42.57
The
consul and the king both held councils of war at the same time, to decide
where to commence operations. The Macedonians had grown bolder after
they found that the enemy allowed them to ravage the Pheraean country
without offering any resistance, and they thought they ought to go straight
up to the Roman camp and give their enemy no room for further delay. The
Romans, on the other hand, felt that their inactivity was damaging their
prestige with their allies, and they were particularly disgusted at no help
having been given to the Pheraeans. Whilst they were deliberating what steps
to take -Eumenes and Attalus were both present -a messenger came in hot
haste to say that the enemy were approaching in great force. The council at
once broke up and the signal was given for the soldiers to arm. A hundred
cavalry and the same number of slingers were in the meanwhile sent forward
to reconnoitre. It was about the fourth hour of the day, and when he was
little more than a mile distant from the Roman camp, Perseus ordered the
infantry to halt whilst he himself rode forward with the cavalry and light
infantry; Cotys also and the commanders of the other auxiliaries rode
forward with him. They were within half a mile of the camp when they
caught sight of the enemy cavalry. There were two troops, largely made up
of Gauls, under Cassignatus, and about 150 light infantry, partly Mysian,
partly Cretan. The king halted, uncertain as to the enemy's strength. Then he
sent on from the main body two squadrons of Thracian and two of
Macedonian horse, together with two Cretan and two Thracian cohorts. As
the two sides were equal in point of numbers, and no fresh troops came up
on either side, the engagement ended in a drawn battle. About thirty of
Eumenes' men were killed, amongst them Cassignatus, the Gaulish
commander. Perseus then took his force back to Sycurium. The next day the
king marched them to the same spot, and at the same hour. This time they
were followed by water carts, for on their twelve miles' march they were
without water and smothered in dust; it was quite clear that if they had to
fight as soon as they came in view of the enemy, they would do so whilst
suffering from thirst. The Romans retired their outposts within their lines and
remained quiet, whereupon the king's troops returned to camp. They did this
for several days, hoping that the Roman cavalry would attack their rear
during their withdrawal, whilst they were at a considerable distance from
their own camp) then the king's troops, who were superior in cavalry and
light infantry, would turn and face the enemy wherever they were.
