Battle of Tarentum
Battle of Tarentum was a siege conducted in March 212 BC at Taranto, in what is now Italy. It was part of Second Punic War, which ran from 218 BC to 201 BC. The recorded result: Carthaginian victory. Recorded strength: 8,000 infantry; 2,000 cavalry against 5,000 infantry.
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Assedio di Taranto da parte di Annibale nel 213-212 a.C.. Cristiano64, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons .
Fought March 212 BC
Where Taranto, Italy 40.418N, 17.241E
Outcome Carthaginian victory
Belligerents Carthage against Roman Republic
Casualties and losses Unknown and Heavy
Where it sits in Second Punic War Battle of Cissa, 218 BC Battle of Lilybaeum, 218 BC Capture of Malta, 218 BC Siege of Mutina, 218 BC Hannibal's crossing of the Alps, 218 BC Battle of Rhone Crossing, 218 BC Battle of Ticinus, 218 BC Battle of the Trebia, 218 BC Battle of Ebro River, 217 BC Battle of Geronium, 217 BC Battle of Ager Falernus, 217 BC Hannibal's crossing of the Apennines, 217 BC Battle of Plaisance, 217 BC Battle of Lake Trasimene, 217 BC Battle of Nola, 216 BC Battle of Silva Litana, 216 BC Siege of Petelia, 216 BC Siege of Acerra, 216 BC Battle of Cannae, 216 BC Battle of Dertosa, 215 BC Battle of Cornus, 215 BC Battle of Cumae, 215 BC Battle of Nola, 215 BC Siege of Syracuse, 214 BC Battle of Nola, 214 BC Battle of Beneventum, 214 BC Battle of Munda, 214 BC Siege of Arpi, 213 BC Battle of the Silarus, 212 BC Battle of Herdonia, 212 BC Battle of Capua, 212 BC Battle of Beneventum, 212 BC First Battle of Tarentum, 212 BC Second Battle of Beneventum, 212 BC Siege of Capua, 212 BC Battle of Tarentum, 212 BC Battle of the Upper Baetis, 211 BC Battle of Capua, 211 BC Hannibal's raid to Rome, 211 BC Battle of Herdonia, 210 BC Battle of Numistro, 210 BC Battle of Sapriportis, 210 BC Battle of Castulo, 210 BC Battle of New Carthage, 209 BC Battle of Canusium, 209 BC Battle of Tarentum, 209 BC Second Battle of Tarentum, 209 BC Siege of Baria, 209 BC Battle of Baecula, 208 BC Battle of Petelia, 208 BC Battle of the Metaurus, 207 BC Battle of Grumentum, 207 BC Battle of Carmona, 207 BC Battle of Ilipa, 206 BC Battle of Carteia, 206 BC Battle of Carteia, 206 BC Battle of Cartagena, 206 BC Battle of Iliturgi, 206 BC Battle of Crotona, 204 BC Siege of Utica, 204 BC Roman invasion of Africa, 204 BC Battle of the Great Plains, 203 BC Battle of Utica, 203 BC Po Valley Raid, 203 BC Battle of Cirta, 203 BC Battle of Zama, 202 BC 218 BC 202 BC Battle of Tarentum, 212 BC 67 placed engagements of Second Punic War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.
Record
Date March 212 BC (month precision) Place Taranto, Italy40.418N, 17.241E Kind Siege, ancient Territorial change City of Tarentum captured by Hannibal, but citadel remains in Roman hands Strength 8,000 infantry; 2,000 cavalry 5,000 infantry Casualties and losses Unknown Heavy Commanders
Battle of Tarentum Battle of Tarentum Battle of Tarentum Siege of Taranto Battle of Taranto First Battle of Tarentum Second Battle of Tarentum Battle of Tarentum First Battle of Tarentum Bari Foggia Barletta Potenza 100 km 40.418N, 17.241E The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.
Nearest engagements
Contested ground: this site was fought over 7 times between 212 BC and 1943.
Battle of Tarentum is one of 193 engagements of the 3rd century BC in the atlas and one of 1,038 in present-day Italy.
Sources
Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2632522 , released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Tarentum (212 BC) , revision 1382553802, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.
