While the Campaigns in Latium were heating up, the Epirote Fleet was moving to seize the Etruscan Archipelago. As the Etruscan League had submitted to Roman overlordship after the Third Samnite War, it meant that Rome had a major fleet base and fortified harbor on the Aegilium Insula, where the former Etruscan League Fleet was based. Until now, that fleet had been mostly utilized to shuffle purchased supplies from abroad from the Aegilium Insula to Etruscan Ports on the mainland that remained free of Epirote interdiction. However, Admiral Porphyrios had been ordered to do something about the supplies making it into Latium from Etruria. His solution was to plan a strike at the Aegilium Insula and the base there.
To do so, Admiral Porphyrios had a strong fleet of two-hundred-fifty ships, mostly comprised of Dromons and Quadriremes. He had left one hundred ships to maintain the loose blockade of Roman Territory, along with a further one hundred ships from Syracuse, Locri, Rhegion, Crotone, Taras, Metapontion, and the other allied poleis of Magna Graecia. To face him, he had been expecting the Etruscan fleet of two hundred ships, primarily smaller triremes and hemiolas. He hadn't expected a sizable Carthaginian detachment of sixty Quadriremes to be waiting for him off the coast of the fortified harbor of the Aegilium Insula. Had Carthage decided enough was enough and now was the time to intervene? If so, King Pyrrhus had to be warned.
As it happened however, a small skiff was sent out from the Carthaginian Fleet under a flag of truce, and Admiral Porphyrios ordered his fleet to hold back in order to bring the messenger aboard his flagship, the Dromon Ambracian Spear. When the messenger was brought aboard, he was hurried over to Admiral Porphyrios to relay his message. The brown-skinned Punic Man who stepped aboard was bedecked in finery, his armor made of high-quality iron from Epirote Forges likely attained through middlemen, his beard oiled and perfumed in ringlets, and his cloak made from the pelt of a skinned Leopard. Compared to Porphyrios' own, more humble, blue-dyed linen and well-kept but unadorned beard, the Messenger was quite a sight.
"Greetings, am I to assume you are the Admiral in charge of this fleet?" Questioned the Messenger, speaking perfect, if accented, Koine Greek.
"I am." Nodded Admiral Porphyrios.
"Excellent, I am Bodo, Son of Carthalo the Shophet and adjunct to Hanno, Son of Mago, the Admiral of the Carthaginian Fleet that sits before you. I have come on behalf of the Admiral to bid you leave this archipelago. Carthage has been invited by the Etruscan Lord of these Islands, Larth Fulca, to protect them now that Rome cannot." Informed the Messenger, Bodo.
"I see. And will Carthage cease shipments of grain, weapons, and goods to the Mainland while protecting these Islands?" Questioned Admiral Porphyrios.
"Carthage has no stake in whether Lord Larth Fulca continues to trade with Mainland Ports, only that his ships remain unharassed and his Islands unoccupied. You would have to take such business up with him." Shrugged Bodo.
"As if Carthage is not receiving a hefty payment from the proceeds of such trade in exchange for their protection. Do not seek to play me for a fool, you do indeed have such a stake in Lord Larth Fulca's trade with Roman Ports as yet unblockaded." Scoffed Admiral Porphyrios.
"Be that as it may, Carthage's stance is clear. Leave these islands, or we will all die here." Reiterated Bodo.
"You more than we, I think." Scoffed Admiral Porphyrios.
"Perhaps, but answer me this. Can your King, undoubtedly talented as he is to have brought Rome so low, afford to fight Carthage as well? His armies are out of position to fight us whilst so deep in Latium. By the time he manages to send a force South, he may find the whole of Sicily within Carthage's grasp. Would you make such a decision for him?" Pressed Bodo.
"King Pyrrhus is not afraid of Carthage. I have yet to see him shy away from a fight. Besides, I have my orders, and they demand that I shut off the flow of supplies to Roman Ports in Etruscan Lands." Refused Admiral Porphyrios.
"So be it. I have given you our warning. That you refused to heed it is on your head. I hope for your sake, that your King does not see fit to remove that head for your impertinence." Huffed Bodo, before withdrawing back to his skiff and the Carthaginian Fleet.
As soon as he did so, Admiral Porphyrios was ordering his ships into battle formation via the Pyrseia system of semaphore flags. It was one of the innovations that gave his Fleet an advantage over that of his enemy, who often utilized more cumbersome methods of command. Admiral Porphyrios had his fleet ready for battle before much of the enemy fleet was properly deployed. The Carthaginian Detachment was ready for a fight, their professionalism allowing them to deploy for battle at a moment's notice, but their Etruscan Allies were not so well drilled or capable. The first salvos of ballistae fire shot out from the Dromons of the Epirote Fleet while much of the Etruscan Contingent was still deploying for battle.
This caused massive chaos among the Etruscan Triremes on the right wing of the enemy fleet, where the bombardment was targeted. Sinking and damaging dozens of ships and causing a massive morass of confusion on the enemy right wing. This, in turn, opened up a gap that Admiral Porphyrios sent his quadriremes through. The fast-moving ships rushed forward to exploit the breach, even as the Carthaginians moved to intercept them. The Carthaginian Admiral was clearly a canny Naval Commander, recognizing Admiral Porphyrios' strategy and reacting accordingly. Admiral Porphyrios would expect no less from Carthage, a nation renowned for its naval prowess.
As Carthaginian and Epirote Quadriremes closed, Admiral Porphyrios watched with bated breath, until, with the splintering of wood and the shouting of sailors and marines, both the Carthaginian and Epirote Quadriremes crunched into each other. Rams broke open hulls and boarders issued forth onto enemy ships as the second phase of Naval Action began. Admiral Porphyrios was glad to see that the skeleton-first construction of the Epirote Ships made them sturdier than average for their size, meaning Carthage suffered more ram casualties than his fleet did, but Carthage suffered fewer casualties than expected even with that, skill at naval warfare allowing them to maneuver so as to be struck in less crippling areas.
As that was ongoing, the Etruscan Fleet continued to be pounded by long-range bombardment from Admiral Porphyrios' Dromons. The Ballistae reaped a bloody toll of Etruscan Triremes and Hemiolas. The Etruscan Fleet lost dozens of ships, but what they lacked in technology and professionalism, they made up for in zeal, rallying to attempt to push forward and attack the Dromons of the Epirote Fleet. Hemiolas maneuvered into the path of Ballistae shots to allow Triremes to close, even while Triremes maneuvered like mad to avoid more shots and get to the battle line of Epirote Dromons. Eventually, such evasive tactics worked, and Etruscan Triremes began to disgorge boarders onto Epirote Decks.
At one point, Admiral Porphyrios found himself exchanging blows with an Etruscan of comparable size to his own as the Ambracian Spear was boarded. The Etruscan was better than Admiral Porphyrios was with a blade, disarming the Epirote Admiral. However, Admiral Porphyrios wasn't a champion wrestler for nothing and managed to trip the Etruscan, dumping him over the side. As he retrieved his falcata, Admiral Porphyrios rallied his men, chopping and cutting about with the curved, steel, blade. He took off the hand of an Etruscan who was about to brain Philoctetes Trichotos, the commander of the Marine Compliment of the Ambracian Spear with a bronze mace from behind, even as Philoctetes rallied the Marines to repel boarders.
Meanwhile, similar scenes were playing out amongst the Quadriremes of the various fleets, as both Carthage and Epirus struggled to repel boarders and board the other's ships. In this, however, Epirus had the advantage, steel equipment, and more well-drilled marines allowed for Epirote ships to more easily repel boarders and board enemy ships in turn. Within two hours of the first clash between Quadriremes, the Carthaginian Detachment was already suffering massive losses of captured ships. One hour after that, and the Epirote Dromons had all won out against the Etruscan Triremes, capturing all but a handful, who slunk their way back to port, tail between their legs.
An hour after that, the last of Carthage's ships was captured. One hour after that, Lord Larth Fulca of the Aegilium Insula was convinced to surrender after Admiral Porphyrios had enacted a blockade of his port and began landing Marines. All told, Epirus had lost a little under three dozen ships damaged or sunk to ramming attacks. In return, Carthage had lost some thirty ships sunk or damaged and thirty captured. The Etruscans had lost one-hundred-thirty ships sunk or damaged and seventy captured, as well as having surrendered the Aegilium Insula Archipelago.
It was a massive victory by any stretch of the imagination, one that could even be described as total were it not for the fact that Carthage was now bound to enter the war. As it happened, the Carthaginian entry would be delayed until fall, thanks to a number of factors, not the least of which was their needing preparation to fit out an expeditionary force. However, their declaration would come in the first weeks of fall. When it did, it would come on the heels of another setback.
That of Hortius Decius' surrender at Gabii. . .
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AN: So yeah, another big victory for Epirus, though this one comes at a price. Carthage is about to enter the war and attempt to pounce on Sicily. That entry, combined with Hortius Decius surrendering Gabii to Brutus and Rullianus is going to embolden Rome to try for one last big offensive to roll back some of Pyrrhus' gains. With Pyrrhus having to defend Sicily, the possibility of bringing Pyrrhus himself to battle on their terms to try and end the war from a position of strength is an enticing prospect for Brutus.
He's hoping that if he can force a defeat on Pyrrhus himself, the subsequent negotiations will go well enough for Rome to maybe get a status quo peace. With Pyrrhus having to send an army south to defend Sicily against Carthage, Brutus thinks it might be possible to do so. Whether it works out or not has yet to be seen.
As to where this Naval Action took place, the Aegilium Insula Archipelago is the Roman name for the Tuscan Archipelago, which famously includes the Island of Elba, of Napoleon-Banishing Fame. The Etruscans had a large fortified harbor on one of the islands, the Isola del Giglio. This battle took place off the coast of said harbor.
As to why Carthage was there, well, they were hoping to use Rome's continued defeats to slice off the Archipelago as Carthaginian Clients under a pliable Etruscan Lord. They were banking on Epirus not being willing to start a two-front war to back their acquisition since they only sent fifty Quadriremes to buff up the Etruscan Fleet. You can bet this is going to be a sore spot between Rome and Carthage going forward, turning them into the definition of allies of convenience.
At any rate, next up we'll have an interlude with Hortius Decius.
Stay tuned. . .