Battle of Numantia

By: Sophia Elias

Numantia
Began in the second century B.C.
Located in central part of Celtiberia, modern Spain
Celtic style hill fort

People of Celtiberia

Celtic speaking farmers and herdsman

Housing was made up of 2,000 buildings
Population was approximately 10,000 people
Their courage and relentlessness would humiliate the
great Roman Empire time and time again

Battle Style and Weapons of Celtiberians

Masters of ambushes
Masters of surprise attacks on home soil
Large shields
Small bucklers
Daggers
Falcata
Dagger
Falcata

Buckler

Numantian Wars
Also known as The Fiery War
Also known as the Celt-Iberian Wars
Consisted of three wars
Fought to control the tribes in Hispania Citerior

Location
Provinces were divided into Ulterior and Citerior Hispania

First Battle
Rebellion of the Lusones tribe
20,000 Celtiberians sieged the Roman town of Caravis
Tiberius Gracchus a politician and officer
He was sent to save the city
His negotiation skills saved the lives of 20,000 Roman soldiers
He listened to the rebellious tribes grievances
Made treaties between Rome and the tribes
He granted them land

Second Battle
20 years later peace ended
In 153 B.C, Roman army was sent to fight the Belli tribe living in Segeda
Belli fled and joined forces with Arevaci who are the Celtic people of
northern Hispania
Celt-Iberians ambushed and killed over 6,000 Romans
The Arevaci are able to withstand against the Romans
Marcellus, five time elected council of the Roman Republic, negotiates
with Rome and reaches a peaceful agreement with most of the tribes

Second Battle Continuation

Good intentions of Marcellus were undone by Lucullus
Lucullus was the Roman senator of the Roman Republic served in the military
and government for over twenty years
His goal was to punish the Celtic-Iberians for being rebellious
He was seeking glory and he was trying to make a name for himself
He made unprovoked attacks on several towns
Viriathus, leader of the rebel group encouraged them to rebel again in 143
B.C.
Numantia was a very strongly fortified city and only 8,000 men were able to
hold off the Romans for eight years at a great cost to the Romans

Third and Final Battle

Numantines fought with great bravery
They were able to withstand every Roman army sent until the
arrival of Scipio Aemilianus
Scipio was a politican of the Roman Republic and was elected
twice to council
He took over command of the Third Punic War and destroyed
Carthage
134 B.C he took over the Numantine War

Scipios Battle Style

He raised 20,000 volunteers
Set out to restore order in Spain
Dismissed camp followers
Trained and drilled the army
Set up fortifications in the city
Prepared them for starvation techniques rather than battle
His plan was successful
Scipio destroyed the town and sold them into slavery