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How did low water around Carthago Nova help Scipio Africanus’s army storm the city?
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Scipio Africanus
Silver coin from Carthago Nova, believed to be a portrait of Scipio Africanus the Elder; in the Royal Collection of Coins and Medals, National Museum, Copenhagen.
During his 209 BCE assault on Carthago Nova, Scipio Africanus utilized intelligence from local fishermen who informed him that the water level around the city fluctuated daily, reaching its lowest point in the afternoon.1
By timing his attack to coincide with this low water, Scipio was able to exploit the exposure of the city's northern wall, which was typically protected by a lagoon. This event, which may have been a tidal phenomenon potentially enhanced by an offshore wind, was attributed by his troops to the divine support of Neptune, significantly boosting their morale during the successful storming of the city.1