82 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[PEBIOD I. 



1 



I 



■ ■M 



stood firm, until Hannibal opened the action by ordering 

 them to advance. The noise of the Roman trumpets 

 frightened the elephants, and put them in confusion, the 

 velites attacked them with javelins, the cavalry also set 

 upon them, so that some were driven through the open- 

 ings Scipio had left in his line ; some were driven by the 

 flanks off the field, and some in their terror turned and 

 broke through the cavalry on the left of Hannibal's 

 army, throwing them into disorder. Massanissa saw the 

 opporturlty, and with the skill of an old and experienced 

 cavalry officer, charged at once impetuously upon them, 

 and drove them at the first onset in utter rout from the 

 field. Laelius, superior to the cavalry in his front, was 

 equally successful, and pursued the fugitive horsemen 

 with great vigour. 



In the meantime the infantry had come into action. 

 The mercenaries of the first line were soon hardly pressed 

 and not being well supported by the Carthaginians in 

 the line behind, believing themselves betrayed, fell back, 

 and even attacked their supports, so that there was great 

 confusion, and many were slain, the hastati being also 

 somewhat disordered by the intensity of the struggle. 

 They were supported by the principes, and soon regained 

 their steadiness.^ Hannibal, seeing the fugitives flying 

 towards his reserves, and fearing these might also be 

 thrown into confusion, ordered his veterans to present 

 their pikes, and compel the routed troops to escape 

 around the flanks. 



Scipio recalled his hastati from the pursuit, formed 

 them up again, and moved up his principes and triarii 

 on the wings in line with them, and then another battle 

 commenced between Hannibal's veterans and the Roman 

 infantry. Polybius says, " The numbers, the resolution, 

 the arms, of the two sides were equal, and they fought 

 with such obstinacy that they died in the ranks where 

 they fought, and no one could judge which would have 

 the advantage," when Lselius and Massanissa, leading 

 back their victorious horse from the pursuit, fell upon 

 the rear of Hannibal's phalanx at the crisis of the 



^ Polybius, XV. 1. 



