The Roman withdrawal from Africa in 255 BC was the attempt by the Roman Republic to rescue the survivors of their defeated expeditionary force to Carthaginian Africa (in what is now north-eastern Tunisia) during the First Punic War. A force of 390 warships fought and defeated 200 Carthaginian vessels off Cape Hermaeum (the modern Cape Bon or Ras ed- Dar), north of the town of Aspis. The Carthaginians had 114 of their ships captured, together with their crews, and 16 sunk. Most modern historians assume there were no Roman losses. The Romans landed in Aspis – where the Roman survivors of the previous year's invasion were besieged – sortied, dispersed the besiegers and raided the surrounding country for food. All then re-embarked and left for Italy. While returning the Roman fleet encountered a storm off the south-east corner of Sicily; 384 ships were sunk and more than 100,000 men were lost.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_withdrawal_from_Africa_%28255_BC%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1961:

Typhoon Nancy, which possibly had the strongest winds ever measured in a tropical cyclone, made landfall in Muroto, Japan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Nancy_%281961%29

1975:

The prototype of the Mikoyan MiG-31 (example pictured), one of the fastest combat jets in the world, made its maiden flight. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan_MiG-31

1979:

Eight people escaped from East Germany to West Germany in a home-made hot air balloon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_German_balloon_escape

2013:

A lone gunman fatally shot twelve people and injured three others at the headquarters of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Navy_Yard_shooting

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

wantok: (Melanesia, Papua New Guinea) A close comrade; a person with whom one has a strong social bond, usually based on a shared language. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wantok

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The fool hath said … The fool hath said And we, who deemed him wise, We, who believed that Thou wast dead, How should we seek Thine eyes?How should we seek to Thee for power, Who scorned Thee yesterday? How should we kneel in this dread hour? Lord, teach us how to pray.   --Alfred Noyes https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Alfred_Noyes