Battle of The Bagradas River (49 BC) - Preliminary Operations

Preliminary Operations

Quickly entrenching himself in the Castra Cornelia, he sent an urgent message to Sicily, requesting that his officers immediately send the two legions and the cavalry he had left behind. His initial plan was to defend his position until the reinforcements arrived, as he had access to the sea, allowing easy resupply and communications with Sicily, and locally there was sufficient water, food and timber to meet his needs.

He quickly changed his mind, however, when some apparent deserters from Utica appeared with information about the approaching Numidian forces. They insisted that King Juba was nowhere in the vicinity, that in fact he was some 120 miles away near Leptis, dealing with an uprising there. They informed Curio that the approaching ‘army’ was in fact only a small body of troops under Juba’s military commander, Saburra. Relieved by this news, Curio sent his cavalry out after sunset with orders locate Saburra’s camp and then to wait for Curio and the rest of the army. Leaving a quarter of his forces guarding his own camp under the command of Marcius Rufus, Curio began his march to the Bagradas river about two hours before dawn.

Saburra had his camp some 10 miles off the Bagradas, but his advance party had already reached the river. Curio’s cavalry stumbled upon them in the early hours of the morning as they slept in their tents and, taking advantage of their confusion, proceeded to attack. The Numidians were unable to mount any resistance; the majority were either killed or captured and the rest of the advance scouting party fled. Flushed with success, the cavalry did not wait by the river, but rather rode back to find Curio, meeting him about six miles south of the Castra Cornelia. Curio questioned the prisoners, who informed him that Saburra was in command of the forces on the Bagradas. Proposing to attack Saburra whilst his forces were in disarray, Curio ordered a forced march towards the river; he was unconcerned having to leave the majority of his cavalry behind due to the exhausted state of the horses, and proceeded with his reduced legions and 200 cavalry.

In the meantime, Juba, whose camp was further down and on the other side of the Bagradas and about six miles to the rear of Saburra, heard word of the skirmish by the river. He immediately dispatched his Spanish and Gallic mercenary bodyguard, comprising some 2,000 cavalry, together with a handpicked body of infantry to reinforce Saburra. Juba then forded the river with the remainder of his troops and proceeded northward. Saburra, who was convinced that Curio would attack swiftly, gave orders to feign a retreat as soon as the Romans came into view, warning his men to be ready for a signal to turn around and attack.