li A T 



infirur numhers. expired on the fieUI lie liad immortalized 

 no Ids by liis ptilonal exploits, than his able arrangements 

 hJorc the adioii. Henceforth pitched battles are more 

 frequently dilliugniflicd by maftcrly llrokes of general- 



The formidable phalanx, then a late invention, lo lefs than 

 his own military talents, ficiired to Thilip of Maccdon his 

 triiiirph at Cbironia. (Diod. Sic. lib. xvi. 



tm porta nt 



ft 



chi86.) The three great battle-: of Alexander again 

 Darius were gained but with little diffieiilty, owing to the 

 fiiperior taaics of the Greeks. Tliofc of lITus and Arbtla 

 in particular (Arrian. Alex.iii. (<.&. 15. Qiiin. Curt. lib. iv.) 

 were only (laughter. When we read that in the latter, with 

 tlie lols of only 1200 of his own men, the Macedonian de- 

 flroyed, according to the lead exaggerated accounts, 40,000 

 of the Ptrfians (Anianfays 300,000), it is pvttty plain that 

 the refilbnce was but nominal, and that the conquerors 

 had little more trouble than to do execution on their ene- 



Taies. , , . , 



The Grecian hiftoiy, fubftquent to Alexander, is repkte 

 vith inftanccs of pitched battles ; but of which little or no 

 particular account has been left us. We are for the moll part 

 in the dark " itli viipeCt lo the order obferved in drawing up 

 the rival armies, and tlie manauvrts which accelerated or re- 

 tarded a vidory. The abrupt termination of the hiftoiy of 

 Diodorus Sieulus, deprives us of any details refpecling the 

 battle of Ipfus, except the brief and unfatisfaftory account 

 of Plutarch (inDem.). The number of the (lain alone leaves 

 us fometimes a little room to judge of the importance or the 

 obftinacy of a conflitt. 



Polvbius, however, has left us (lib. ii.) a full and iiiterefting 

 account of the decilive engagement at SeUafia, which, for 

 a time, completely fubjctled the Grecian ftates to the power 

 of Maceuon. Here again the phalanx determined the for- 

 tune of the day, and dcmonftrated the fuptiiority of its clofe 

 and impenetrable order, over the more loole and (liallow bat- 

 talions of their antagonifts. 



Among the Romans we (hall find ftill further occafion to 

 remark the rapid improvement of ancient tactics. Guided 

 by Polybius and I.ivy, we pciufe with peculiar intereft the 

 account of battles fought for the maftery of the world, per- 

 petually differing in fituation, in Uiccefs, and in confequences. 

 That of Tunis in particular, between Regulus and Xan- 

 thippus, calls ftrongly upon the attention. W^e are not 

 dazzled by a long lill of numerous forces and barbarous 

 auxiliaries, fatigued by a repetition of defultory attacks and 

 repulfes, or bewildered amidll a fciiesof complex manoeuvres. 

 Two armies nearly equal in numbers, of fmall ftrength, 

 but fupereminent valour, headed by renowned generals, en- 

 counter on a fpot of ground eafily fiirvcyed by the eye of 

 imagination. We remark their feveral dlfpofitions. The 

 fimple narrative of the hiftorian points out cleaily and fatis- 

 faftorily tlie faults or advantages of thofe difpolitions, the 

 miftaken raflineis of the Roman, and the confummate gene- 

 ralftiip of Xanthippus ; and before we enter upon the vicifTi- 

 tudes of the aftion, we are fully convinced tliat the errors 

 committed by Regulus muft ultimately lead to his total de- 

 feat. Polyb. hb. i. 



The march of Hannibal, into Italy furni(hes us with 

 feveral inilances of pitched battles, various in their nature, 

 important in their confequences, and intercfting in defciip- 

 tion. Far from being fatigued with fol'owing the brave 

 Carthaginian through a continual fccne of (laughter, we con- 

 Cder and admire his condutt, feel for his difficulties, -.agcrly 

 accompany him in the field of carnage, and take a lively in- 

 tereft in his proceedings. The three famous engagements of 

 tb: Titlla (Polybk lib. iii. Liv, lib. xxi. fed. 53 — 56.); of 



BAT 



the like Thrafymenui (Polyb. ib. Liv, lib. xxii. feiJt. 4— 

 7.); and of Cfln/i.f (Polyb. ib. I.iv. xxii. fed. 44 — 52.); 

 rifing in importance one above the other, chiefly arrell our 

 attention. We find that previous to every one of thele, the 

 arrangements made by Hannibal were fuch as almoft to en- 

 fure fuccefs. A feries of artful movements were conilantly 

 employed to draw the Romans into the fnares prepared for 

 them ; and their commanders, dellitute of the genius it was 

 neccfTary to oppofc to fo formidable an enemy, ruilicd, as it 

 were, blindfold upon their ruin ; though pon'cfled in each of 

 the contcfts we have juft named of every advantage of num- 

 bers, refources, and, we may even add, of valour. The talents 

 of a fingle man reduced thofe advantages to nothing. Their 

 numbers were converted into an hir.dr.'.nce to tl-.emfelvcs, 

 their refources were intercepted or rendered ufelefs, and 

 tlielr valour, degenerating into defpair, precipitated them 

 madly upon certain deftrudion. 



No adion was ever more obftinately fought, or as a 

 pitched battle deferves more confideiation, than that of 

 Zi:ma (Liv. lib. xxx. fed. 32 — 35. Polyb. Fragm. lib. xv.), 

 where the fortune of a Scipio finally triumphed over the 

 Carthaginian republic. Without more tiian barely naming 

 it here, we refer the reader for a more particular account 

 of that celebrated affair, to the article Zama. 



From this time, Roman difcipline and valour reigned, 

 triumphant in every llruggle with foreign nations. The 

 armies of Antiochus, Perleus, and Mithridates, were de- 

 ftroyed, forthemoft part, with fcarcely an eflort ; and tlie 

 battles they ventured in defence of their dominions are only 

 miferable iuilances of the inferiority of mere courage, fup- 

 ported by tenfold numbers, to the cool and fteady bravery 

 of veteran foldiers, dirtded and managed by the talents of 

 an experienced general. 



But however cheaply the legions of Flaminius, of L. Sci- 

 pio, of P. iEmilius, and of Lucullus, had eaine'd their lau- 

 rels, a harder talk was impofed on thofe who, under Cornelius 

 Sylla, and Julius Cxfar, turned their arms againft their own 

 countrvmen. They had to engage with troops equally cou- 

 rageous, expert, and ilridly dileiplined; with men who, under 

 Maiius and t'lc great Pompcy.had exteiminated the hordes of 

 the favage Cimbri, and had fubjugated the eallern v.orld ; in a 

 word, with Romans. Three pitched battles, thofe of Phar- 

 Jalia, Thapfus, and Munda, fignalized this bloody period, and 

 gave ample fcope for the exertion of the utmoll talents of the 

 matchlefs Caefar. Yet in the laft of thefe engagements, 

 that confummate general coiifclTed, that he contended not 

 for vidory, but for his life ; a fatisfadoi^ evidence of the 

 defperation with which it was fought. Plut. in Csef. 



The two battles of Philippi are equally famous. Few 

 have been more decifive in the event, or more dillinguifhed 

 for the uncommon perfeverance and obllinacy with which 

 they were contelled. 



In the age of Tacitus, we find the military fcience of the 

 Romans brought to perfedion. Similar to the train of 

 artillery which modern generals carry into the field, the army 

 of Vitellius at Cirmona planted its balillx to play upon 

 the enemy, and with Ihoweis of immenfe iloncs, Uvcpt them 

 away by whole ranks. (Tacit. Hill. lib. iii. fed. 23.) This 

 battle, and the fubfcquenl ftorming of the advcrfe camp by 

 ihe legions of Vefpafian, give us a perfed infight into the 

 mode of warfare as then pradifcd. Tacit, ibid. fed. 21 



-33- 



in the lower ages of the empire we meet with very few in- 

 ftanccs of conflids, remarkable either for their long duration 

 or for any celebrated manoeuvres put in execution by rival 

 generals. Nations relapfcd faft, even in this deftrudive fci- 

 ence, into their original barbarifm. Armies were no longer 



compoTed 



