23.16
The
high-spirited youth was so completely captivated by the attention Marcellus
paid him that for the future none among the allies of Rome gave her more
efficient or more loyal help. Hannibal once more moved his camp from
Nuceria to Nola, and when he appeared before its gates the populace again
began to look forward to revolting. As the enemy approached Marcellus
retired within the walls, not because he feared for his camp, but because he
would not give any opportunity to the large number of citizens who were
bent on betraying their city. Both armies now began to prepare for battle; the
Romans before the walls of Nola and the Carthaginians in front of their
camp. Slight skirmishes took place between the city and the camp with
varying success, as the generals would not prohibit their men from going
forward in small parties to offer defiance to the enemy nor would they give
the signal for a general action. Day after day the two armies took up their
respective stations in this way, and during this time the leading citizens of
Nola informed Marcellus that nocturnal interviews were taking place
between the populace and the Carthaginians, and that it had been arranged
that when the Roman army had passed out of the gates they should plunder
their baggage and kits, then close the gates and man the walls so that having
become masters of their city and government they might forthwith admit the
Carthaginians instead of the Romans.
On receiving this information Marcellus warmly thanked the Nolan
senators and made up his mind to try the fortune of a battle before any
disturbances arose in the city. He formed his army into three divisions and
stationed them at the three gates which faced the enemy, he ordered the
baggage to follow close behind, and the camp-servants, sutlers, and disabled
soldiers were to carry stakes. At the centre gate he posted the strongest part
of the legions and the Roman cavalry, at the two on either side he stationed
the recruits, the light infantry, and the cavalry of the allies. The Nolans were
forbidden to approach the walls or gates and a special reserve was placed in
charge of the baggage to prevent any attack upon it whilst the legions were
engaged in the battle. In this formation they remained standing inside the
gates. Hannibal had his troops drawn up for battle, as he had had for several
days, and remained in this position till late in the day. At first it struck him
with surprise that the Roman army did not move outside the gates and that
not a single soldier appeared on the walls. Then, supposing that the secret
interviews had been betrayed and that his friends were afraid to move, he
sent back a portion of his troops to their camp with orders to bring all the
appliances for attacking the town as soon as possible to the front of the line.
He felt fairly confident that if he attacked them whilst thus hesitating the
populace would raise some disturbance in the town. Whilst his men were
hurrying up to the front ranks, each to his allotted task, and the whole line
was approaching the walls, Marcellus ordered the gates to be suddenly flung
open, the attack sounded, and the battle shout raised; the infantry, followed
by the cavalry, were to attack with all the fury possible. They had already
carried enough confusion and alarm into the enemies' centre when P.
Valerius Flaccus and C. Aurelius, divisional commanders, burst out from the
other two gates and charged. The sutlers and camp-servants and the rest of
the troops who were guarding the baggage joined in the shouting, and this
made the Carthaginians, who had been despising the fewness of their
numbers, think that it was a large army. I would hardly venture to assert, as
some authorities do, that 2800 of the enemy were killed, and that the
Romans did not lose more than 500. But whether the victory was as great as
that or not, I do not think that an action more important in its consequences
was fought during the whole war, for it was more difficult for those who
conquered to escape being defeated by Hannibal than it was afterwards to
conquer him.
