It was called Caro de Segedaand he is a great stranger even though he caused such a defeat to the Roman legions, that they did not want to fight again on August 23. And do not believe that the unknown is a phrase made, because the Royal Academy of History As soon as you hide a paragraph about your life. Or a line, rather: «Caudillo was chosen at the beginning of the Numantina War, 154 a. C., for the Arévacos, to fight against the Romans. He died struggling against the army of consul Q. Fulvio Nobilior ». And up there. Fortunately, classic sources have been somewhat more extensive when referring to this character.
Its origin must be sought in 154 a. C., year in which Segedain Zaragoza, she was accused by the Roman governor of Hispania Citerior – one of the provinces in which the Peninsula was divided – to break the non -aggression agreements with the eternal city for expanding its wall about eight kilometers. The measure, as the Republican argued, broke the previous agreements signed with Sempronio Graco. But the city, tired, ignored warnings. This is stated by the apian historian in his writings:
«The inhabitants of Segeda, in relation to the wall, replied that Graco had forbidden to found new cities, but not to fortify the existing ones. About the tribute and mercenary troops, they said they had been exempted by the Romans themselves after Graco. The reality was that they were exempt, but the Senate always grants these privileges by adding that they will have vigor as the Senate and the Roman people decide.
Those differences came as a ring to the finger to an anxious Rome of battles to expand, even more if possible, its domain in the area. In this case, to give an exemplary punishment to Hispanic disobedient Fifth noble fulvio. And he did not do it alone, but with 30,000 combatants divided into four legions. The arrival of this contingent caused the inhabitants of Segeda to request asylum in the fortified Numancia. The city of the Arévaco town, which had remained outside the confrontation, became one of the nerve centers of resistance against Rome.
They tell it José Manuel Roldán Hervás and Fernando Wulff Alonso In ‘Citerior and Ulterior: the Roman provinces of Hispania in the Republican era’: «The appearance in the Segeda region of the noble consul with the formidable army corresponding to its degree, still reinforced by ‘auxiliary and indigenous, forced the Segedos, who undoubtedly did not expect such a reaction, and that the fortification work had not yet finished, to leave the city and seek refuge in the inner Celtiberia ».
Caro, in action
Apiano account that, after welcoming the citizens of Segeda, the Arévacos chose as a leader “a segedan named Caro, who was had as a warmary man.” The mentioned historians, on the other hand, argue that the general also directed the designs of Numancia and that he was “a common boss.” You know what happened in that Hispania.
Three days after his rise to the poltrona, on August 23, 153 a. C., for a day indicated for the enemy (the holidays in honor of Vulcano), the new boss used a resource as traditional as the guerrilla war to overcome the Nobilior Army. This was explained by Apiano: «Betting in a thickness twenty thousand infantry soldiers and five thousand riders, attacked the Romans while they passed. Although the fight was uncertain for a long time, he managed to kill six thousand Romans and obtained a brilliant triumph. So great was the disaster suffered by Rome ».
But the good of Caro did not last too long, nor the pride of victory. In the words of the classic author, the leader made the mistake of launching in a crazy and messy persecution to crush the remains of the Roman army. The error cost him life. “The Roman riders who guarded the impediment fell on him and killed Caro himself, who highlighted for his value, and his companions, in number not less than six thousand, until the arrival the night ended the battle,” he adds The classic author. In any case, the Hispanic’s ploy scooked so much that, “since that time, no Roman general wanted to begin a combat voluntarily on this day.”
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