21.55
Hannibal's men, meanwhile, had made
fires in front of their tents, oil had been distributed amongst the maniples for
them to make their joints and limbs supple and they had time for an ample
repast. When it was announced that the enemy had crossed the river they
took their arms, feeling alert and active in mind and body, and marched to
battle. The Balearic and light-armed infantry were posted in front of the
standards; they numbered about 8000; behind them the heavy-armed
infantry, the mainstay and backbone of the army; on the flanks Hannibal
distributed the cavalry, and outside them, again, the elephants. When the
consul saw his cavalry, who had lost their order in the pursuit, suddenly
meeting with an unsuspected resistance from the Numidians, he recalled
them by signal and received them within his infantry. There were 18,000
Romans, 20,000 Latin allies, and an auxiliary force of Cenomani, the only
Gallic tribe which had remained faithful. These were the forces engaged. The
Balearics and light infantry opened the battle, but on being met by the
heavier legions they were rapidly withdrawn to the wings, an evolution
which at once threw the Roman horse into difficulties, for the 4000 wearied
troopers had been unable to offer an effective resistance to 10,000 who were
fresh and vigorous, and now in addition they were overwhelmed by what
seemed a cloud of missiles from the light infantry. Moreover, the elephants,
towering aloft at the ends of the line, terrified the horses not only by their
appearance but by their unaccustomed smell, and created widespread panic.
The infantry battle, as far as the Romans were concerned, was maintained
more by courage than by physical strength, for the Carthaginians, who had
shortly before been getting themselves into trim, brought their powers fresh
and unimpaired into action, whilst the Romans were fatigued and hungry and
stiff with cold. Still, their courage would have kept them up had it been only
infantry that they were fighting against. But the light infantry, after repulsing
the cavalry, were hurling their missiles on the flanks of the legions; the
elephants had now come up against the centre of the Roman line, and Mago
and his Numidians, as soon as it had passed their ambuscade, rose up in the
rear and created a terrible disorder and panic. Yet in spite of all the dangers
which surrounded them, the ranks stood firm and immovable for some time,
even, contrary to all expectation, against the elephants. Some skirmishers
who had been placed where they could attack these animals flung darts at
them and drove them off, and rushed after them, stabbing them under their
tails, where the skin is soft and easily penetrated.
