(This ATL is written from a Carthaginian point of view)
With a Roman victory at Messana and the Roman subjugation of Syracusan Kingdom, it would be up to the strategic and naval prowess of Hamilcar Barca, Ad Herbal, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great that would ensure a Carthaginian victory over the Roman Republic.
Mercenaries, numbering over 60,000, from all over the Mediterranean, under the notable command of Hamilcar Barca, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great, would meet the Legions of Rome on the island of Sicily while a naval fleet of over 200 ships made up mostly of Trireme's and Quinquereme's would, under the command of mighty Admiral Ad Herbal, show the arrogant Romans true Carthaginian power; the open ocean.
Among the targets Consul '''''''' has set on Carthaginian power is the large, walled city if Segementun, a common gathering of place of commerce and trade for any merchant, as long as they have means of pay. The annexation and sacking of this important city of Carthaginian commerce would seriously decrease Carthaginian income for an extended time and provide '''''''''' with a direct route to a Roman port, where reinforcements and supplies can flow unchecked. But standing in the way of Roman progress is a small town called Erbessus, which a small militia has made itself known to the world, claiming Erbessus as their own independent state. This small, unorganized, I'll-disciplined force proved little threat to 40,000 Roman soldiers seeking glory and loot from the city of Segementun. By this time, however, the armies of Hamilcar Barca, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great, have made landing in Lilyabaeum, prepared to fight the Romans out of Sicily and back to their overcrowded country.
Hearing the news that a massive Roman army makes an advance into Segenemtun, Hasdrubal the Great, accompanied by a small elite force of Carthaginian citizens and Numidian cavalry, attacked the poorly-defending baggage train residing in Erbessus. With no means of turning his armies to face the incoming Mercenaries, ''''''' was forced to continue the siege, praying that Mars would grant him victory.
Raiding the Roman supply fort at Erbessus would result in an isolated, starving and wary Roman army surrounded by eager Carthaginian mercenaries under the tactical command of Hamilcar Barca and Hanno. Although a frontal assault would easily had dispatched the Roman Legions, Hamilcar thought it be wise to starve the isolated defenders until either surrender was achieved, or at the very least, weaken and demoralize their resolve. Three weeks, three weeks of bitter fighting and the first recorded "reverse siege" to ever take place (the city defenders throttling the fight out of the defending armies) cost the lives of nearly 35,000 (civilians included) on both sides before a truce was Made. Although losing over half their Legions in this battle alone and reinforcements weeks away, Rome still had their newfound Syracusan Socii, who would provide Rome over 10,000 Volunteers (mostly Hoplites and Light Infantry) to swell the dwindling ranks of the Consular Legions.
The loss of Mercenaries does not burden the mind of a Carthaginian, but the sight of those who could not make safety within the city walls can plague even the most astute of beings. Hundreds of Carthaginian and Syracusan innocents alike, strewn about as slaughtered pigs, all along the walls of Segenemtun, all of which either too weak to push their way through the crowd or were hoping that the Syracusan alliance with Rome would grant them safe passage through Roman lands back to Syracuse. Word of this massacre spread all across Carthage and Syracuse; a Roman betrayal and the slaying of innocent lives enraged the dogs of war.
IOTL....
"Hell!?, hell is not enough! I want hell to be a damn Roman vacation!" -Ad Herbal, Carthaginian naval commander
"Arrogant bastards! Mithadra, where's my sword!? I need to end some Roman lives."- Anonymous Carthaginian citizen
"By all the Gods, I've never wanted to kill so many people at once!"- Hamilcar Barca, commander of half the Carthaginian land armies
"Put down those fish lad, now pick up sword, it's time to kill some Italians"- Carthaginian father speaking to his son
(Hope this has amused you)
The resulting massacre was followed by a mob of angry Syracusan civilians ready to take a Consul's head. If it were not for Heiro II, Tyrant of Syracuse, who's wit at speech exceeds most others, a Consul of Rome would have been mounted on a pike. After much long negotiation with Consul ''''', it was agreed that Rome would leave Syracuse, rather reluctantly, but Syracuse would remain a Socii of Rome. Yet peace was far from over; Reconciling their losses, Rome constructed a navy; a vast armada, constructed by determined Roman hands, would seek to prove Carthaginian naval confidence obsolete to Roman superiority. A new set of Legions, numbering almost 50,000, under command of Consul ''''''' would squash whatever Carthaginian resistance and claim dominance over Sicily. Estimated 120-150 ships would sail from southern Italia to greet the patiently-waiting Carthaginian fleet almost exclusively of Quinquereme's. Assuming their new weapon, the Corvus, would overpower the Carthaginian fleet, Admiral ''''''' took the initiative, and advanced. Ad Herbal, although a prominent Carthaginian Admiral, saw to it that his Triremes be held in reserve and as flanking vessels while his large Quinguereme's assault the Roman fleet head on. The result would be devastating; 30 ships lost to the Roman Corvus, a sort of "bridge" allowed Roman ships to latch onto enemy vessels, capturing dozens of ships within moments of contact, making ocean combat similar to land combat, which Rome excelled. With retreat the only clear option, Ad Herbal routed his ships and returned to Tunisia, to construct a larger fleet and reconsider the newly-found Roman ability to fight at sea.
Realizing that ocean combat with Roman Marines unwise, Ad Herbal armed his Trireme fleet with javelins and larger row-teams. Hoping that his lightly armed missile vessels would outmaneuver the large Roman ships and pelt the crew with Javelins engaged the Romans at sea, near the coast of Ecnomus. Faking a retreat, the Romans made a large advance, allowing Ad Herbals massive Quinguereame's to tactically maneuver around the Roman ships (avoiding the corvus) and begin the assault. Proving ineffective at first, on-board mutiny occurred aboard 15 of Ad Herbals Triremes (likely due to over-exhaustion) allowing the Romans to assault and capture the motionless vessels. But once it was realized that Roman execution is no better than Carthaginian imprisonment, the motivation needed to keep fighting on gave Ad Herbal the upper hand. Although losing over 50 ships, Ad Herbal routed the Roman fleet, leaving Carthage as the dominant naval power of the Western Mediterranean.
Just as the war seemed to be swinging in Carthaginian favor, a massive army of Roman Legions made landing off the North-East coast of Sicily. This army, under the command of Consul '''''''' marched on to Syracuse, where the young Consul sought to recruit a number of Syracusan Socii light infantry. Heiro II gladly agreed to offer Consul ''''''''' over 15,000 of Syracuse's greatest warriors. The issue being, however, the soldiers simply refused to go on campaign with an army with the reputation of slaughtering Syracusan civilians. The idea soon spread; soon thousands of Syracusan people were revolting against Heiro II, the excuse being "we cannot live another day knowing our leader does business with baby murderers". Although the rebellion was, at first, unsuccessful due to a massive Roman army willing to aid the Tyrant.
This is what I've got so far. Let me know of any grammar miss spellings or plausibility checks this not-yet-finished timeline has. And the common ''''''''s are just blank places where the names of Roman Consuls of the time are to be put.
With a Roman victory at Messana and the Roman subjugation of Syracusan Kingdom, it would be up to the strategic and naval prowess of Hamilcar Barca, Ad Herbal, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great that would ensure a Carthaginian victory over the Roman Republic.
Mercenaries, numbering over 60,000, from all over the Mediterranean, under the notable command of Hamilcar Barca, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great, would meet the Legions of Rome on the island of Sicily while a naval fleet of over 200 ships made up mostly of Trireme's and Quinquereme's would, under the command of mighty Admiral Ad Herbal, show the arrogant Romans true Carthaginian power; the open ocean.
Among the targets Consul '''''''' has set on Carthaginian power is the large, walled city if Segementun, a common gathering of place of commerce and trade for any merchant, as long as they have means of pay. The annexation and sacking of this important city of Carthaginian commerce would seriously decrease Carthaginian income for an extended time and provide '''''''''' with a direct route to a Roman port, where reinforcements and supplies can flow unchecked. But standing in the way of Roman progress is a small town called Erbessus, which a small militia has made itself known to the world, claiming Erbessus as their own independent state. This small, unorganized, I'll-disciplined force proved little threat to 40,000 Roman soldiers seeking glory and loot from the city of Segementun. By this time, however, the armies of Hamilcar Barca, Hanno and Hasdrubal the Great, have made landing in Lilyabaeum, prepared to fight the Romans out of Sicily and back to their overcrowded country.
Hearing the news that a massive Roman army makes an advance into Segenemtun, Hasdrubal the Great, accompanied by a small elite force of Carthaginian citizens and Numidian cavalry, attacked the poorly-defending baggage train residing in Erbessus. With no means of turning his armies to face the incoming Mercenaries, ''''''' was forced to continue the siege, praying that Mars would grant him victory.
Raiding the Roman supply fort at Erbessus would result in an isolated, starving and wary Roman army surrounded by eager Carthaginian mercenaries under the tactical command of Hamilcar Barca and Hanno. Although a frontal assault would easily had dispatched the Roman Legions, Hamilcar thought it be wise to starve the isolated defenders until either surrender was achieved, or at the very least, weaken and demoralize their resolve. Three weeks, three weeks of bitter fighting and the first recorded "reverse siege" to ever take place (the city defenders throttling the fight out of the defending armies) cost the lives of nearly 35,000 (civilians included) on both sides before a truce was Made. Although losing over half their Legions in this battle alone and reinforcements weeks away, Rome still had their newfound Syracusan Socii, who would provide Rome over 10,000 Volunteers (mostly Hoplites and Light Infantry) to swell the dwindling ranks of the Consular Legions.
The loss of Mercenaries does not burden the mind of a Carthaginian, but the sight of those who could not make safety within the city walls can plague even the most astute of beings. Hundreds of Carthaginian and Syracusan innocents alike, strewn about as slaughtered pigs, all along the walls of Segenemtun, all of which either too weak to push their way through the crowd or were hoping that the Syracusan alliance with Rome would grant them safe passage through Roman lands back to Syracuse. Word of this massacre spread all across Carthage and Syracuse; a Roman betrayal and the slaying of innocent lives enraged the dogs of war.
IOTL....
"Hell!?, hell is not enough! I want hell to be a damn Roman vacation!" -Ad Herbal, Carthaginian naval commander
"Arrogant bastards! Mithadra, where's my sword!? I need to end some Roman lives."- Anonymous Carthaginian citizen
"By all the Gods, I've never wanted to kill so many people at once!"- Hamilcar Barca, commander of half the Carthaginian land armies
"Put down those fish lad, now pick up sword, it's time to kill some Italians"- Carthaginian father speaking to his son
(Hope this has amused you)
The resulting massacre was followed by a mob of angry Syracusan civilians ready to take a Consul's head. If it were not for Heiro II, Tyrant of Syracuse, who's wit at speech exceeds most others, a Consul of Rome would have been mounted on a pike. After much long negotiation with Consul ''''', it was agreed that Rome would leave Syracuse, rather reluctantly, but Syracuse would remain a Socii of Rome. Yet peace was far from over; Reconciling their losses, Rome constructed a navy; a vast armada, constructed by determined Roman hands, would seek to prove Carthaginian naval confidence obsolete to Roman superiority. A new set of Legions, numbering almost 50,000, under command of Consul ''''''' would squash whatever Carthaginian resistance and claim dominance over Sicily. Estimated 120-150 ships would sail from southern Italia to greet the patiently-waiting Carthaginian fleet almost exclusively of Quinquereme's. Assuming their new weapon, the Corvus, would overpower the Carthaginian fleet, Admiral ''''''' took the initiative, and advanced. Ad Herbal, although a prominent Carthaginian Admiral, saw to it that his Triremes be held in reserve and as flanking vessels while his large Quinguereme's assault the Roman fleet head on. The result would be devastating; 30 ships lost to the Roman Corvus, a sort of "bridge" allowed Roman ships to latch onto enemy vessels, capturing dozens of ships within moments of contact, making ocean combat similar to land combat, which Rome excelled. With retreat the only clear option, Ad Herbal routed his ships and returned to Tunisia, to construct a larger fleet and reconsider the newly-found Roman ability to fight at sea.
Realizing that ocean combat with Roman Marines unwise, Ad Herbal armed his Trireme fleet with javelins and larger row-teams. Hoping that his lightly armed missile vessels would outmaneuver the large Roman ships and pelt the crew with Javelins engaged the Romans at sea, near the coast of Ecnomus. Faking a retreat, the Romans made a large advance, allowing Ad Herbals massive Quinguereame's to tactically maneuver around the Roman ships (avoiding the corvus) and begin the assault. Proving ineffective at first, on-board mutiny occurred aboard 15 of Ad Herbals Triremes (likely due to over-exhaustion) allowing the Romans to assault and capture the motionless vessels. But once it was realized that Roman execution is no better than Carthaginian imprisonment, the motivation needed to keep fighting on gave Ad Herbal the upper hand. Although losing over 50 ships, Ad Herbal routed the Roman fleet, leaving Carthage as the dominant naval power of the Western Mediterranean.
Just as the war seemed to be swinging in Carthaginian favor, a massive army of Roman Legions made landing off the North-East coast of Sicily. This army, under the command of Consul '''''''' marched on to Syracuse, where the young Consul sought to recruit a number of Syracusan Socii light infantry. Heiro II gladly agreed to offer Consul ''''''''' over 15,000 of Syracuse's greatest warriors. The issue being, however, the soldiers simply refused to go on campaign with an army with the reputation of slaughtering Syracusan civilians. The idea soon spread; soon thousands of Syracusan people were revolting against Heiro II, the excuse being "we cannot live another day knowing our leader does business with baby murderers". Although the rebellion was, at first, unsuccessful due to a massive Roman army willing to aid the Tyrant.
This is what I've got so far. Let me know of any grammar miss spellings or plausibility checks this not-yet-finished timeline has. And the common ''''''''s are just blank places where the names of Roman Consuls of the time are to be put.
