History of Rome

​Meanwhile, Hannibal’s soldiers, having lit fires before their tents, and oil having been distributed through the maniples to soften their limbs, and having taken food at their leisure, as soon as it was reported that the enemy had crossed the river, with minds and bodies full of vigor, took up their arms and advanced into line of battle.

​He placed the Baleares and other light-armed troops, about eight thousand men, in front of the standards; then the heavier-armed infantry, which was the main strength and vigor of his army; on the wings he stationed ten thousand cavalry, and on both sides, dividing them from the wings, he placed the elephants.

​The consul, when his cavalry, which were pursuing in a scattered manner, were suddenly surprised off their guard by the resisting Numidians, gave the signal for retreat and, having recalled them, placed them around the infantry.

​There were eighteen thousand Romans, twenty thousand of the allies of the Latin name, and besides, the auxiliary troops of the Cenomani; this was the only Gallic tribe that had remained faithful. With these forces the conflict began.

​The battle was begun by the Baleares; and when the legions opposed them with greater strength, the light-armed troops were quickly drawn off to the wings, a movement which caused the Roman cavalry to be immediately hard pressed.

​For while four thousand cavalry could scarcely by themselves resist ten thousand, and they being fatigued against those who were mostly fresh, they were moreover overwhelmed by what was like a cloud of javelins thrown by the Baleares.

​In addition to this, the elephants, towering up at the extremities of the wings, and terrifying the horses especially, not only by their appearance but also by their unaccustomed smell, caused a widespread flight.

​The infantry fight was equal in spirit rather than in strength, which the Carthaginians, fresh and having recently refreshed their bodies, had brought into the battle; on the other hand, the bodies of the Romans, fasting and fatigued, and stiff with cold, were benumbed. They would, however, have resisted by their courage, if the fight had been with the infantry alone;

​but both the Baleares, having repulsed the cavalry, were throwing javelins at their flanks, and the elephants had already forced themselves into the center of the infantry line, and Mago and the Numidians, as soon as the Roman line had inattentively passed by their ambush, rising up from behind, caused immense confusion and terror.

​Yet, in the midst of so many surrounding evils, the line remained for some time unmoved, especially, beyond the expectation of all, against the elephants.

​The light-armed darter, stationed for this very purpose, by throwing their javelins both turned them away, and pursuing them as they turned, stabbed them under their tails, where they receive wounds most easily because the skin is thinnest.