ædile, was the person who, at Canne, while the rest were stupified by fear, in consequence of such a dreadful disaster, made his way through the middle of the enemy.

up their complement of their troops, and re- Cneius Fulvius Centumalus, and lastly, Marsumed courage to risk afresh the issue of a cus Emilius Lepidus. It is recorded that battle. Though their battalions were now stage plays were now, for the first time, excomposed mostly of foreign soldiers, yet fight-hibited four days successively, by direction of ing on a side which had suffered so many dis- the curule ædiles. This Tuditanus, now comfitures within a few days, they showed the same spirit as before, and the same consequenee ensued. More than eight thousand men were slain, not many short of a thousand taken prisoners, together with fifty-eight military standards. The greater part of the spoils had belonged to the Gauls, among which were golden chains and bracelets in great numbers; there were also two remarkable chieftains of the Gauls killed in that battle, Monicaptus and Civismarus: eight elephants were taken, and three killed. During this current of success in Spain, the Romans began to feel ashamed of having suffered the town of Saguntum, the original object of dispute, to continue five years in the possession of the enemy. Wherefore, dislodging the Carthaginian garrison, they retook possession of the town, and restored it to such of the inhabitants as had survived the violence of the conflict. As to the Turdeanians, who had been the instigators of the war between the Carthaginians and the people, | they totally subdued them, sold them as slaves, and rased their city to the ground. Such were the occurrences in Spain during the consulate of Quintus Fabius and Marcus Claudius. XLIII. At Rome, no sooner had the new plebeian tribunes entered into office, than one of them Lucius Metullus, summoned the censors, Publius Furius and Marcus tilius, to trial before the people. In the preceding year, when he was quæstor, they had degraded him from the equestrian rank and from his tribe, and had disfranchised him on account of his having formed a conspiracy at Cannæ to abandon Italy but they were supported by the other nine tribunes, who protested against their being brought to trial, and were consequently discharged. The death of Publius Furius prevented their closing the lustrum; and Marcus Ætilius abdicated his office. The election of consuls was held by the consul Quintus Fabius Maximus, and two were chosen who were both absent at the time, Quintus Fabius Maximus, the present consul's son, and Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, a second time. The prætors appointed were Marcus Atilius and two who were then curule diles, Publius Sempronius Tuditanus and

XLIV. As soon as the elections were finished, [Y. R. 539. B. C. 213.] the consuls elect were called home to Rome, by the advice of the present consul Quintus Fabius, and assumed the administration. They then called a meeting of the senate, to determine concerning their own provinces and those of the prætors, the armies to be employed, and the commanders to whom each was to be allotted. These were distributed in the following manner: To the consuls was assigned the province of making head against Hannibal; and of the armies, the one which Sempronius himself had already under his command, and another commanded by the late consul Fabius. These consisted of two legions each, Marcus Emilius, the prætor, to whose lot the foreign jurisdiction had fallen, (his share in the administration of justice being consigned to his colleague,) Marcus Atilius, city prætor, was to hold the province of Luceria and the two legions which Quintus Fabius, the present consul, had commanded as prætor; to Publius Sempronius fell the province of Ariminum; to Cneius Fulvius, Suessula, with two legions likewise to each; Fulvius to take with him the city legions; Tuditanus to receive his from Marcus Pomponius. The following commanders and provinces were continued: to Marcus Claudius, Sicily, so far as the limits of Hiero's dominions had extended; to Lentulus, proprætor, the old Roman province in that island; to Titus Otacilius, the fleet. No additions were made to their armies. Greece and Macedonia were allotted to Marcus Valerius, with the legion and fleet which he had there; to Quintus Mucius, Sardinia, with his old army, which consisted of two legions, and to Caius Terentius, Picenum, with one legion at the present under his command. It was ordered, that, besides those mentioned, two city legions should be levied, and twenty thou sand troops of the allies. These were the leaders, these the forces provided for the defence of the Roman empire, against a multi

tude of enemies, cither declared or suspected. | out any allowance for circumstances. Thus, The consuls, after raising the two city legions, at a time when they should rather contrive and and filling up the numbers of the others, before labour to prevent, if possible, any of the allies they quitted Rome, expiated several prodigies, revolting from the Roman cause, or become which had been reported. A wall and a gate wavering in their inclinations, they were of had been struck by lightning, and also the tem- opinion, that a person who repented and show ple of Jupiter at Aricia. Besides which sev-ed an inclination to return to his former coneral deceptions of the eyes and ears were cre- nections, ought to be punished for an example. dited as facts; that the figures of ships of war But if those who had once forsaken the part of had appeared in the river at Tarracini, where the Romans, were at no time allowed to reno such ships were; that in the temple of Ju- turn to it, who could doubt, but that their napiter, at Vicilinum in the district of Compsa, a tion would be deserted by its allies, and that clashing of arms was heard, and that the river they would shortly see every state in Italy comat Amiternum flowed in streams of blood.bined under Carthaginian treaties? NevertheWhen the expiation of these was performed, less he was not disposed to think that any according to the direction of the pontiffs, the confidence should be reposed in Altinius: but consuls, set out, Sempronius to Lucania, Fabius he would strike out a middle way of proceedto Apulia. The father of the latter coming ing, and recommend that, at present, he should into the camp at Suessula, as lieutenant-general not be treated either as an enemy or an ally, under his son, the son went out to meet him, but should, during the continuance of the war, and the lictors, out of reverence to his dignity, be kept in custody, at a small distance from went on in silence, until the old man rode past the camp, in some city whose fidelity could be eleven of the fasces, when the consul ordering relied on; and that, on the event of peace, it his next lictor to take care, he called to him should be considered whether his former defecto dismount, and the father then, at length, tion pleaded stronger for punishment, or his alighting, said, "I had a mind, my son, to try present return for pardon." This advice of whether you were properly sensible of being Fabius was adopted. Altinius was bound in consul." chains, and together with his attendants, deXLV. Into this camp Darius Altinius of livered into custody; and a large quantity of gold Arpi came privately by night, with three slaves which he had brought with him was ordered to promising that if he were properly rewarded, be kept for his use. He was sent to Cales, he would betray Arpi to them. Fabius held a where he was allowed to go out by day attended council to consider of the matter, when some by guards, who confined and watched him by were of opinion, that he ought to be scourged night. When he was missed at his house in and put to death as a deserter, being a common Arpi, search was made for him at first, when foe to both parties, ever ready to change sides; the report of what had happened spreading who, after the misfortune at Cannæ, as if faith through the city, occasioned a tumult among ought to follow the changes of fortune, had the citizens, as if they had lost their leader; gone over to the Carthaginians, and drawn so that, dreading an alteration of their present Arpi into a revolt; and now, when the Roman system, they despatched, instantly, to Hannibal affairs were, contrary to his hopes and wishes, an account of the affair. This was not at all recovering from that disaster, it must appear displeasing to the Carthaginian, because he had doubly base to offer to serve by an act of treach-long harboured suspicions of him, knowing the ery, the party on whom he had practised his duplicity of his character; and besides, he had treachery before. Such a wretch, who always now gained an excuse for seizing and confiscatappeared to act on one side, while his wishes ing his great property. However, in order to were on the other, such a perfidious ally and make people believe that he was actuated rather fickle enemy, ought to be made a third lesson by anger than rapaciousness, he exhibited a to deserters along with the Falerian and Pyr-scene of uncommon barbarity; for having orrhus's traitors." On the other hand Fabius, dered his wife and children to be brought into the consul's father, said, that " people did not the camp, he made a strict inquiry concerning attend to the state of the times, but, in the the flight of Altinius, and likewise concerning very heat of war, as in a time of tranquillity, the quantities of gold and silver which he had pronounced their decisions on every case with-left at home; and, when he had got sufficient in-VOL. I.-3 X

45

formation of every particular, he burned them | Carthaginians, to guard against any treachery

alive.

XLVI. Fabius set out from Suessula, intending to open the campaign with the siege of Arpi; and having pitched his camp about half a mile from the place, and taken a near view of the situation and fortifications of the town, he resolved to make his principal attack on a quarter where the works were the strongest, and the guard the most negligently kept. After providing every thing requisite for an assault, he selected out of the whole army the ablest centurions, and placed over them tribunes of known bravery, giving them six hundred soldiers, which number was deemed sufficient, with orders, that, on the sounding of the signal of the fourth watch, they should advance with scaling ladders to the chosen spot. The gate on that side was low and narrow, the corresponding street being little frequented, as leading through a deserted part of the town. He ordered them, after first scaling the wall, to proceed to this gate, and break down the bars on the inside; then, as soon as they had got possession of that quarter of the city, to give the signal with a coronet, that the rest of the forces might join them, saying, that he would have every thing in readiness. His orders were executed with vigour and spirit; while a circumstance, which seemed likely to obstruct the undertaking, proved the most favourable for concealing their operations. A heavy rain at midnight obliged the guards and watches in the town to slip away from their posts, and run for shelter into the houses, while the loudness of the storm, which was most violent at the beginning, prevented their hearing the noise made by those who were breaking the postern, and the sound, becoming afterwards more soft and regular, lulled most of the men to sleep. As soon as the assailants had secured possesssion of the gate, they placed the coronet-players in the street, at equal distances, and ordered them to sound as a summons to the consul; who, finding this part of the plan executed, immediately ordered his troops to march, and, a little before day, entered the city through the broken gate.

on their rear, opposed in front to the enemy. The fight was maintained for some time in the dark, and in narrow streets, the Romans having seized not only all the passes, but the houses likewise next to the gate, lest they might be struck or wounded by any thing thrown down from them. Some of the Arpians and Romans recognising each other, began to enter into conversation; the latter asking what had been the demerit of their countrymen, or what the merit of the Carthaginians, that could induce Italians to wage war in their favour,-in favour of foreigners and barbarians; in fine, against their ancient allies, and striving to reduce Italy to a state of vassalage, and to make it a tributary province to Africa? The Arpians, in excuse for themselves, declared, that, without knowing any thing of the matter, they had been sold to the Carthaginians by those who had the management of their affairs, and that they were kept in a state of subjection and oppression by a faction of a few. In consequence of this declaration, greater numbers on both sides joined in the conversation. At last the prætor of Arpi was brought by his countrymen to the consul, and mutual assurances being given, in the midst of the standards and troops, the Arpians on a sudden turned their arms against the Carthaginians in favour of the Romans. A body of Spaniards also, nearly a thousand in number, came over to the consul, without stipulating any other condition than that the Carthaginian garrison should be allowed to depart unhurt; which article was punctually fulfilled the gates were thrown open: they were dismissed in safety, and joined Hannibal at Salapia. Thus was Arpi restored to the Romans, without any other loss than that of the life of one man, long since branded with treason, and lately with desertion. To the Spaniards a double allowance of provisions was ordered; and, on very many occasions afterwards, the government found them brave and faithful soldiers. While one of the consuls was in Apulia, and the other in Lucania, a hundred and twelve Campanian horsemen, all men of noble birth, having, under XLVII. At length the enemy were roused, pretence of ravaging the enemy's country, ob the rain too abating with the approach of day. tained leave from the magistrates to go out There was in the city a garrison of Hannibal's of Capua, came to the Roman camp above troops, amounting to five thousand effective Suessula, told the advance guard who they men, and the armed people of Arpi themselves were, and that they wished to speak with the were three thousand more. These latter, the prætor. Cneius Fulvius, who commanded there,

on receiving their message, ordered ten of their | he had to deal with an enemy whose chief connumber, unarmed, to be conducted into his pre-fidence lay in the power of their infantry; and sence; and having heard their demands, which amounted to no more than that, on Capua being recovered, their property might be restored to them, he received them all into protection. At the same time the other prætor, Sempronius Tuditanus, reduced, by force, the town of Aternum, took above seven thousand prisoners, and a considerable quantity of brass and silver coin. At Rome a dreadful fire raged during two nights and one day: every thing between the Saline and the Carmental gate was levelled to the ground, as where the Equimalium and the Jugarian street. The fire, catching the temples of Fortune, of Mother Matuta, and of Hope, on the outside of the gate, and spreading to a vast extent, consumed a great number of build-mained with the king was Quintus Statorius. ings, both religious and private.

that, therefore, if he expected to put himself on an equality with them in point of firm strength, he must procure a body of foot soldiers to oppose theirs. That his dominions abounded with numbers of men fit for the purpose, but that he was totally ignorant of the proper method of arming, training, and marshalling them; and they were in every respect awkward and unmanageable, like a mere mob collected by chance." The ambassadors answered, that they would, at the present, comply with his desire, provided he gave them an assurance that he would send the person back, in case their commanders should disapprove of what they had done. The name of him who re

With the two centurions, the Numidian sent into Spain ambassadors on his part, to receive the ratification of the convention from the Roman generals; and he charged them, after they should have executed this commission, to persuade the Numidians, who acted as auxiliaries in the Carthaginian garrison, to come over to the other side. Statorius, finding abundance of young men, raised an army of infantry for the king, and forming them into distinct bodies, according to the Roman method, taught them, in taking their posts and performing their several evolutions, to follow their standards and keep their ranks; and he so inured them to the practice of military works, and other duties of soldiers, that, in a short time, the king placed not more confidence in his cavalry than in his infantry, and, even in a pitched battle, on a level plain, he defeated an army of Carthaginians. The arrival of the king's ambassadors was productive of great advantages to the Romans in Spain, for, as soon as it was known, the Numidians began to come over in great numbers from the enemy. In this manner did friendship commence between the Romans and Syphax. Of which transaction, as soon as the Carthaginians got notice, they instantly despatched ambassadors to Gala, who reigned in the other

XLVIII. During this year, the two Cornelii, Publius and Cneius, by the prosperous course of affairs in Spain, and from their having recovered many old, and acquired many new allies, were encouraged to extend their views to Africa itself. Syphax, at this time king of a part of Numidia, had suddenly commenced a war with the Carthaginians: to him they sent three centurions as ambassadors, to form a treaty of friendship and alliance, and to assure him, that, if he continued to prosecute the war against the Carthaginians, the Roman senate and people would be thankful for the service, and would use their best endeavours to repay the kindness afterwards to his entire satifaction. This embassy was very acceptable to the barbarian: he entered into conversation with the ambassadors on the art of war; and when he heard the discourses of those experienced veterans, and compared his own practice with such a regular system of discipline, he became sensible of his ignorance in many particulars. Then he requested, as the first instance of that favour, which he might expect from good and faithful alllies, that "two of them might carry back to their commanders the result of their embassy, and the other remain with him as his instructor in military knowledge; adding, that the people of Numidia were part of Numidia, over the nation called Masyquite unacquainted with the method of fighting | lians. on foot, and were useful only on horseback: XLIX. Gala had a son named Masinissa, that this was the mode practised by their an- at that time only seventeen years old, but encestors since their first existence as a nation, dowed with such talents as, even then, afforded and to the same had the present generation strong presumption that he would leave the been accustomed since their childhood. That kingdom more extensive and opulent than when

he received it. The ambassadors represented | tracted by his fame, flocked to him from all that since Syphax had united himself with sides, in such numbers, that he was soon at the the Romans, for the purpose of being enabled, head of a very great army. In order to prevent by their assistance, to exert greater force his carrying this force into Spain, from which against the other kings and natives of Africa, he was separated only by a narrow strait, Masi it would be the interest of Gala to enter into nissa, with his victorious troops, came up with alliance, as soon as possible, with the Cartha- him; and there, by his own strength, without ginians, on the other side; that, before Syphax any aid from the Carthaginians, he maintained passed over into Spain, or the Romans into the war against Syphax with great glory. In Africa, it would be very practicable to over- Spain nothing memorable was performed, expower the former, who had, as yet, gained no cept that the Roman generals brought over to advantage from his connection with Rome, their side the youth of Celtiberia, granting except the name of it." Gala was easily per- them the same pay which they had stipulated suaded to take part in the war, especially as his with the Carthaginians, and sending above son earnestly solicited the command of the three hundred Spaniards of the highest distincarmies; and, in conjunction with the legions tion into Italy to endeavour to draw off their of the Carthaginians, he totally defeated Sy-countrymen, who served as auxiliaries in Hanphax in a great battle, in which, as we are told, thirty thousand men were slain. Syphax fled from the field with a few horsemen, and took refuge among the Maurusian Numidians, who inhabit the remotest coast of the ocean, opposite to Gades. Here the barbarians, at

nibal's army. The only incident which occurred in Spain, remarkable enough to deserve being recorded, was, that the Celtiberians, in this year, were the first mercenary troops ever entertained in the Roman armies.