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Ruspina (46 BC)

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Title
Ruspina (46 BC)
Description
Following his victory over Pharnaces at Zela, Julius Caesar returned to Rome where a crisis was brewing – the surviving veterans had grown very war-weary and were refusing orders to deploy overseas yet again. Caesar’s personal appeal sparked a renewal …
Publisher
Date
-46
Scenario#
317
Scenario Description
Following his victory over Pharnaces at Zela, Julius Caesar returned to Rome where a crisis was brewing – the surviving veterans had grown very war-weary and were refusing orders to deploy overseas yet again. Caesar’s personal appeal sparked a renewal of loyalty to their magnetic leader, and the crisis was averted. Opposition awaited in North Africa. Pompeian forces under Porcius Cato Minor and Metellus Scipio had fled to Africa and joined forces with Attius Varus and King Juba. Caesar directed his next campaign against these Pompeian and allied Numidian forces. Once Caesar had transported his entire army to Africa, he set off with a sizeable force on a foraging expedition. They had only gone a few miles when a much larger enemy force of Numidian cavalry and light troops deployed for battle to his front. The Numidians were commanded by Titus Labienus, formerly Caesar’s deputy in Gaul and his opponent at Dyrrhachium and Pharsalus. The enemy formation and tactics were quite novel to Caesar. The Numidian cavalry was interspersed with light infantry and would rush forward to throw their javelins. When the Romans charged, the enemy would retire. Meanwhile, the exposed Roman flanks were pelted by other enemy units. As the battle progressed, because of their numbers, the Numidian cavalry had almost surrounded Caesar’s troops. Caesar countered by forming his line back to back and gradually retired toward his camp. At this point in the battle, the Numidians grew stronger yet when Marcus Petreius arrived with elite cavalry and more Numidian infantry. True to his nature, Caesar encouraged his utterly exhausted troops to make one last effort to drive the enemy back. The Roman attack succeeded, allowing them to withdraw. Caesar had lost nearly a third of his detachment and gained a healthy respect for his adversaries.
Location
Monastir, Tunisia
Battle Name
Battle Narrative
The Battle of Ruspina was fought on 4 January 46 BC in the Roman province of Africa, between the Republican forces of the Optimates and forces loyal to Julius Caesar. The Republican army was commanded by Titus Labienus, Caesar's former supporter who had defected to the Republican side at the beginning of the civil war.
Narrative Source
Combatants
Numidian
Caesarian
Additional Information
Caesars Civil War

Geolocation