5 – Battle of Drepanum (249 BC)
Despite early success at sea, the Romans didn’t have much luck with their navy during the First Punic War although they were routinely victorious in land combat. The Carthaginians were able to easily withstand the siege of Lilybaeum, so the Roman consul Pulcher elected to launch a surprise naval attack on the enemy fleet at Drepanum in 249 BC. The Roman fleet equaled the Carthaginian force of 120 ships, but Pulcher made a crucial mistake by remaining at the rear of the fleet.
Unfortunately for the Romans, the Carthaginian admiral, Adherbal, reacted swiftly once he saw the enemy fleet on the horizon. He ordered an immediate attack so while the ships were no longer sitting ducks in the harbor, they were out of formation. Had Pulcher been in position, he could have taken advantage and avoided the catastrophe that followed. The ships at the front of the Roman fleet suffered from a lack of leadership and sailed directly into Drepanum. Several Roman ships collided in the harbor and damaged morale before the battle even began.
Although both fleets lined up parallel to the coast, the Romans were too close to shallow water, and the enemy had far more room to maneuver. While the Carthaginians fought like a well-oiled machine, the Romans were a complete rabble and completely dismantled with the loss of 93 ships. Pulcher escaped, but further bad luck hit the Romans when yet more storms destroyed their ships. At this stage, Rome could no longer afford to build ships, and it would be another 8 years before they returned to sea in force.
It was a severe blow to the Romans who had no chance of capturing Lilybaeum or Drepanum without a fleet. There was a stalemate of sorts for around two years as the Romans focused on keeping the enemy pinned on the west coast. Eventually, the Carthaginian general, Hamilcar Barca (father of the legendary Hannibal Barca), gave fresh impetus to the war effort by landing near Panormus in 247 BC and forcing the Romans to defend the city and give Drepanum some breathing space.
Since Carthage couldn’t afford to fund the creation of a new army, Hamilcar resorted to guerilla tactics for a few years. He captured Enyx in 244 BC and used it as the new Carthaginian base. He was keen to attack the Italian mainland, but the lack of resources hampered his efforts. Meanwhile, Hanno the Great had success in unrelated campaigns in Libya; the booty he plundered helped fund the war effort. By now, the Romans knew the necessity of a fleet and began rebuilding yet again in an attempt to end the conflict once and for all.