42.66
As
soon as they caught sight of the leading files of their comrades, the spirits of
the Romans revived from the depths of despair. Perseus should have made
up his mind after capturing and killing several of the foragers to content
himself with this chance success, and not wasted time in beleaguering the
detachment. Or if he did attempt that he ought to have left the field while he
could do so safely, as he knew he had no heavy infantry with him. Elated
with his success he waited till the enemy appeared, and then sent a hurried
message to bring up the phalanx. It was too late to do this now. The
phalanx, hastily brought into action and disarranged by the speed of its
advance, had to meet troops in proper formation and ready for battle. The
consul, who was first on the ground, at once engaged the enemy. For a short
time the Macedonians held their own, but they were completely outmatched,
and with a loss of 300 infantry and 24 of the select cavalry of the "sacred
cohort," including their commander Antimachus, they attempted to leave the
field. But there was almost more turmoil on their return march than in the
battle itself. The phalanx, called up so hurriedly, marched off with equal
haste, but where the road narrowed they met the troop of prisoners and the
carts loaded with corn, and were brought to a standstill. There was great
excitement and uproar; no one would wait until the troops of the phalanx
could make their way through; the soldiers threw the carts over the cliff, the
only way of clearing the road, and the animals were lashed till they charged
madly among the crowd. Hardly had they got clear of the column of
prisoners when they met the king and his discomfited cavalry, who shouted
to them to face about and march back. This created a commotion almost as
great as the crash of a falling house; if the enemy had continued the pursuit
and ventured into the pass, there might have been a terrible disaster. The
consul, satisfied with this slight success, recalled the detachment from the hill
and returned to camp. According to some authorities, a great battle was
fought that day, 8000 of the enemy slain, amongst them two of the king's
generals, Sopater and Antipater, 2800 made prisoners, and 27 military
standards captured. Nor was the victory a bloodless one. Above 4300 fell in
the consul's army, and 5 standards belonging to the left wing lost.
