Liguria (238-233 BC)
Seizing the islands of Sardinia and Corsica meant that Rome had to assume responsibility for the protection of the northern Tyrrhenian Sea, and this brought them into contact with the Ligurian pirates operating from bases bordering the Gulf of Genoa. The Romans realised that Liguria was also the best route to the Po Valley and the Alps beyond.
Numerous campaigns were required to subdue the Ligurian tribes: 03Sempronius Gracchus (cos.238 BC) waged war on the Ligurians, then subdued Corsica and Sardinia; 13Cornelius Lentulus (cos.236 BC) was active in Liguria while 02Licinius Varus (cos.236 BC) was pacifying Corsica; 07Postumius Albinus ((fl.234-216 BC) marched into Liguria while other military actions were carried out in Corsica and Sardinia; and 08Fabius Cunctator (c.77; fl.233-203 BC) defeated the Ligurians in battle, drove them back into the Alps, and claimed to have ended their plundering of nearby territories.
It was probably concern for the safety of the Etruscan border that prompted the Romans to bring Pisae into their frontier system: it also provided the Romans with a naval base ideally positioned for expeditions against the Ligurians and the Gauls, Corsica and Sardinia, and coastal zones of Spain.
Gallia Cisalpina (238-218 BC) [1/2]
In 238 BC the Celtic tribes began to stir and two years later the army of Boii, a Gallic tribe that had occupied the Etruscan city of Felsina and changed its name to Bononia (=Bologna), joined the Transalpine Gauls and besieged Ariminum. But dissension among the tribesmen brought their withdrawal and for a time a cessation of campaigning.
In 225 BC a large army of Gaesatae (‘spearmen’) came over the Alps to join the Insubres (founders of Mediolanum) and the Boii in search of loot. Detaching a force to secure their flank against possible intervention by the Cenomani and Veneti, they crossed with fifty thousand foot and twenty thousand horse and chariots into Roman territory and defeated a Roman army at Faesulae, near Florence. Three days’ march from Rome they learnt that a Roman army, over ten thousand strong, led by the consul 07Aemilius Papus, was approaching from the south, barring their path. A council of war was held and they decided to retreat with their spoils.
A second Roman force led by the other consul 05Atilius Regulus had been hurriedly withdrawn from Sardinia and by now had landed at Pisae, north of the Celtic position. The Celtic army was caught between the two converging Roman armies at Telamon. The Gauls formed two lines back to back to meet the double attack. The Romans’ superior discipline and equipment overcame the valour of the Gauls. Regulus was killed but the Celts were completely routed.
In 224 BC the consuls 06Fulvius Flaccus (fl.237-211 BC) and 06Manlius Torquatus (fl.235-202 BC) invaded the territory of the Boii and forced them to sue for peace. In 223 BC the consuls 01Flaminius Nepos (fl.232-217 BC) and 05Furius Philus (fl.223-213 BC) gained the support of two local tribes, the Anares and the Cenomani, crossed the Po and won an important victory over Insubres near the Adda River.
In 222 BC the Senate rejected peace offers by the Gauls. When the consuls 06Claudius Marcellus (c.60; fl.225-208 BC) and Gnaeus 15Cornelius Scipio (fl.222-211 BC) besieged Acerrae commanding the Adda River, the Gauls responded by laying siege to Clastidium. Gnaeus continued to besiege Acerrae with the legions, while Marcellus with his cavalry relieved Clastidium and won the spolia opinia by killing the enemy commander Viridomarus (1) in single combat.
Gnaeus meanwhile had captured Acerrae and advanced into the heart of Insubrian territory. At Mediolanum (=Milan) he got into slight difficulties until Marcellus arrived; together they routed the enemy and took the city. The Insubres surrendered unconditionally and gave up some of their territory. In 218 BC to guard the passage over the Po against the Insubres, Latin colonies of six thousand settlers each were planted at Placentia and Cremona; and a colonia (fortified outpost) was placed at Mutina (=Modena) among the Boii.
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