Battle of Ebro River

Battle of Ebro River
Part of the Second Punic War
1852 illustration of the battle
Date Spring, 217 BC Location Mouth of Ebro River, present-day Catalonia, Spain 40°43′12″N 0°51′47″E / 40.72000°N 0.86306°E / 40.72000; 0.86306 Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Republic Massalia	Carthage
Commanders and leaders
Scipio Calvus	Himilco
Strength
35 Quinqueremes and 20 Triremes	40 Quinqueremes
Casualties and losses
Unknown	29 quinqueremes 4 sunk 25 captured

The Battle of Ebro River was a naval battle fought near the mouth of Ebro River in the spring of 217 BC between a Carthaginian fleet of approximately 40 quinqueremes, under the command of Himilco, and a Roman fleet of 35 ships, under Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus. Hasdrubal Barca, the Carthaginian commander in Iberia, had launched a joint expedition to destroy the Roman base north of the Ebro River. The Carthaginian naval contingent was totally defeated after a surprise attack by the Roman ships, losing 29 ships and the control of seas around Iberia. The reputation of the Romans was further enhanced in Iberia after this victory, causing rebellion among some of the Iberian tribes under Carthaginian control.