37.39
When
the consul saw that he declined to give battle, he summoned a council of war
for the next day to decide what he was to do if Antiochus did not give them
the opportunity of fighting. Winter, he said, was coming on; either he would
have to keep the soldiers in their tents or else, if he wished to go into winter
quarters, operations would have to be suspended till the summer. For none
of their enemies did the Romans ever feel greater contempt. From all sides
they called upon him to lead them out to battle and to take full advantage of
the ardour of the soldiers. If the enemy would not come out, they were ready
to charge over the fosses and rampart and rush the camp, for it was not as
though they had to fight with so many thousands of men, but rather to
slaughter so many thousands of cattle. Cn. Domitius was sent to reconnoitre
the ground and find out at what point the enemy's rampart could be best
approached, and after he had brought definite and complete information it
was decided to move the camp on the morrow nearer the enemy. On the
third day the standards were advanced into the middle of the plain and the
line formed. Antiochus, on his side, felt that he ought not to hesitate any
longer lest he should depress the spirits of his own men and raise the hopes
of the enemy by declining battle. He led his forces out just far enough from
his camp to make it appear that he intended to fight.
The Roman army was practically uniform as regards both the men
and their equipment; there were two Roman legions and two of Latins and
allies, each containing 5000 men. The Romans occupied the centre, the
Latins the wings. The standards of the hastati were in front, then came those
of the principes, and last of all the triarii. Beyond these, whom we may call
the regulars, the consul drew up on his right, level with them, the auxiliary
troops of Eumenes who were incorporated with the Achaean caetrati,
amounting to about 3000 men; beyond them again were stationed nearly
3000 cavalry, 800 of which were furnished by Eumenes, the rest being
Romans. Outside these were posted the Trallian and Cretan horse, each body
numbering 500 troopers. The left wing was not considered to need so much
support as it rested on the river and was protected by the precipitous banks;
four squadrons of cavalry, however, were lined up at that end. This was the
total strength which the Romans brought into the field. In addition to these,
however, there was a mixed force of Macedonians and Thracians, 2000 in
all, who had followed as volunteers; they were left to guard the camp. The
sixteen elephants were placed in reserve behind the triarii; they could not
possibly stand against the king's elephants, of which there were fifty-four,
and the African elephants are no match for the Indian elephants even when
the numbers are equal, for the latter are much larger and fight with more
determination.
