The coast of Sicily was at his back and the Punic fleet ready for battle at his front.

En route to Sicily, however, the Punic fleet suffered losses, possibly severe, due to poor weather.

Gnaeus manned his ships with picked legionaries, and now sailed down to attack the Punic fleet.

The Punic fleet managed to extricate some of the survivors.

The Carthaginians resumed marching south along the coast, while the Punic fleet sailed alongside.

He encountered Hannibal Gisco and the rest of the Punic fleet soon afterwards.

The Punic fleet was undermanned as some of the crews had perished in the plague, and many of their ships were deserted.

The conflict developed into a naval war in which the Romans learned how to fight at sea and then decisively defeated the Punic fleet.

The Carthaginian army was probably dependent on supplies from their strongholds and allies, being inland the Punic fleet could not have supplied them.

The main Punic fleet then set sail, led by a vanguard of 50 triremes, while the rest sailed with the main fleet.