Battle of Telamon

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Battle of Telamon

Part of Roman-Gaulish Wars

Date	224 BC
Location	Telamon (modern Talamone in Tuscany)
Result	Roman victory

Combatants

Roman Republic

Gauls

Commanders

Atilius Regulus†
Aemilius Papus

Concolitanus†
Aneorestus†

Strength

70,000 infantry
5,400 cavalry

50,000 infantry
4,000 cavalry

Casualties

40,000 killed, 10,000 captured

Roman-Gaulish Wars
Allia River - Arretium – Lake Vadimo – Faesulae – Telamon – Clastidium - Cremona – Mutina

The Battle of Telamon (or Talamone) was fought between the Gauls and the Roman Republic in 224 BC. The Romans, led by Consuls Gaius Atilius Regulus and Lucius Aemilius Papus, defeated the Gauls, thus extending their influence on northern Italy.

[edit] Prelude

After the end of the First Punic War and the Pyrrhic War, the Romans had every right to feel pleased with their results. There had been unrest in northern Italy, to avoid conflict with the warriors of the North, the Romans had fallen back on negotiations to maintain peace. The Romans had even decided to close the Temple of Janus in the Forum, something that only occurred when there was peace throughout Roman lands. This was very uncommon indeed.

However, peace never seemed to last. After learning of Roman intent on seizing Cisalpine many of the Celtic tribes decided to unite against their common enemy.In 225 BC an alliance of Gallic tribes (Taurini, Taurisces, Insubres, Lingones, Salasses, Agones, and Boii) and mercenaries (Gaesatae) from Transalpine Gaul moved into Etruria through an unguarded pass in the Apennines.

To meet this invasion, the Romans called on the Insubres' enemies, the (Adriatic) Veneti the Patavini, and the Cenomani, who rapidly mobilised defensive forces. Two armies, amounting to over 70,000 infantry and 5,400 cavalry, were under the command of Consuls Atilius Regulus and Armilius Papus. The Romans signed the Treaty of Ebro with Hasdrubal, thus ensuring the Carthaginian neutrality in the war. After a battle between the Gauls and a Roman army near Montepulciano, in which the Romans were lost 6,000 , the combined Roman forces succeeded in outmanoeuvering the Gauls, and forced the invaders towards the coast of Tuscany.

The Gauls were surrounded and trapped. At Telamon, on the coast of Tuscany, they stood back to back and waited for the Romans to approach. The Romans, however, had learned from previous wars with the Gauls, and did not let the headlong rush of Gallic warriors dishearten them. The Gauls were forced to fight on two fronts. At close-quarters, Roman legionaries had decisive advantage with their overwhelming numbers. After several hours of vicious fighting the Roman army stood victorious. 40,000 Gauls were slaughtered on the spot, 10,000 taken prisoner. Atilius Regulus, commander of the Roman cavalry, was beheaded; Concolitanus was captured in battle, while the other Gallic king, Aneorestus, committed suicide.

After Telamon the Romans resolved to conquer the rest of Northern Italy and defeat the Gauls; this would eventually double the area under Rome's direct control. By 220 BC nearly all the Romans' Gallic enemies had been devastated by Rome and her allies. Carthage was severely weakened by the loss of one of its main sources of mercenaries against Rome in the Punic Wars. However this hard won peace would not last very long.