35.1
In the opening months
of the year in which the above events occurred several unimportant
engagements took place in Spain between Sextus Digitius, the praetor, and
the numerous cantons which after the departure of M. Cato had
recommenced hostilities. These were on the whole so costly to the Romans
that the force which the praetor handed over to his successor was hardly half
what he had received. There would undoubtedly have been a general rising
throughout Spain had not the other praetor, P. Cornelius Scipio, fought
several successful actions beyond the Ebro and so cowed the natives that no
less than fifty towns went over to him. This was whilst he was praetor. As
pro-praetor he inflicted a severe defeat on the Lusitanians. They had
devastated Further Spain and were on their way home with an immense
quantity of plunder when he attacked them on the march and fought from the
third hour of the day to the eighth without arriving at any decision. He was
inferior in numbers, but in everything else he had the advantage, for he was
with close and serried ranks attacking a long column hampered by many
herds of cattle, and his soldiers were fresh while the enemy were wearied
with their long march. They had started in the third hour of the night on a
march which was prolonged through three hours of daylight and they were
forced to accept battle without taking any rest. So it was only in the first
stage of the battle that they showed any spirit or energy. At first they threw
the Romans into some disorder, but soon the fighting became even. In the
crisis of the struggle the praetor vowed that he would celebrate Games to
Jupiter if he should rout and destroy the enemy. At length the Roman attack
became more insistent and the Lusitanians began to give ground. Finally they
broke and fled, and in the hot pursuit which followed as many as 12,000 of
the enemy were killed, 540 prisoners taken, nearly all mounted troops, and
134 standards captured. The losses in the Roman army amounted to 73. The
scene of the action was not far from the city of Ilipa, and P. Cornelius led his
victorious army, enriched with spoil, to that place. The whole of the booty
was laid out in front of the city and the owners were allowed to claim their
property. The rest was made over to the quaestor to be sold and the
proceeds distributed to the soldiers.
