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Polybius · The Histories §8.38.1

Roman Defensive Barricade Made from Pack-Saddles

Passage 598 of 1311 · Greek

Summary

Explains how the Roman commander ordered the infantry to use pack-saddles with baggage as a makeshift barricade, which proved to be an extremely secure defence.

§8.38.1σὺν γὰρ τοῖς ἐπιδεδεμένοις φορτίοις τὰ κανθήλια λαβόντας ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν προθέσθαι πρὸ αὑτῶν ἐκέλευσε τοὺς πεζούς.
For he ordered the infantry to take the pack-saddles with the baggage fastened on them from behind and place them in front of themselves.
οὗ γενομένου συνέβη παρὰ πάντας χάρακας ἀσφαλέστατον γενέσθαι τὸ πρόβλημα. [συιδας ϝ. Κανθήλιος. ϝ. λιϝ. χχϝ, 36, 7. ]
When this was done, it happened that a most secure defence was formed, surpassing any palisade. [συιδας ϝ. Κανθήλιος. ϝ. λιϝ. χχϝ, 36, 7.]

Notes

  1. §8.38.1κανθήλια — The noun κανθήλια, usually referring to pack-asses, here corresponds to the Latin clitellae (pack-saddles) in the parallel passage of Livy (25.36.7), meaning "pack-saddles" or "panniers".
  2. §8.38.1παρὰ πάντας χάρακας — The preposition παρά with the accusative means "beyond" or "in comparison with", expressing a comparative sense here ("more than any palisade").
  3. §8.38.1λαβόντας — Accusative participle agreeing with τοὺς πεζούς, which functions as the logical subject of the infinitive προθέσθαι.

Cite this passage

Polybius, The Histories §8.38.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0543.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.38.1

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