Muttin , or Mitton ( Latin Muttines , other Greek речουτίνας , at Polybius - other Greek гυττόναζ [1] ) - Carthaginian commander of the Second Punic War , who later switched to the side of the Romans .
| Muttin | |
|---|---|
| lat Muttines et al. Μουτίνας | |
| Date of Birth | |
| Place of Birth | Hippacra |
| Affiliation | Carthage → Roman republic |
| Years of service | III century BC e. |
| Commanded | Numidian cavalry |
| Battles / wars | Battle of Gimer (212 BC) Siege of Agrigentus (210 BC) |
Livofinikets from Hippacra by origin . Titus Livy characterizes him as a man of active and well-studied military affairs under the leadership of Hannibal . Hannibal was sent to Sicily to replace one of the Carthaginian leaders in this theater of war - Hippocrates, who died during the plague. Muttin joined Epicides and Gannon under Agrigentus at the end of 212 BC. e. and was placed at the head of the Numidian cavalry , raiding with her almost throughout the island. As a result of his successful actions, Epicides and Gannon were able to withdraw troops outside the city walls of Agrigent, becoming a camp near the river Gimera . The Roman general Mark Claudius Marcellus advanced towards the enemy and stopped four miles from him, waiting. Here his forward posts were attacked and overturned by the Muttin forces crossing the river. The next day there was an “almost right battle” [2] , during which Muttin managed to drive the enemy into the fortifications.
However, his success was nullified by the actions of two other Carthaginian commanders. In the Muttin camp, the Numidians rebelled, and almost three hundred people left for Heracles Minoan . Muttin was forced to go after to reassure and return them. In his absence, the Carthaginians got involved in the battle (according to Libya - due to Hannon's envy of the successes of the Libo-Phoenician) without the support of the Numidian cavalry, who refused to fight without their commander, and were defeated. When Marcellus's successor, Mark Valery Levin, besieged Agrigent, Muttin continued to operate at the head of the field army, maintaining contact with the besieged. However, Gannon, according to Livia, dislike Muttin, ousted him from his post and appointed his son in his place, "hoping that, deprived of power, Muttin will lose his influence on the Numidians" [3] . The exact opposite happened: Muttin convinced his warriors to go over to the side of the enemy. Secretly sending ambassadors to the Romans, he agreed with them to surrender Agrigent, which was done; Gannon and Epicides fled to Africa .
Muttin "and people who served the Roman people" [4] , were presented to the Senate , they were honored. Muttin, at the suggestion of the people's tribunes, was endowed with Roman citizenship . After the victory of the Romans in Sicily, he and his cavalry accompanied Levin on inspection trips around the island.
Notes
- ↑ Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology .
- ↑ Titus Livy. History from the founding of the city, xxv, 40, 11.
- ↑ Titus Livy. History from the founding of the city, xxvi, 40, 6.
- ↑ Titus Livy. History from the founding of the city, xxvii, 5, 6.
Literature
- Muttin - in Smith 's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.