Ecnomus Naval Campaign and Battle, 256 BC

The Battle of Ecnomus occurred in front of the cape of the same name (currently called Poggio di Sant'Angelo, Sicily). It ended in a victory of Rome. Due to the number of ships and crew employed, this battle is considered the largest naval battle in antiquity and, for some historians, one of the largest in military history. The Romans had no way of invading Africa with any certainty of navigation other than bordering the Sicilian coast to Lilibeu and then cutting to Cape Bon. Therefore, Carthage simply chose a point (s) off the Sicilian coast where its navy could block the passage of the expeditionary squadron. At the chosen historical point, Ecnomus, Hamilcar's intention was to encircle and annihilate the Roman squadron (a naval Cannae), and this plan was based on the assumption that Regulus and Mantius would maintain their strength in a compact mass. Instead, the Roman consuls “illogically” advanced and parted. In the simulation we will test what it would have been like if a Carthaginian squadron tried to engage - not fix - Roman consular squadrons (the two at the forefront wedge), another squadron delayed the approach of the Roman reinforcement (base of the wedge) while a third Carthaginian squadron attacked. to destroy Roman transports.