John Stack: Captain of Rome

The decisive moment came when the Carthaginian centre disengaged and fled, allowing the Roman spearhead to turn and sail to the assistance of the beleaguered rearguard and like many battles, the Carthaginians suffered their greatest number of casualties near the end of battle as their formations collapsed in retreat. In all, the Carthaginians loss 94 galleys, 64 captured and 30 sunk while the Romans lost 24 galleys, a decisive win.

At Ecnomus, as at Mylae, the corvus played a vital part with the Carthaginians failing to find an effective tactic to counter the simple boarding device.

The majority of galleys in both fleets were quinqueremes, the smaller galleys becoming less important in the order of battle, and Polybius reports that the consuls of Rome sailed in two sexiremes, or ‘sixes’. Given this change it seemed fitting that Ecnomus would be the last battle for the Aquila.

Immediately after the battle the Roman fleet sailed to the Sicilian coast to rest and regroup although they did not delay long. Victory at Ecnomus had driven the Carthaginian fleet to their home waters off Africa and the Romans were eager to follow. What lies ahead, however, will shake the very foundations of the Roman Republic.

The enemy fleet are far from beaten and to their backs is the city of Carthage, an impenetrable fortress that has not fallen in 500 years. The war will rage on with Atticus and Septimus in the vanguard, not realising that their greatest defeat lies ahead, a loss that is unequalled in history.