Great Roman Civil War

Battle of Utica
Battle of Utica ©Image Attribution forthcoming. Image belongs to the respective owner(s).
49 BCE Aug 1

Battle of Utica

UTICA, Tunis, Tunisia

The Battle of Utica (49 BCE) in Caesar's Civil War was fought between Julius Caesar's general Gaius Scribonius Curio and Pompeian legionaries commanded by Publius Attius Varus supported by Numidian cavalry and foot soldiers sent by King Juba I of Numidia. Curio defeated the Pompeians and Numidians and drove Varus back into the town of Utica.


In the confusion of the battle, Curio was urged to take the town before Varus could regroup, but he held himself back, as he did not have the means at hand to undertake an assault of the town. The next day however, he began to form a contravallation of Utica, with the intent of starving the town into submission. Varus was approached by the leading citizens of the town, who begged him to surrender and spare the town the horrors of a siege. Varus, however, had just learned that King Juba was on his way with a large force, and so reassured them that with Juba's assistance, Curio would soon be defeated. Curio heard similar reports and abandoned the siege, making his way to the Castra Cornelia. False reports from Utica about Juba's strength caused him to drop his guard, leading to the Battle of the Bagradas River.

Last Updated: Wed Jan 31 2024

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