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{{Short description|71 BC battle}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2014}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
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|image=Magna Grecia 280aC.jpg
|image=Magna Grecia 280aC.jpg
|caption=Magna Graecia, about 280 B.C.
|caption=Magna Graecia, about 280 B.C.
|date=
|date=71 BC
|place= [[Lucania]]
|place= [[Cantenna]], [[Lucania]]
|casus=
|casus=
|territory=
|territory=
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|commander1=[[Marcus Licinius Crassus]]<br>[[Quintus Marcius Rufus]]<br>[[Lucius Pomptinus]]
|commander1=[[Marcus Licinius Crassus]]<br>[[Quintus Marcius Rufus]]<br>[[Lucius Pomptinus]]
|commander2=[[Gannicus]]{{KIA}}<br>[[Castus (rebel slave)|Castus]]{{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Gannicus]]{{KIA}}<br>[[Castus (rebel slave)|Castus]]{{KIA}}
|strength1= 8 [[Roman legion]]s with auxiliaries (about 45,000 men)
|strength1= 2 Legions<br>6000 Legionaries
|strength2= Unknown
|strength2= about 30,000 runaway slaves and gladiators
|casualties1=
|casualties1= About 4,000–5,000 men
|casualties2= 12,300 killed ([[Plutarch]]) and about 15,000 taken prisoner
|casualties2=
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Servile Wars}}
{{Campaignbox Servile Wars}}
{{Campaignbox Third Servile War}}
{{Campaignbox Third Servile War}}


The '''Battle of Cantenna''' was one of the last battles of the [[Third Servile War]], and took place in [[Lucania]] in 71 BC.<ref>Strauss, Barry, ''The Spartacus War'', 2009, pp. 163-166.</ref><ref>Frontinus, ''Strategems'', quoted in Shaw, Brent D., ''Spartacus and the Slave Wars'', 2001, pp. 157-158.</ref>
The '''Battle of Cantenna''' was one of the last battles of the [[Third Servile War]], and took place in 71 BC near Cantenna, [[Lucania]],<ref>Strauss, Barry, ''The Spartacus War'', 2009, pp. 163-166.</ref><ref>Frontinus, ''Strategems'', quoted in Shaw, Brent D., ''Spartacus and the Slave Wars'', 2001, pp. 157-158.</ref> about {{convert|5|km|abbr=on}} from [[Giungano]]. The slave army was annihilated by [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]]' legions.
==Description==
Crassus had built a {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}}-long ditch and a wall along the isthmus or Rhegium to trap [[Spartacus]] and his army. One night, a big storm happened, and Spartacus used this opportunity to escape north with most of his army. However, a force of about 20,000 slaves remained behind under [[Gannicus]] and [[Castus (rebel slave)|Castus]]. So, Crassus decided to finish them first. He sent 2 legates to flank the rebels and distract them. When the force of a few thousand arrived, they were surrounded by the rebels. The Romans fought bravely, desperately trying to buy time for Crassus's main force to arrive. Soon after the main army arrived and surrounded the rebels, what followed was a slaughter in which most of the rebel army was killed or imprisoned.


After the battle Crassus moved north to confront the main rebel force under Spartacus.
[[Gannicus]] and [[Castus (rebel slave)|Castus]], the leaders of the rebellious force, were killed in battle by Roman soldiers under the command of [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]]. Crassus deployed two of his commanders: [[Quintus Marcius Rufus]] and [[Lucius Pomptinus]] and a portion of his legions to fight the rebels.{{cn|date=August 2014}}


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:1st century BC in the Roman Republic]]
[[Category:1st century BC in the Roman Republic]]
[[Category:1st-century BC battles|Cantenna]]
[[Category:1st-century BC battles|Cantenna]]
[[Category:Battles in Campania|Cantenna]]
[[Category:Military history of Campania|Cantenna]]
[[Category:Lucania]]
[[Category:Lucania]]
[[Category:Marcus Licinius Crassus]]



{{AncientRome-battle-stub}}
{{AncientRome-battle-stub}}

Latest revision as of 14:11, 3 October 2024

Battle of Cantenna
Part of the Third Servile War

Magna Graecia, about 280 B.C.
Date71 BC
Location
Result Roman Victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic Army of escaped slaves
Commanders and leaders
Marcus Licinius Crassus
Quintus Marcius Rufus
Lucius Pomptinus
Gannicus 
Castus 
Strength
8 Roman legions with auxiliaries (about 45,000 men) about 30,000 runaway slaves and gladiators
Casualties and losses
About 4,000–5,000 men 12,300 killed (Plutarch) and about 15,000 taken prisoner

The Battle of Cantenna was one of the last battles of the Third Servile War, and took place in 71 BC near Cantenna, Lucania,[1][2] about 5 km (3.1 mi) from Giungano. The slave army was annihilated by Marcus Licinius Crassus' legions.

Description

[edit]

Crassus had built a 60 km (37 mi)-long ditch and a wall along the isthmus or Rhegium to trap Spartacus and his army. One night, a big storm happened, and Spartacus used this opportunity to escape north with most of his army. However, a force of about 20,000 slaves remained behind under Gannicus and Castus. So, Crassus decided to finish them first. He sent 2 legates to flank the rebels and distract them. When the force of a few thousand arrived, they were surrounded by the rebels. The Romans fought bravely, desperately trying to buy time for Crassus's main force to arrive. Soon after the main army arrived and surrounded the rebels, what followed was a slaughter in which most of the rebel army was killed or imprisoned.

After the battle Crassus moved north to confront the main rebel force under Spartacus.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Strauss, Barry, The Spartacus War, 2009, pp. 163-166.
  2. ^ Frontinus, Strategems, quoted in Shaw, Brent D., Spartacus and the Slave Wars, 2001, pp. 157-158.