38.13
After
crossing the Maeander they marched to Hiera Come. Here there was a noble
temple to Apollo and an oracular shrine; it is said that the priests delivered
the responses in smooth and graceful verses. From this place, after a two
days' march, they reached the river Harpasus. Here they were met by a
deputation from Alabandi, who came with a request to the consul to compel,
either by his personal authority or his arms, a revolted stronghold to return
to its former allegiance. Here, too, came Eumenes' brother Athenaeus with
the Cretan Leusus and Corragus of Macedonia. They brought with them
1000 infantry drawn from various nationalities and 300 cavalry. The consul
despatched a military tribune with a small force to reduce the stronghold and
it was restored to the people of Alabandi; he himself continuing his march
encamped at Antiochia on the Maeander. This river rises at Celaenae; the
city was once the capital of Phrygia. The population migrated a short
distance from the old city and built a new one, which received the name of
Apamea after Apama, the sister of King Seleucus. The river Marsyas which
rises not far from the sources of the Maeander flows into that river, and the
story goes that it was at Celaenae that Marsyas contested the palm of song
with Apollo. The Maeander rises at the highest part of Celaenae and runs
through the middle of the city. Its course then lies through Caria and Ionia
and it finally empties itself into the bay between Priene and Miletus.
Whilst the consul was in camp at Antiochia, Seleucus the son of
Antiochus came to furnish corn for the army, in pursuance of the treaty
obligation with Scipio. There was a slight difficulty raised in the case of the
auxiliaries under Attalus because Seleucus maintained that Antiochus had
only agreed to supply corn to the Roman soldiers. The dispute was settled by
the firmness of the consul, who sent a tribune from the headquarters tent to
give notice that the Roman soldiers were not to take the corn before the
troops of Attalus had received their share. From Antiochia they marched to a
place called Gordiutichi, and a further three days' march brought them to
Tabae. This place lies within the frontiers of Pisidia, in that part which looks
towards the Pamphylian sea. As this country was unwasted by war, its
population were in a bellicose mood. On this occasion they made a vigorous
attack on the Roman column and at first created some confusion, but when it
became evident that they were outmatched in numbers and in courage and
were driven back to their city, they craved for mercy and offered to
surrender the city. A fine of 25 talents of silver and 10,000 medimni of wheat
was imposed upon them. On these terms they were allowed to surrender.
