66 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[rEllIOD 



hotvveeii Hannibal and his cavalry and light infantry, 

 and the advanced guard of the Romans, which was 

 commanded by the Consul Varro. At the first charge of 

 the Carthaginian cavalry, which as usual was delivered 

 with great vigour, the Romans were thrown into con- 

 siderable confusion, and would have been utterly routed, 

 but that Varro had placed some cohorts of legionary 

 heavy armed infantry, in the intervals of the cavalry. 

 This precaution, says Polybius, gave him all the advan- 

 tage in the combat. 



At the battle of Cannae, Hannibal's army was drawn 

 up in a loop or bend of the river Aufidus. The heavy 

 Gallic and Spanish cavalry, 8,000 strong, were placed on 

 his extreme left, their left flank resting on the river ; 

 next to them were half of the African infantry. In the 

 centre the Gallic and Spanish heavy armed foot were 

 drawn up in heavy battalions (^tXtr/p;^?;) about 1,024 men 

 each. On their right came the other half of the African 

 infantry, and next to them on the extreme right 2,000 

 Numidian cavalrv. 



The Roman array was formed up opposite to them. 

 The Roman equites, 2,400 in number, were placed on the 

 right wing, in front of Hannibal's 8,000 heavy cavalry. 

 The infantry were in the centre, in the usual formation of 

 three lines of hastafi, principes, and triarii in maniples 

 with intervals equal to their own front. The maniples 

 were lessened in front, and the depth increased, so that 

 they were sixteen ranks in depth by ten files in front. 

 This was done to gain the advantage of the immense 

 superiority in numbers on the side of the Romans. The 

 cavalry of the allies were on the left, opposed to the 

 Numidians. 



The slingers, and other light troops of the Cartha- 

 ginians as well as the light troops of the Romans, were 

 placed in front of the main lines, and they opened the 

 battle, fighting for a long time with much bravery, but 

 without any decisive result. 



Hannibal had not failed to notice the great efficiency 

 of the Roman infantry, and attributing their value partly 

 to their arms, he had given to his African veterans the 



