23.26
Whilst
these preparations were going on in Italy, the war in Spain was being carried
on with as much energy as ever and, so far, in favour of the Romans. The
two Scipios, Publius and Cnaeus, had divided their forces between them,
Cnaeus was to operate on land and Publius by sea. Hasdrubal, the
Carthaginian commander, did not feel himself strong enough in either arm,
and kept himself safe by taking up strong positions at a distance from the
enemy; until, in response to his many earnest appeals for reinforcements,
4000 infantry and 1000 cavalry were sent to him from Africa. Then,
recovering his confidence, he moved nearer the enemy, and gave orders for
the fleet to be put into readiness to protect the islands and the coast. In the
very middle of his preparations for a fresh campaign he was dismayed by
news of the desertion of the naval captains. After they had been heavily
censured for their cowardice in abandoning the fleet at the Ebro they had
never been very loyal either to their general or to the cause of Carthage.
These deserters had started an agitation amongst the tribe of the Tartesii and
had induced several cities to revolt, and one they had actually taken by
storm. The war was now diverted from the Romans to this tribe, and
Hasdrubal entered their territories with an invading army. Chalbus, a
distinguished general amongst them, was encamped with a strong force
before the walls of a city which he had captured a few days before, and
Hasdrubal determined to attack him. He sent forward skirmishers to draw
the enemy into an engagement and told off a part of his cavalry to lay waste
the surrounding country and pick up stragglers. There was confusion in the
camp and panic and bloodshed in the fields, but when they had regained the
camp from all directions their fears so suddenly left them that they became
emboldened, not only to defend their camp, but even to take the aggressive
against the enemy. They burst in a body out of their camp, executing war
dances after their manner, and this unexpected daring on their part carried
terror into the hearts of the enemy, who had shortly before been challenging
them. Hasdrubal thereupon withdrew his force to a fairly lofty hill, which
was also protected by a river which served as a barrier. He retired his
skirmishers and his scattered cavalry also to this same position. Not,
however, feeling sufficiently protected by either hill or river he strongly
entrenched himself. Several skirmishes took place between the two sides
who were alternately frightening and fearing each other, and the Numidian
trooper proved to be no match for the Spaniard, nor were the darts of the
Moor very effective against the ox-hide shields of the natives, who were
quite as rapid in their movements and possessed more strength and courage.
