destroyed.
scorching
flanks heatRoman
to other to fatigue the hungry Carthaginians.
units.
Carthaginians
(Hasdrubal) N
Symbol guide

Romans Carthaginians
Veteran infantry Veteran infantry
Allied infantry Allied infantry
Cavalry Cavalry
Camp Camp
War elephant
Carthaginians
(Hasdrubal
RomansGisco)
50,000
(Scipio infantry
Africanus)
4,500 cavalry
45,000 infantry
Romans
32 warcavalry
3,000 elephants (Scipio)
 Ilipa, 206 BC
Casualties & Aftermath
Romans: Carthaginians:

≈2,000 48,500
or or
4% 89%

Carthaginian rule in Iberia was ended at Ilipa and never returned. Two years
later, Scipio landed in Africa to threaten Carthage itself. This forced Hannibal to
return to Africa and face Scipio in the decisive Battle of Zama in 202 BC, which
Scipio won, ending the Second Punic War.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009