PUGNA NAVALIS APUD SEA SARDUS - Translation AncientSites >Rome > Groups >Etruria New Vines "Products Contest" with $500 in Prizes! Places To Go!Today's PostsRomeAthensEgyptBabylonTaraMachuPicchuNewYorkAncientSitesSite MapAncientVine Rome Board Index | Rome Daily Posts Board: Etruria Topic: The Glory Days Topic Editor: Nesnut Hatshepsut Topic Description: The height of Etruscan powe... Email this post to a friend! Message: PUGNA NAVALIS APUD SEA SARDUS - Translation Author: Needing a Holiday - Camitlnas Tullius, Patron Date: Nov 16, 2000 07:27 A translation of Velthur's article from Scrivere in Italiano. I thought it would be best under "The Glory Days" Author: Haruspex - Velthur Valerius THE NAVAL BATTLE OF THE SARDINIAN SEA PUGNA NAVALIS APUD SEA SARDUS ==============Translation begins============== BACKGROUND Approximately 600 BCE A fleet of Phocaeans (Ionian Greek) lands in southern Gaul and founds, at the mouth of the Rodano the new city of Massilia (present day Marseilles). We don't know the route travelled by the Greek helmsmen, but it comes to mind that they have arrived by a route which is not used by the Carthaginian and Etruscan mercantile ships and especially far from the naval ports of the two peoples'. The news arrives quickly in Etruria and Carthage and the reaction is that of alarm. The Greeks have profited by the state of hositily between the three large thallassocracies of the Mediterranean in order not to modify the ancient balance of power to their favour. Carthage watches from a distance and imagines the Greek colony expanding to include the entire Southern part of Gaul. This would mean a curb to their dominance in trade with the Spanish, Balearic and Gaulic coasts. They see no other solution to the problem than a military clash and begin to prepare itself for such an eventuality. Etruria watches hardened by the immediate effect and the discovery of being prey to the combined Greek forces to the south and the north. Its trading empire risks not just being controlled but also diminished. The Greeks block the route which give the Ligurians access to the Catalonia and the access to the Rodano gives them trading links with the Gaul of the north and Brittania (large supplier of zinc) Perhaps the idea of an immediate conflict does not materialise either due to the internal rivalry of the league or because of dissenting views. 599 BCE.-564 BCE. The Phocaeans expand and establish two new trading bases nearby.- It founds Nice and Antibes. 564 BCE. A new shipment of Phocaeans, fleeing the army of Cyrus the Great abandons Phocaea and after several journeys, lands in the South of Corsica and forms Alalia (and occupies the coastal regions). The Etruscans on the island had emporiae for some time for commercial purposes, but not political and military control of the territory, sees in this action an invasion of its area of influence but nothing more happens. 550 BCE. The Etruria and Sicilian Carthage a defensive-offensive agreement is reached against the Greeks. The scope of this agreement is to block their expansion avails them of trade again. 549 BCE. -536 BCE. The level of tension of the two opposing factions rises, but no war as yet. The Greeks resort to piracy to obstruct the trade of their adversaries, who perhaps trade again with a common currency. 540 BCE. A new Etruscan -Carthaginian alliance against the Greeks. The two people strengthen their ties, as if citizens of one state. THE FACTS Autumn 535 BCE BATTLES OF THE SARDINIAN SEA. The reconnaissance posts report that the Phocaean fleet are crossing the sea of Sardinia. The Cartaginians and the Etruscans decide on an integrated military participation, perhaps 60 Punic battle vessels leave from the bases of Sardinia and another 60 from Etruria [from Caere (Agylla for the Greeks)]. The two allied convoys combine and sail towards Corsica. The Greeks, also in inferior numbers, comprising 60 vessels, do not avoid the clash and take up the battle. The fight is bitter and finishes with the Greeks who withdraw themselves after losing 40 vessels. With the remaining crippled vessels in part to the combat and with the rostrae broken they return to Alalia, they take on their sons and what they can, and make sail for Regium [ their final goal to be Elea (Velia) a city on the southern coast of Italy between Posidonia and Pixunte, in Lucania ]. The Greek prisoners fall into Etruscan hands (Caere), expecting to be used as slaves in the mines (mounts of the Tolfa) or as galley slaves, were instead pitilessly stoned to death in the market of Caere. NOTES The Greek historian Herodotus in his Historiae says that the famous expression CADMEAN VICTORY possibly came from either the Phocaeans or a related group. It was a typical expression, equivalent to the famous "Pyrrhic Victory". Coming from the legendary duel between the Greek siblings Eteocles and Polynices under the cliff of Thebes (Cadmea, from the founder of Cadmus); in the duel the two heroes killed each other. The ships used by the Phocaeans (and probably by the Etruscans and Carthaginians) are perhaps the pentacore ships with a single row of oars, with 50 rowers (25 oars each side of the ship) used not only for war but also for transport]. It was the first ship, attested historically, in which the spur (émbolos) played a major role during the clashes with the enemies. Approximately 15 years later, the Corinthians (first in Greece) had begun to construct triremes or trieres ( 3 rows of oars and 170 rowers). CONSIDERATIONS Although the facts are sketchy and there are likely variability in the dates, it can certainly be stated that the Etruscans made a major contribution to halt Greek expansionism gaining the largest naval battle between the 535BCE and 1000 BCE, and the first large battle in the Western Seas. The Tyrrhenian sea was again free, the Etruscan were again in favour with the immortals: - the naval supremacy of Etruria reached its maximum splendor; - they won along with with Carthage, new areas of trading and political influences. Carthage confirms its possession of Sardinia and obtains Spain and western Gaul as its areas of political and trading influence Etruria confirms its influence on the Tyrrhenian sea including the coasts of Latium and Campania and obtains Corsica as part of its area of economic and political influence; - Land territory expands to the Apennines; - Traffic of Attic ware and Greek imports flourish. Those coming from Ionia fall under the area of Persian influence of Cyrus. - Rome is ruled by the Etruscan king Servius Tullius. But the days are marching on, and not far off are the ominous days of the fifth century, and the appearance of CHARUN the Etruscan demon of the dead (the omnipresent Charun, later to be the vision of death with motionless eyes formed from two burning coals). But that is another story.......... ==================== Next: Why We Love the Etruscans (and Don't Love the Roma ( - tanaquil Lupus ) Previous: Re: Spina ( Lauchum - Camitlnas Tullius )