Battle of the Great Plains

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=The Battle of the Great Plains
partof=Second Punic War


date=203 BC
place=Near Utica, North Africa
result=Roman victory
combatant1=Roman Republic
combatant2=Carthaginian
commander1=Scipio Africanus Masinissa Gaius Laelius
commander2=Hasdrubal Gisco Syphax
strength1=|Unknown
strength2=|30,000
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=Rout of whole army

The Battle of the Great plains (also known as Battle of Campi Magni, Battle of Bagrades) was a battle fought between Scipio Africanus of Rome and a combined Carthaginian and Numidian army late in the Second Punic War, designed as diversionary tactic by Rome to disrupt Hannibal's attack on Italy. By defeating the Carthaginians, Scipio Africanus caused Hannibal to leave Italy and return to Africa, where he was later defeated at the battle of Zama.

The Lead up to the Battle

Hasdrubal and Syphax had both succeeded in escaping from their camps which the Roman general Scipio Africanus, and his Numidian allies Masinissa and Laelius had destroyed. Hasdrubal and Syphax fell back, with a few followers who had also escaped the massacre at the Carthaginian camps. The arrival of four thousand mercenaries from Southern Iberia made the Carthaginians determined to make one more effort to stop the armies of Scipio Africanus from advancing across North Africa. New levies were raised in Carthage and in Numidia, and soon Hasdrubal and Syphax found themselves at the head of an army of 30,000 men. In 203BC Scipio, whose command had been extended until the end of the war, marched from his camp at Utica to meet Hasdrubal and Syphax at a place called the Great Plains.

Battle

In the Battle that followed the entire Carthaginian army was routed. Syphax fled back to his kingdom in Numidia, but was pursued by Masinissa and Laelius, and was captured and brought back to the Roman camp as a prisoner. Masinissa was given command of Syphax's kingdom, the land from which he had originally been exiled.

Aftermath

Following the battle, the Carthaginians had little choice but to sue for peace with Rome. Scipio proposed modest terms for the Carthaginians in a peace treaty, but while the Carthaginians were still considering the treaty, they suddenly decided to recall Hannibal, who had an army of elite veterans loyal to his command, from Italy, for one more stand against Rome. This encounter became the battle of Zama, which ended the second Punic war and completed the legend of Scipio Africanus, who had become one of Rome's greatest generals.