CHAP. III.] 



ROMAN CAVALRY. 



77 



ranged iii a species of close order, thirty-two files in front 

 by twelve in depth. These had closed up after the 

 velites and cavalry had retired through the intervals 

 and formed in their rear, the velites behind the heavy 

 infantry, the cavalry behind them. The yelites were 

 formed up in maniples with intervals. The cavalry, 

 1,500 on each wing, in squadrons of three turmse, had 

 also intervals between the squadrons. 



The tactical arrangements for the battle had evidently 

 been carefully prepared in advance, and explained to the 

 officeis. Scipio himself took command of the right 

 wing and Julius Silanus that of the left. The whole 

 Koman army then advanced in line, the Carthaginians 

 moving forward to meet them, when at the distance of a 

 few hundred yards the two wings wheeled outwards into 

 columns and marched the right wing to the right, and 

 the left to the left until the heads of the columns were 

 opposite the respective tianks of the line of Carthaginian 

 infantry, then the cohorts, wheeling right and left back 

 into line, formed themselves in order of battle in front 

 of the wings of the enemy, and with increased speed 

 hastened on to the attack.^ The columns of velites and 

 cavalry did not halt in the outward march but moved on, 

 and as soon as the heads of the columns cleared the 

 flanks of the infantry each maniple of velites, and each 

 squadron of cavalry, wheeling to the left on the right 

 wing, and to the right on the left, by the simple 

 manoeuvre known as right and left form or "to the 

 reverse flank right or left form," successively wheeled 

 into line and moved up so that the troops were reversed, 

 those on the right becoming the loft, and vice versd. By 

 this means Scipio's line elongated itself on each flank, 

 and overlapped and enveloped the flanks of the enemy. 



In the meantime Scipio ordered the Spaniards to 

 move very slowly (in fact he refused his centre), his 

 order of battle being the double oblique, his two wings 

 being thrown forward to commence the action. The 

 battle was opened by his cavalry attacking the Car- 



^ Polybius, xi. ch. 5, 



