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| place = ], Epirus (now Albania) | | place = ], Epirus (now Albania) | ||
| partof =] during ] | | partof =] during ] | ||
| date = |
| date = Winter 48 BC | ||
| combatant1 = ] | | combatant1 = ] | ||
| combatant2 = ] | | combatant2 = ] | ||
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{{Campaignbox Caesar's Civil War}} | {{Campaignbox Caesar's Civil War}} | ||
The '''siege of Oricum''' occurred during the ], beginning in November |
The '''siege of Oricum''' occurred in the winter of 48 BC during the ], beginning in November. When ] approached the city of ] in ] with an armed force, the ] commander, ], surrendered without a fight. After Caesar departed for ] with most of his army, ] attacked Oricum with his fleet, and overcoming the harbour defenses prepared by Marcus Acilius Caninus, took the city by storm.<ref name="DGRG Oricum">''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography'', vol. II, pp. 492, 493 ("Oricum").</ref><ref name="PW Orikos">Johanna Schmidt, "Orikos", in ''PW'', Half-volume 35, cols. 1059–1062 (1939).</ref> | ||
==Capture by Caesar== | ==Capture by Caesar== | ||
On November 6, 49 BC |
On January 4, 48 BC,{{efn-lr|''PW'' gives November 6, 49 BC.}} Caesar embarked from ] with seven ] and six hundred select cavalry, which he carried on merchant ships, as his small number of warships was guarding ] and ] against any approach by the Pompeians.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54">Appian, ''Bellum Civile'', ii. 54.</ref><ref name="PW Orikos"/><ref name="Gray-Fow 187">Gray-Fow, "Mental Breakdown of a Roman Senator", p. 187.</ref> Making for the coast of Illyricum, the fleet was driven to the ],<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref name="Cassius Dio lxi 44">Cassius Dio, lxi. 44.</ref> where the army disembarked at ], a day's march from Oricum.<ref name="DGRG Oricum"/> Caesar then sent the ships back to Italy to bring over the rest of his army,<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/> but they were attacked by the ] ], who captured several.<ref name="Cassius Dio lxi 44"/><ref name="Gray-Fow 187"/> | ||
Because it was impossible to bring his entire force to bear upon Oricum by the same route, Caesar divided his troops into several columns, which followed different routes through the mountains that same night.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref name="Caesar BC iii 11">Caesar, ''De Bello Civili'', iii. 11.</ref><ref name="PW Orikos"/> Although the individual columns might have been vulnerable to attack, they reached the city without incident, and re-assembled around daybreak.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/> The Pompeian commander, Lucius Manlius Torquatus,<ref>Broughton, ''Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', vol. II, p. 277.</ref> was prepared to defend the town with a force of ]an soldiers,<ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/> but was forbidden by the townsfolk to resist the entry of a ], and so surrendered the town and garrison without a battle.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/><ref>Cassius Dio, lxi. 45.</ref> Caesar pardoned Torquatus, whom he dismissed unharmed, and entered the city.<ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/> | Because it was impossible to bring his entire force to bear upon Oricum by the same route, Caesar divided his troops into several columns, which followed different routes through the mountains that same night.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref name="Caesar BC iii 11">Caesar, ''De Bello Civili'', iii. 11.</ref><ref name="PW Orikos"/> Although the individual columns might have been vulnerable to attack, they reached the city without incident, and re-assembled around daybreak.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/> The Pompeian commander, Lucius Manlius Torquatus,<ref>Broughton, ''Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', vol. II, p. 277.</ref> was prepared to defend the town with a force of ]an soldiers,<ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/> but was forbidden by the townsfolk to resist the entry of a ], and so surrendered the town and garrison without a battle.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/><ref>Cassius Dio, lxi. 45.</ref><ref>"L. Manlius Torquatus" (80), in ''PW'', Half-volume 27, cols. 1203–1207 (1928).</ref> Caesar pardoned Torquatus, whom he dismissed unharmed, and entered the city.<ref name="Caesar BC iii 11"/> | ||
On the other side of Oricum, two of Pompeius' lieutenants, Lucretius and Minucius,<ref name="Broughton II 83">Broughton, ''Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', vol. II, p. 283.</ref> were guarding a grain fleet with eighteen warships. Unable to get the corn to sea following the capitulation of the city, they sank the loaded vessels to prevent Caesar from obtaining the whole supply, then fled to ].<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/> Caesar placed Marcus Acilius Caninus, one of his ], in charge of Oricum,<ref>Broughton, vol. II, pp. 280, 285 (note 8).</ref> and marched on ]. This city likewise capitulated after the Pompeian commander, Lucius Staberius, unable to win the support of the townsfolk, fled before his approach.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref>Caesar, ''De Bello Civili'', iii. 12.</ref> | On the other side of Oricum, two of Pompeius' lieutenants, Lucretius and Minucius,<ref name="Broughton II 83">Broughton, ''Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', vol. II, p. 283.</ref> were guarding a grain fleet with eighteen warships. Unable to get the corn to sea following the capitulation of the city, they sank the loaded vessels to prevent Caesar from obtaining the whole supply, then fled to ].<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/> Caesar placed Marcus Acilius Caninus, one of his ], in charge of Oricum,<ref>Broughton, vol. II, pp. 280, 285 (note 8).</ref> and marched on ]. This city likewise capitulated after the Pompeian commander, Lucius Staberius, unable to win the support of the townsfolk, fled before his approach.<ref name="Appian BC ii 54"/><ref>Caesar, ''De Bello Civili'', iii. 12.</ref> | ||
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Having retaken Oricum, Pompeius left ], detached from his father's Asian fleet, in command of a squadron charged with keeping Caesar's forces from being resupplied from ] and ].<ref name="Caesar BC iii 40"/><ref name="Broughton II 83"/> He then proceeded to ], where he burned a fleet of transports left there by ], but he was unable to overcome the defenses of Caesar's garrison, and failed to take the town itself, retiring with significant losses after a siege of three days.<ref name="Caesar BC iii 40"/><ref name="Meijer 200"/> Thus the two armies remained in a stalemate, with Caesar unable to gain Dyrrhachium, and hampered by broken supply lines, while Pompeius struggled to dislodge Caesar's footholds in Illyricum.<ref name="Meijer 200"/> | Having retaken Oricum, Pompeius left ], detached from his father's Asian fleet, in command of a squadron charged with keeping Caesar's forces from being resupplied from ] and ].<ref name="Caesar BC iii 40"/><ref name="Broughton II 83"/> He then proceeded to ], where he burned a fleet of transports left there by ], but he was unable to overcome the defenses of Caesar's garrison, and failed to take the town itself, retiring with significant losses after a siege of three days.<ref name="Caesar BC iii 40"/><ref name="Meijer 200"/> Thus the two armies remained in a stalemate, with Caesar unable to gain Dyrrhachium, and hampered by broken supply lines, while Pompeius struggled to dislodge Caesar's footholds in Illyricum.<ref name="Meijer 200"/> | ||
== |
==See also== | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
==Notes== | |||
{{notelist-lr}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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* ], ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', American Philological Association (1952–1986). | * ], ''The Magistrates of the Roman Republic'', American Philological Association (1952–1986). | ||
* Fik Meijer, ''A History of Seafaring in the Classical World'', Croom Helm, London (1986). | * Fik Meijer, ''A History of Seafaring in the Classical World'', Croom Helm, London (1986). | ||
* Michael J. G. Gray-Fow, "The Mental Breakdown of a Roman Senator: Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus", in ''Greece & Rome'', vol. 37, No. 2 (Oct. 1990), pp. 179–190. | |||
{{Illyrians}} | {{Illyrians}} |
Latest revision as of 02:46, 2 August 2024
Siege in 48 BCSiege of Oricum | |||||||
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Part of Caesar's invasion of Macedonia during Caesar's civil war | |||||||
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Populares | Optimates | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Gaius Julius Caesar | Lucius Manlius Torquatus | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
6 legions | Illyrian garrison |
Caesar's civil war | |
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The siege of Oricum occurred in the winter of 48 BC during the Civil War, beginning in November. When Caesar approached the city of Oricum in Illyricum with an armed force, the Pompeian commander, Lucius Manlius Torquatus, surrendered without a fight. After Caesar departed for Dyrrhachium with most of his army, Gnaeus Pompeius the younger attacked Oricum with his fleet, and overcoming the harbour defenses prepared by Marcus Acilius Caninus, took the city by storm.
Capture by Caesar
On January 4, 48 BC, Caesar embarked from Brundisium with seven legions and six hundred select cavalry, which he carried on merchant ships, as his small number of warships was guarding Sardinia and Sicily against any approach by the Pompeians. Making for the coast of Illyricum, the fleet was driven to the Ceraunian Mountains, where the army disembarked at Palaeste, a day's march from Oricum. Caesar then sent the ships back to Italy to bring over the rest of his army, but they were attacked by the proconsul Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, who captured several.
Because it was impossible to bring his entire force to bear upon Oricum by the same route, Caesar divided his troops into several columns, which followed different routes through the mountains that same night. Although the individual columns might have been vulnerable to attack, they reached the city without incident, and re-assembled around daybreak. The Pompeian commander, Lucius Manlius Torquatus, was prepared to defend the town with a force of Parthinian soldiers, but was forbidden by the townsfolk to resist the entry of a Roman consul, and so surrendered the town and garrison without a battle. Caesar pardoned Torquatus, whom he dismissed unharmed, and entered the city.
On the other side of Oricum, two of Pompeius' lieutenants, Lucretius and Minucius, were guarding a grain fleet with eighteen warships. Unable to get the corn to sea following the capitulation of the city, they sank the loaded vessels to prevent Caesar from obtaining the whole supply, then fled to Dyrrachium. Caesar placed Marcus Acilius Caninus, one of his legates, in charge of Oricum, and marched on Apollonia. This city likewise capitulated after the Pompeian commander, Lucius Staberius, unable to win the support of the townsfolk, fled before his approach.
Pompeian siege
Caesar congratulated his army on their achievements, but was unable to strike a decisive blow in the war, as Pompeius arrived at Dyrrachium first. At Oricum, Marcus Acilius attempted to block the harbour against the Pompeian fleet by sinking a ship loaded with stones at its mouth, and anchoring another ship above it. However, the defenders were hampered by the lack of provisions, because the Pompeians had control of the sea sufficient to prevent the arrival of supplies.
Gnaeus Pompeius the younger, who had command of his father's Egyptian fleet, moved to retake Oricum. He captured the anchored ship after a fierce fight, and sent divers to remove the stones from the sunken vessel, which was then removed from the harbour. While Pompeius lay siege to the city, he attacked the undefended ships remaining in the harbour, capturing four small galleys that he brought over a natural breakwater on rollers, and burning the rest. Surrounded by hostile forces, Oricum was attacked from ship-mounted towers, while Pompeius' soldiers assaulted the walls using scaling ladders, constantly replacing his men with fresh troops, until the weary defenders capitulated.
Aftermath
Having retaken Oricum, Pompeius left Decimus Laelius, detached from his father's Asian fleet, in command of a squadron charged with keeping Caesar's forces from being resupplied from Byllis and Amantia. He then proceeded to Lissus, where he burned a fleet of transports left there by Marcus Antonius, but he was unable to overcome the defenses of Caesar's garrison, and failed to take the town itself, retiring with significant losses after a siege of three days. Thus the two armies remained in a stalemate, with Caesar unable to gain Dyrrhachium, and hampered by broken supply lines, while Pompeius struggled to dislodge Caesar's footholds in Illyricum.
See also
Notes
- PW gives November 6, 49 BC.
References
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, vol. II, pp. 492, 493 ("Oricum").
- ^ Johanna Schmidt, "Orikos", in PW, Half-volume 35, cols. 1059–1062 (1939).
- ^ Appian, Bellum Civile, ii. 54.
- ^ Gray-Fow, "Mental Breakdown of a Roman Senator", p. 187.
- ^ Cassius Dio, lxi. 44.
- ^ Caesar, De Bello Civili, iii. 11.
- Broughton, Magistrates of the Roman Republic, vol. II, p. 277.
- Cassius Dio, lxi. 45.
- "L. Manlius Torquatus" (80), in PW, Half-volume 27, cols. 1203–1207 (1928).
- ^ Broughton, Magistrates of the Roman Republic, vol. II, p. 283.
- Broughton, vol. II, pp. 280, 285 (note 8).
- Caesar, De Bello Civili, iii. 12.
- Appian, Bellum Civile, ii. 55.
- ^ Caesar, De Bello Civili, iii. 40.
- ^ Meijer, History of Seafaring in the Classical World, p. 200.
- ^ Appian, Bellum Civile, ii. 56.
- Broughton, vol. II, p. 284.
Bibliography
- Gaius Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Civili (Commentaries on the Civil War).
- Appianus Alexandrinus (Appian), Bellum Civile (The Civil War).
- Lucius Cassius Dio, Roman History.
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1854).
- August Pauly, Georg Wissowa, et alii, Realencyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft (Scientific Encyclopedia of the Knowledge of Classical Antiquities, abbreviated RE or PW), J. B. Metzler, Stuttgart (1894–1980).
- T. Robert S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic, American Philological Association (1952–1986).
- Fik Meijer, A History of Seafaring in the Classical World, Croom Helm, London (1986).
- Michael J. G. Gray-Fow, "The Mental Breakdown of a Roman Senator: Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus", in Greece & Rome, vol. 37, No. 2 (Oct. 1990), pp. 179–190.