22.46
As
soon as it grew light Hannibal sent forward the Balearics and the other light
infantry. He then crossed the river in person and as each division was
brought across he assigned it its place in the line. The Gaulish and Spanish
horse he posted near the bank on the left wing in front of the Roman cavalry;
the right wing was assigned to the Numidian troopers. The centre consisted
of a strong force of infantry, the Gauls and Spaniards in the middle, the
Africans at either end of them. You might fancy that the Africans were for
the most part a body of Romans from the way they were armed, they were
so completely equipped with the arms, some of which they had taken at the
Trebia, but the most part at Trasumennus. The Gauls and Spaniards had
shields almost of the same shape their swords were totally different, those of
the Gauls being very long and without a point, the Spaniard, accustomed to
thrust more than to cut, had a short handy sword, pointed like a dagger.
These nations, more than any other, inspired terror by the vastness of their
stature and their frightful appearance: the Gauls were naked above the waist,
the Spaniards had taken up their position wearing white tunics embroidered
with purple, of dazzling brilliancy. The total number of infantry in the field
was 40,000, and there were 10,000 cavalry. Hasdrubal was in command of
the left wing, Maharbal of the right; Hannibal himself with his brother Mago
commanded the centre. It was a great convenience to both armies that the
sun shone obliquely on them, whether it was that they had purposely so
placed themselves, or whether it happened by accident, since the Romans
faced the north, the Carthaginans the South. The wind, called by the
inhabitants the Vulturnus, was against the Romans, and blew great clouds of
dust into their faces, making it impossible for them to see in front of them.
