31.35
The
king, however, was afraid of hazarding a general engagement so soon, and
contented himself with sending forward a detachment of 400 Trallians -an
Illyrian tribe, as we have explained above -and 300 Cretan infantry with an
equal number of cavalry under Athenagoras, one of the nobles of his court,
to challenge the enemies' cavalry. The Romans, whose main line was about
half a mile distant, sent forward their velites and about two squadrons of
cavalry, so that the number of their mounted and unmounted men was equal
to that of the enemy. The king's troops expected the style of fighting to be
that with which they were familiar; the cavalry would make alternate charges
and retirements, at one moment using their missiles, then galloping to the
rear; the swift-footed Illyrians would be employed in sudden onsets and
rushes; the Cretans would discharge their arrows on the enemy as he dashed
forward to attack. But this order of combat was completely upset by the
method of the Roman attack, which was as sustained as it was fierce. They
fought as steadily as though it had been a regular engagement; the velites
after discharging their javelins came to close quarters with their swords; the
cavalry, when once they had reached the enemy, halted their horses and
fought, some on horseback whilst others dismounted and took their places
amongst the infantry. Under these conditions Philip's cavalry, unaccustomed
to a stationary combat, were no match for the Roman horse, and his infantry,
trained to skirmish in loose order and unprotected by armour, were at the
mercy of the velites who with their swords and shields were equally prepared
for defence and attack. Incapable of sustaining the conflict and trusting
solely to their mobility they fled hack to their camp.
