Arheološki Vestnik (Jan 2018)
The Tihi kanal battle (49 BC) in the Kvarner gulf: some topographical remarks
Abstract
This paper will offer a new reconstruction of the battle between Caesarians and Pompeians in the Tihi kanal (49 BC). In particular, the possibility that Antonius’ forces under siege in the Bejavac peninsula built the rafts for escaping from Krk will be considered. Moreover, it seems unlikely that the Pompeian soldiers saw the enemies while they were setting out to evacuate and did nothing to stop them. Therefore, either the view of the preparations was prevented by an obstacle, like a hill, or the Caesarians built the rafts, hidden in the fortifications discovered along the northern side of Voz Bay. As for the final battle and the suicide of the Venetian Opitergians, this can plausibly be located on the small island of Sv. Marko, although no mention of this particular is made by our sources, or on the mainland. Apropos this, the author also hypothesizes that the Caesarian reinforcements led by Basilus, who had their encampment on the mainland, had been previously defeated by the Pompeians.
