Battle of the point of Italy

It is of tradition to consider that the first naval Bataille gained by Rome is that of Mylae, delivered in -260, during the First Punic War. It however appears the, upon reading the Histoire of Polybe, that the battle of Mylae (Milazzo) was preceded a few days earlier by a confrontation, that the Greek historian locates, without another precision, with the point of Italy, and at the time which a Carthaginian fleet is put in rout.

Under the account of Polybe (1-21), the punic admiral Hannibal, whose naval forces destroyed the first Roman forwarding with Lipari in Sicily, learns that a new enemy fleet makes for the island. Eager to recognize the power and the intentions of the opposing squadron, it goes to its meeting with fifty galères. Surprised with the course of Italy, the majority of its buildings are run or captured and he even escapes only from grand' sorrow, with the remains of its fleet.

Polybe does not provide any detail on the composition of the Roman fleet, either that on its chiefs or the tactics employed. It appears however probable on this last point which the Roman fleet did not lay out or did not use the Corbeau, the clutching bridge with which the Roman ships were fastened with the Carthaginian galères with Mylae, because Polybe does not make mention of it.

Source

Polybe, History , edition Gallimard

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