28.13
When
intelligence was brought to Scipio of the muster of this large army, he did
not consider that he could meet it with his Roman legions unless he
employed his native auxiliaries to give at all events the appearance of greater
strength. At the same time he felt that he ought not to depend too much
upon them, for if they changed sides it might lead to the same disaster as that
which had overtaken his father and his uncle. Culchas, whose authority
extended over twenty-eight towns, had promised to raise a force of infantry
and cavalry during the winter, and Silanus was sent to bring them up. Then
breaking up his quarters at Tarraco, Scipio marched down to Castulo,
picking up small contingents furnished by the friendly tribes which lay on his
line of march. There Silanus joined him with 3000 infantry and 500 cavalry.
His entire army, Romans and allied contingents, infantry and cavalry,
amounted now to 55,000 men. With this force he advanced to meet the
enemy and took up his position near Baecula. Whilst his men were
entrenching their camp they were attacked by Mago and Masinissa with the
whole of their cavalry and would have been thrown into great disorder had
not Scipio made a charge with a body of horse which he had placed in
concealment behind a hill. These speedily routed those of the assailants who
had ridden close up to the lines and were actually attacking the entrenching
parties; with the others, however, who kept their ranks and were advancing
in steady order the conflict was more sustained, and for a considerable time
remained undecided. But when the cohorts of light infantry came in from the
outposts, and the men at work on the intrenchments had seized their arms
and, fresh for action, were in ever increasing numbers relieving their wearied
comrades until a considerable body of armed men were hastening from the
camp to do battle, the Carthaginians and Numidians retreated. At first they
retired in order though hurriedly and kept their ranks, but when the Romans
pressed their attacks home and resistance was no longer possible, they broke
and fled as best they could. Though this action did much to raise the spirits
of the Romans and depress those of the enemy, there were for several days
incessant skirmishes between the cavalry and light infantry on both sides.
