Second Mediterranean War (Vae victis!)

The Second Mediterranean War
Part of Vae victis!
A Carthaginian ship off the Iberian coast
Date 236-241 AD Location Iberia Result Decisive Carthaginian victory Etrusca is permanently removed from Iberia Etrusca is economically destablized
Belligerents
Carthage Keltoic Empire	Dardanian Etrusca
Strength
Troops and Ships 40,000 Troops 340 Ships	Troops and Ships 30,000 troops 290 ships
Casualties and losses
Troops and Ships 6,000 troops 45 ships	Troops and Ships 9,000 troops 52 ships

The The Second Mediterranean War, also known as The Iberian War, or less often, The War of the Waves, was a war fought between Carthage and Etrusca over Carthaginian colonies in Iberia. Lasting between 236 and 241, the war devastated much of Northern Iberia, and caused serious economic problems for both sides. Ultimately, Iberia would stay in the possession of Carthage, though at serious cost to both sides.

Background

The origins of this conflict can be traced back surprisingly far, all the way to the Christianization of Carthage. While mainland Carthage, as well as Shardan and Sikelia, where converted without troubles, the story was entirely different in Iberia. There, the locals entirely rejected Chrsitianity, and in many cases had no qualms about being violent about it. Almost any Carthegian attempt at conversion was met with polite refusal at best, and open revolt at worst. By 192, Havor II had not only failed to convert Iberia, but also alienated many of its citizens to Cartheginian rule.

As Carthegian influence fell apart in their own colony, Dentaram king of Etruscan, saw his opportunity to undermine his nation's long time rival. He began to Spenser trade missions to Iberia, were Etruscan goods were sold at spectacular markdowns. Within years, the cheap Etruscan goods and the heavy handed Cearthegians began to force the Iberains to gravitate more towards the former, dramatically weakinging Carthage's grip on their own colony. Retaliation on Etruscan only came in 201, when Carthage's new king, Darius forced the Etruscans out, sinking several of their ships in the process. However, while Darius managed to reclaim control of the colony, Etruscan influence still existed, and trade never completely stopped.

Because of this, when weak king, Haser II, eventually rose to power in Carthage, the Etruscans had the ability and the motivation to press their claim to Iberia. This time, instead of weavign around the Carthegians, Etrusca started landing troops in Iberia. Haser II, still trying to stabilize his rule after the lose of Alexandria, could do nothing to stop this at first. By the time he was able to turn his attention to Iberia, the Etruscans were already entrenched in the north, and this time it wouldn't be easy to displace them.

Fighting

By early 236, soldiers from both Carthage and Etruscan were in Iberia, the Etruscans mostly concentrated in the north, while the Carthaginian army was amassing in the south. Within several months, both sides had assembled their forces, and the Carthaginians began to march north, destroying the token Etruscan forces outside the north. The first major battle of the war occurred towards the end of the summer of 236, where a relatively large Etruscan army was moved south to delay Carthage's advance. This maneuver was successful, and Etrusca would be able to buy themselves more time to secure themselves in the north. In addition, it helped Etrusca gain the loyalty of a substantial portion of Iberians by painting the Carthaginians as vicious colonists who would destroy their colony just to keep it.

With this heir land assault delayed, and any contact on land almost certain to lead to a stalemate, Haser II turned to his dominating navy. After gathering a sizable contgient of ships in November of 236, the naval force began to move north to engage the Etruscans. Their first major encounter, just five miles off the coast shocked both sides, because it wasn't a route for Carthage. Astonishingly, the Etruscans, while losing more ships, didn't even have to retreat and instead held their ground. The next battle would be a more solid victory for Carthage, but even so, the unexpected power of the Etruscan navy threw them off guard. More battles would ensue, but neither side would be able to gain the upper hand on the sea. This was more of a blow to Carthage, as they had come to expect some level of control over the seas, while for the Etruscans, the stalemate was regarded as a triumphant victory.

By the spring of 237, both land and sea seemed to be approaching stalemate. However, the Carthaginian army had not yet arrived in northern Iberia, and thus Haser II was able to reinforce them before they collided with the Etruscans. Further from their homeland and fighting to secure a safe route by sea to Iberia, the Etruscans were not afforded the same luxury. Because of this, when the armies collided for the second time, the Carthaginians were finally able to gain the upper hand. Throughout the summer, the Etruscans were continually forced north, and were largely forced to take refugee in various forts. It took the Etruscans until early winter to mount a sizable counter attack, and while they manged to halt Carthage's momentum, thy barely regained any territory. Southern Iberia was now secured for Carthage, though throughout the winter and spring, north Iberia began to evolve into an Etruscan fortress.

Coming into 238, both fronts of the war were stalemated. Carthage couldn't make any further gains on land, and the Etruscans couldn't very well abandon their fortresses. Meanwhile, at sea, battles between the two forces continued. Carthage wasn't able to make any breakthroughs, but was able to narrowly stop any Etruscan reinforcements. Despite this Stalemate, the summer was full of fighting, with the highest causalities of the war on both sides.