Battle of Ilipa

BelligerentsRoman RepublicCarthageCommanders and leadersPublius Cornelius Scipio
Lucius Marcius Septimus
Marcus Junius SilanusHasdrubal Gisco
Mago Barca
MasinissaStrengthTotal: 48,000–55,000

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Polybius:
48,000 men
• 45,000 infantry
• 3,000 cavalry

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Livy:
55,000 menTotal: 54,500–74,000

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Polybius:
74,000 men
• 70,000 infantry
• 4,000 cavalry
32 war elephants

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Livy:
54,500 men
• 50,000 infantry
• 4,500 cavalry
Unknown number of elephants

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Modern estimate:
64,000 men
• 60,000 infantry
• 4,000 cavalry
32 elephantsCasualties and losses 7,000 killed

More than 48,500 killed or captured

• All cavalry killed, wounded or captured

The Battle of Ilipa () was an engagement considered by many as Scipio Africanus's most brilliant victory in his military career during the Second Punic War in 206 BC. It may have taken place on a plain east of Alcalá del Río, Seville, Spain, near the village of Esquivel, the site of the Carthaginian camp.

Though it may not seem to be as original as Hannibal's tactic at Cannae, Scipio's pre-battle maneuver and his reverse Cannae formation stands as the acme of his tactical ability, in which he permanently broke the Carthaginian hold in Iberia, thus denying any further land invasion into Italy and cutting off a rich base for the Barca dynasty both in silver and manpower.