23.1
Immediately after the
battle of Cannae and the capture and plunder of the Roman camp, Hannibal
moved out of Apulia into Samnium, in consequence of an invitation he had
received from a man named Statius Trebius, who promised to hand over
Compsa to him if he would visit the territory of the Hirpini. Trebius was a
native of Compsa, a man of note amongst his people, but his influence was
less than that of the faction of the Mopsii, a family which owed its
predominance to the favour and support of Rome. After the report of the
battle of Cannae had reached the town, and Trebius was telling everybody
that Hannibal was coming, the Mopsian party left the city. It was then
peacefully handed over to the Carthaginian and a garrison placed in it. There
Hannibal left all his booty and his baggage, and then forming his army into
two divisions, gave Mago the command of one and retained the other
himself. He gave Mago instructions to receive the submission of the cities in
the district which were revolting from Rome and to compel those which
were hanging back to revolt, whilst he himself marched through the
Campanian district towards the Lower Sea with the view of attacking
Neapolis so that he might have a city accessible from the sea. When he
entered the confines of Neapolis he placed some of his Numidians wherever
he conveniently could in ambuscade, for the roads are mostly deep, with
many unseen windings. The others he ordered to ride up to the gates driving
ostentatiously before them the plunder they had collected from the fields. As
they appeared to be a small and disorganised force, a troop of cavalry came
out against them, they were drawn on by the retreating Numidians into the
ambuscade and surrounded. Not a man would have escaped had not the
proximity of the sea, and some ships, mostly fishing vessels, which they saw
not far from the shore, afforded a means of escape to those who were good
swimmers. Several young nobles, however, were either taken or killed in the
skirmish, amongst them Hegeas, the commandant of the cavalry, who fell
whilst following the retreating foe too incautiously. The aspect of the walls
deterred the Carthaginian from attacking the city; they by no means offered
facilities for an assault.
