Battle of Thapsus

Battle of Thapsus
Part of Caesar's Civil War

Initial troop deployment of the battle
DateApril 6, 46 BC (Julian calendar)
Location
Thapsus (Tunisia), modern Ras Dimas
35°37′28″N 11°02′52″E / 35.6244°N 11.0478°E / 35.6244; 11.0478
Result Caesarian victory
Belligerents
Populares Optimates
Numidia
Commanders and leaders
Gaius Julius Caesar Metellus Scipio
Marcus Petreius
Juba I of Numidia
Titus Labienus
Lucius Afranius
Publius Attius Varus (fleet commander)
Vergilius (garrison commander of Thapsus)
Units involved
  • Legio V (the fifth legion)[1]
  • Legio VII (the seventh legion)[1]
  • Legio VIII (the eighth legion)[1]
  • Legio IX (the ninth legion)[1]
  • Legio X (the tenth legion)[1]
  • Legio XIII (the thirteenth legion)[1]
  • Legio XIV (the fourteenth legion)[1]
  • Legio XXV (the twenty-fifth legion)[1]
  • Legio XXVI (the twenty-sixth legion)[1]
  • Legio XXVIII (the twenty-eighth legion)[1]
  • Legio XXIX (the twenty-ninth legion)
  • Legio XXX (the thirtieth legion)[1]
  • Auxiliary Gallic cavalry
  • Auxiliary Germanic cavalry
  • Auxiliary Gaetulian cavalry
Optimates' army
Juba's army
Strength
50,000−70,000 (at least 12 legions), 5,000 cavalry 70,000−90,000 (at least 12 legions), 14,500 cavalry
Juba's allied troops with 60 elephants
Casualties and losses
Nearly 1,000 About 10,000

The Battle of Thapsus was a military engagement that took place on April 6, 46 BC[2] near Thapsus (in modern Tunisia). The forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio, were defeated by the forces of Julius Caesar.[3] It was followed shortly by the suicides of Scipio and his ally, Cato the Younger, the Numidian king Juba, and his Roman peer Marcus Petreius.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Caesar's legions – Livius".
  2. ^ The date is that of the Roman calendar prior to the reforms of Julius Caesar. By the Julian calendar, it is February 7, 46 BC.
  3. ^ "Battle of Thapsus | Roman history". Encyclopaedia Britannica.