Sep 27, 2026 · 19 min · 8 segments
This week we’re back with a new narrative episode. Apologies for the short episode but I wanted to get it out as soon as possible. Today’s episode is on the Battle of Ilipa and the events that led to…
Trevor CallahanHost
When news reached Scipio Africanus of the arrival of a new Carthaginian commander, he sent out a small contingent of men led by a man named Marcus Solanus to stop the enemy from raising a new force in the northwest of Iberia.
This small contingent was guided by some of the Celtiberians who defected to the Roman side.
As they approached the enemy camp, Livy says that the Celtiberians who were raised by Hanno were raw recruits.
He said that the Carthaginian camp was properly defended with outposts and sentries to announce if any enemies were approaching.
As for the Celtiberians, he said, quote, everything was casual and all precautions were neglected in the usual manner of barbarians and raw recruits.
Is this a continual sign of the Celtiberians' barbarity? I'd argue that yes, Livy deliberately depicted them as such to further his own goal of writing a patriarchal history of the Republic.
This patriotism focused a lot on the leadership of individual men, which is partially the reason why Livy names so many men throughout his work.
Marcus Salanus, as leader of this small contingent, is a great man to focus on, according to Livy, because he understands that the Celtiberians were at a heavy disadvantage.
As such, Salanus marched his men around the Carthaginian camp on the left, which is where the Celtiberians were.
From there, Livy says, the Romans put down their baggage and began to march towards the Celtiberian camp.
When the Romans were about a mile away, they were spotted, and the Caltiberians began to get ready for battle.
In the clamor of weapons and men, Mago and the other Carthaginian commanders stepped in and attempted to form a proper line.
Livy says that the uneven terrain in the area made the Celtiberian style of warfare, which was a series of skirmishing attacks meant to slowly cut down the enemy, was practically useless.
As for the Romans, their style of warfare of standing combat was aided by this terrain, something Nobel learned in the early days of fighting the Samnites in the Italian mountains.
Livy does note that the Romans had to break up their lines and fight either one-on-one or in pairs, like, as he described it, gladiators, but this is more of a sign of their adaptability than anything else.
The initial charge of the Carthaginians made it to the Roman line, but because of the onslaught of the Roman advance combined with the terrain making it impossible to advance as a single line, they were slaughtered.
One of the Carthaginian commanders, Mago, left the battle and pulled out the entire cavalry and around 2,000 infantry.
At the same time, the other commander, Hanno, approached the scene to aid the Celtiberians in their fight.
Little changed on their approach, and as a consequence of coming when they did, the Romans captured and imprisoned Hanno and the rest of the Carthaginian army that hadn't left with Mago.
When news reached Scipio Africanus of the arrival of a new Carthaginian commander, he sent out a small contingent of men led by a man named Marcus Solanus to stop the enemy from raising a new force in the northwest of Iberia.
This small contingent was guided by some of the Celtiberians who defected to the Roman side.
As they approached the enemy camp, Livy says that the Celtiberians who were raised by Hanno were raw recruits.
He said that the Carthaginian camp was properly defended with outposts and sentries to announce if any enemies were approaching.
As for the Celtiberians, he said, quote, everything was casual and all precautions were neglected in the usual manner of barbarians and raw recruits.
Is this a continual sign of the Celtiberians' barbarity? I'd argue that yes, Livy deliberately depicted them as such to further his own goal of writing a patriarchal history of the Republic.
This patriotism focused a lot on the leadership of individual men, which is partially the reason why Livy names so many men throughout his work.
Marcus Salanus, as leader of this small contingent, is a great man to focus on, according to Livy, because he understands that the Celtiberians were at a heavy disadvantage.
As such, Salanus marched his men around the Carthaginian camp on the left, which is where the Celtiberians were.
From there, Livy says, the Romans put down their baggage and began to march towards the Celtiberian camp.
When the Romans were about a mile away, they were spotted, and the Caltiberians began to get ready for battle.
In the clamor of weapons and men, Mago and the other Carthaginian commanders stepped in and attempted to form a proper line.
Livy says that the uneven terrain in the area made the Celtiberian style of warfare, which was a series of skirmishing attacks meant to slowly cut down the enemy, was practically useless.
As for the Romans, their style of warfare of standing combat was aided by this terrain, something Nobel learned in the early days of fighting the Samnites in the Italian mountains.
Livy does note that the Romans had to break up their lines and fight either one-on-one or in pairs, like, as he described it, gladiators, but this is more of a sign of their adaptability than anything else.
The initial charge of the Carthaginians made it to the Roman line, but because of the onslaught of the Roman advance combined with the terrain making it impossible to advance as a single line, they were slaughtered.
One of the Carthaginian commanders, Mago, left the battle and pulled out the entire cavalry and around 2,000 infantry.
At the same time, the other commander, Hanno, approached the scene to aid the Celtiberians in their fight.
Little changed on their approach, and as a consequence of coming when they did, the Romans captured and imprisoned Hanno and the rest of the Carthaginian army that hadn't left with Mago.
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