Battle of the Upper Baetis | |||||||
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Part of the Second Punic War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Carthage | Roman Republic | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Hasdrubal Barca Mago Barca Hasdrubal Gisco |
Publius Cornelius Scipio † Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown total 12,000+ infantry 1,500+ cavalry 3,000 Numidian cavalry 7,500 Iberians |
50,000 30,000 Romans and allies 20,000 Celtiberian mercenaries (deserted) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | 21,000–22,000 killed or captured | ||||||
The Battle of the Upper Baetis was a double battle, comprising the battles of Castulo and Ilorca, fought in 211 BC during the Second Punic War between a Carthaginian force led by Hasdrubal Barca (Hannibal's brother) and a Roman force led by Publius Cornelius Scipio and his brother Gnaeus. The immediate result was a Carthaginian victory in which both Roman brothers were killed. Before this defeat, the brothers had spent seven years (218–211 BC) campaigning against the Carthaginians in Hispania, thus limiting the resources available to Hannibal, who was simultaneously fighting the Romans in Italy.