23.17
As
there was no hope of his getting possession of Nola, Hannibal withdrew to
Acerrae. No sooner had he departed than Marcellus shut the gates and
posted guards to prevent any one from leaving the city. He then opened a
public inquiry in the forum into the conduct of those who had been holding
secret interviews with the enemy. Above seventy were found guilty of
treason and beheaded and their property confiscated. Then, after handing the
government over to the senate, he left with his entire force and took up a
position above Suessula, where he encamped. At first the Carthaginian tried
to persuade the men of Acerrae to make a voluntary surrender, but when he
found that their loyalty remained unshaken he made preparations for a siege
and an assault. The Acerrans possessed more courage than strength, and
when they saw that the blockade was being carried round their walls and that
it was hopeless to attempt any further defence, they decided to escape before
the enemies' line of circumvallation was closed, and stealing away in the dead
of night through any unguarded gaps in the earthworks they fled, regardless
of roads or paths, as chance or design led them. They escaped to those cities
of Campania which they had every reason to believe had not changed their
allegiance. After plundering and burning Acerrae Hannibal marched to
Casilinum in consequence of information he received of the Dictator's march
on Capua with his legions. He was apprehensive that the proximity of the
Roman army might create a counter-revolution in Capua. At that time
Casilinum was held by 500 Praenestines with a few Roman and Latin troops,
who had gone there when they heard of the disaster at Cannae. The levy at
Praeneste had not been completed by the appointed day, and these men
started from home too late to be of use at Cannae. They reached Casilinum
before news of the disaster arrived, and, joined by Romans and allies, they
advanced in great force. Whilst on the march they heard of the battle and its
result and returned to Casilinum. Here, suspected by the Campanians and
fearing for their own safety, they passed some days in forming and evading
plots. When they were satisfied that Capua was in revolt and that Hannibal
would be admitted, they massacred the townsmen of Casilinum at night and
took possession of the part of the city on this side of the Vulturnus -the
river divides the city in two -and held it as a Roman garrison. They were
joined also by a cohort of Perusians numbering 460 men who were driven to
Casilinum by the same intelligence that sent the Praenestines there a few
days previously. The force was quite adequate for the small circuit of walls,
protected, too, as they were on one side by the river, but the scarcity of corn
made even that number appear too large.
