Battle of Naulochus

• The Battle of Naulochus (36 BCE) was a Naval Battle fought between the fleets of Sextus Pompey and Agrippa as part of the civil war for control of Sicily.
• The battle is notable for the introduction of the Harpax, a grapnel launched by catapult, which allowed the enemy vessel to be hauled in for boarding.

Date and Location

• 3rd September 36 BCE off the Promontory of Naulochus, near Milazzo in Sicily.

The Reason for the Battle

• Sextus Pompey had taken control of Sicily and his Fleet was blockading Italy, with the result that no Grain was reaching Rome.

The Winner

• Agrippa.

The Adversaries

• Between Sextus Pompey and the Optimates
  • versus:
• Agrippa acting for the Second Triumvirate.

The Commanders

• Sextus Pompey
  • versus
• Agrippa

The Strength of the Forces under Sextus Pompey

• Warships: 300 vessels with Artillery.
• Losses: 28 sunk, the rest captured or burnt. Only 17 escaped.

The Strength of the Forces under Agrippa

• Warships: 300 vessels with a more advanced Artillery, the Harpax and a lighter version of the Corvus.
• Losses: 3

How the Fleets were deployed

• In July, Agrippa‘s Fleet left Portus Julius near Naples and united with a Fleet of 120 ships that Mark Anthony had sent.
• On 3 September 36 BCE, the two fleets formed up off the Promontory of Naulochus in Sicily.
• Meanwhile, another Fleet under Marcus Lepidus, sailed from Africa and attacked Sicily.

How the Battle was Fought (3rd Sept 36 BCE)

• The introduction of the Harpax was to produce a complete change of Tactics at Sea.
• Despite the vessels of Sextus Pompey being lighter and therefore more manoeuvrable, Agrippa used the Harpax to successfully board Pompey’s vessels and capture them one by one.
• Agrippa lost only 3 vessels out of his 300.
• Sextus Pompey lost 28 vessels sunk, the rest were captured or burnt, whilst only 17 of his 300 escaped.

The Outcome

• The Battle destroyed the Sea Power of the Optimates.
• It was the first use of the Harpax, an overwhelmingly successful device used to board enemy ships.
• After Defeat at Sea, there followed Defeat on Land when Marcus Lepidus defeated Sextus Pompey‘s Armies, ending all hope of preserving the Roman Republic.
• The Second Triumvirate was then dissolved and the Triumvirs fought each other at the Battle of Actium (31 BCE), resulting in Octavian becoming the First Roman Emperor.

Milazzo, near Cape Naulochus