I – Magone, in the extreme attempt to escape our control, left Liguria, incited the Insubrians to revolt.
Magone
Reached by the Praetor Publius Quintilio Vararo and by Proconsul Marco Cornelio Cetego, he engaged a desperate struggle.
When Magone fell severely wounded, the Carthaginians retreated, the Insubrians fled.
In the following night, Magone, as allowed by the wound, returned to forced marches in Liguria, where he was reached by Carthaginian messengers who ordered him to return home, where his brother Hannibal was coming.
Embarked the soldiers he sailed, but come close to Sardinia the wound led him to death.
The Carthaginian ships, dispersed in the sea, were captured by our fleet.
A new mourning cut Hannibal's soul, but even more distress gave him the Senate's order to return home.
It is told that overwhelmed by anger he said:
“Will be satisfied Annone (who had already died) and my enemies, who refusing to send me reinforcements and money, brought our homeland to these extremes.
To destroy our family they led Carthage to ruin”.
Annone
It is still told that turning from the ship that brought him to Carthage, looking at the shores of Italy, cursed the Fate and the men and invoking the axe of the Gods on his head, as while Scipio had not hesitated to cross the sea and fight the war under the walls of Carthage, he not had the courage to attack Rome, when had beaten his armies.
Indeed, the departure of Hannibal was welcomed by such enthusiasm, that various and fanciful rumors were plagued.
I do not think Hannibal has ever reproached not to have marched on Rome.
I was in Canne, saw the battlefield flooded with Roman blood, but also I saw the Carthaginians paid a high tribute to victory.
Hannibal was lacking in the forces to go to Rome and the Carthaginians did not realize that would be the time to make the most of the effort, sending quickly the requested aids.
That moment passed and it would never come back again.
Fate blinded our enemies and wanted Rome to survive.
II – Several feelings were stirring up the Romans, some rebuked the consuls of allowing Hannibal to leave Italy without hurt, and now the fate of war burdened on only one army and only one commander.
To cheer up the minds, came from Sagunto ambassadors, carrying with them as prisoners some noble Carthaginians who had gone to Spain with large sums of money to hire mercenaries.
These sums, equal to two hundred and fifty gold librae (over 80 kg, an enormous sum for that time), the Saguntini gave to the Senate, who returned them.
When the ambassadors were introduced into the Senate, the eldest took the floor and after recalled the tremendous disasters they had endured, after recalled that Publio and Gneo Scipione had released and rebuilt Sagunto, after recalled that with the death of the two Scipioni they were taken from the anguished fear of falling again into Carthaginian hand, said:
“Suddenly and fortunately you sent us the new Scipione. We feel the lucky ones of the Saguntini, because we will announce to our fellow citizens that he, who is our hope, our strength, our salvation, after expelling the Carthaginians from all over Spain, now, in Africa, is preparing for inflict the extreme defeat on the common enemy”.
Gneo Scipione
The Senate, ordered the urban praetor to give the ambassadors a warm welcome, handed them rich gifts.
III - Nearly the same day, the ambassadors sent by the Carthaginians came to Rome, they pretended to have come to negotiate peace conditions, while awaiting the arrival of Hannibal and Magone.
For this reason, they had asked Scipione to grant them a truce.
The senators understood that according to their bad faith the Carthaginians simply wanted to gain time.
The ambassadors were therefore dismissed without any response.
The outrage was added to the bad faith, while Gneo Ottavio, with a fleet of two hundred freighters escorted by thirty warships, brought supplies to Scipione, surprised by a storm, wrecked off Aquae Calde (Warm Waters, Near Tunis), from Carthage came a great crowd to take possession of the prey, while Asdrubale with a fleet of fifty ships towed the Roman ships.
Asdrubale Gisgone
This was done during the truce demanded by the Carthaginians themselves.
Scipione, indignant, sent his messengers to Carthage.
Not only did they risk life, but on the way back the quinquereme on which they embarked, hardly was saved from the boarding by the enemy ships.
IV – From the Greek cities our allied were sent ambassadors to Roma complaining that Philip V,
irrespective of the peace treaty negotiated with the Romans, had plundered their territories. They also added that having received a large sum of money from the Carthaginians, he had sent four thousand soldiers to help them.
To warm Philip and know what it was, beyond rumors, the situation, the Senate sent to Macedonia, Gaio Terenzio Varrone, Gaio Atilio Mamilio and Marco Cotta Aurelio.
 |
 |
| Philip V |
Gaio Terenzio Varrone |
Along that year (203) Quinto Fabio Massimo Verrucoso died.
He had the great merit of stopping Hannibal, who after the Battle of Canne seemed unstoppable.
For the way he opposed the Carthaginian, he was nicknamed "Cunctator".
His opponents said that this corresponded to his nature, so cautious that he could be considered hesitant.
In an effort to safeguard Rome, he abandoned the lands of our allies by allowing Hannibal plunder and immoderate destruction, bringing our faithful friends to the exasperation for his blindness.
He opposed Scipione with all his forces, demanding his removal, to prevent his landing in Africa.
It was in turn unanimously opposed by the Roman peoples and our allies.
He had great influence on the Senate, of which for long was elected Princeps (today we would say president).
In an effort to restore ancient customs, he celebrated with solemnity rites now forgotten.
He was Pontifex Maximus and for sixty-two years augur.
Quinto Fabio Massimo Verrucoso
V – Finally Hannibal arrived in Africa, landing the troops at Leptis Parva (today Lempta near Monastir).
He led an army that had aged with him, but few of the winners of Trebbia, Trasimeno, and Canne were still alive.
With his arrival, the Carthaginians were agitated by great hopes and no less than big fears.
They knew that their destiny was all and only in Hannibal's hands.
Hannibal covered twenty miles (about 30 km) from Leptis Parva to Adrumeto (now Susa in Tunisia).
Informed that every place around Carthage was occupied by the Romans, forced marches headed to Zama (south of Tunis); here sent explorers,
who captured by ours, were taken by Scipione, then, according to the orders, escorted by a centurion, were invited to visit our camp.
Fearing that they would be put to death shortly afterwards, the explorers went headed down in the middle of us, who in truth could not hold back the laughter.
Led back to Scipione, he asked them if they were satisfied with the visit, and then escorted sent them back to Hannibal, who was bewildered with such confidence and greatly worried when knew that Masinissa had reached Scipione with six thousand chosen infantry men and four thousand knights.
Masinissa
VI – After the Battle of Campi Magni, as I said Masinissa chased with his cavalry Siface, escorted by Lelio, who commanded the Roman infantry.
Siface retreated into his ancient kingdom, abandoned the Massili lands, returned to Masinissa.
Yet still counting on a kingdom full of men and animals, Siface enlisted a new army, a large army, but largely formed by recruits.
Siface
Encamped not far from Cirta (today Constantine in Algeria), the capital of his kingdom, got ready for the decisive confrontation.
As long as the clash was between cavalry, given the great number of his men, Siface kept the camp, but when the Roman infantry advanced, the king's troops began to retreat.
Attempting to curb what was becoming a real escape, Siface advanced on the frontline was captured and led alive to Lelio.
Great was Masinissa's joy to see chained his enemy.
It was time to take Cirta, inside which had taken refuge most of the king's soldiers.
Masinissa asked for the surrender of the city.
When the citizens saw Siface, chained by Masinissa himself, panicked, opened the gates, handed over to Masinissa.
He did not waste time and first ran to the palace.
Here Sofonisba,
waited for him as a suppliant, fearing would be handed over to the Romans, she was ready to be the concubine of the winner.
Sofonisba
Indeed when the queen guessed that Masinissa would hand over her to Lelio,
to escape the fate committed suicide.
Masinissa taken possession of the entire Numidia, arranged the most urgent things, went on horseback to reach Scipione in Zama.
VII – By approaching the decisive confrontation, the two commanders differently prepared to battle themselves and their armies.
Hannibal, knowing that this would be the decisive battle that would put an end to a sixteen-year war, imposed Carthage a supreme effort, with which he had at his disposal eighty elephants, never seen before in a battle and mercenaries of any origin, Gauls, Ligurians , Bruttii, Spaniards, Mauri, Africans, Macedonians.
He distrusted the Numidians, fearing that Masinissa would induce them to desert.
But most of all, as it was said, he was troubled by bad presentiments.
For whom, for what, wondered, would have risked their own lives people who spoke different languages, different in customs, different in the way of fighting?
Not for the homeland they would have fought, but only for hatred of the Romans and for the hope of a great booty.
As commander of Scipione praetorian cohort I witnessed every moment of those fatidic days.
An unshakable faith supported Publio Cornelio, never doubted about victory, if anything had to hold back Masinissa, who, after defeating Siface, wanted the destruction of Carthage and tirelessly induced to defect Numidian knights.
When it became clear that the supreme day was approaching, Scipione summoned the war council.
For the first time it was discussed about elephants, it was not the first time that Hannibal deployed these beasts against us, but it was the first time he had such a large number.
To prevent their charge from crushing our infantry, deployed in the center, it was decided to leave passages among the maniples (each legion consisted of 30 maniples).
When the elephants were being sent to the assault, the veliti (legionaries throwing javelins) and the archers, had to leave the passages free and shelter within the maniples, from here they would target the beasts from every side.
On the left wing Lelio would deploy with the Italica cavalry, on the right wing Masinissa and the Numidians.
Lelio
Scipione knew that in the fury of the battle, everything could happen, therefore it was of utmost importance that the orders were clear and that the commanders timely receive such orders.
The task of keeping the connections between the various detachments was entrusted to the praetorian cohort, while the urgent signals (advance right, left, center, withdrawn) would be transmitted by trumpeters and bucinatori (horn players ), in accordance with the secretly agreed manner.
Bucinatori
Each commander would in turn send the orders to the signiferi, who, by raising the insignia, would lead each cohort (each legion consisted of 10 cohorts).
Repeated the instructions several times, when Scipio was satisfied, the war council was closed.
Signiferi
Hannibal, in his solitude, decided to marshal his army along three rows, the elephants would be placed in the center of the first line, behind which the Ligurians, the Gauls, and the Mauri infantry men, along with the slingers.
The Carthaginians, the Africans and the Macedonians would be in the second line.
In the third line, as reserve troops, would deploy the Bruttii and the Spaniards.
On the left wing he arranged the Numidian and Mauri knights, to the right the Carthaginian cavalry.
It happened that the Numidian of Masinissa faced the Hannibal’s Numidians, perhaps Scipione and Masinissa had been informed about it.
This was the best for us.
Worried Hannibal the difficulty of transmitting orders during the battle to people speaking different languages.
Great hopes he had in the charge of the elephants.
At the rising of the new sun Hannibal addressed the Carthaginians and every commander their fellow countrymen in their idiom.
Scipione with Lelio and Masinissa aside, with his sword drawn, followed by the praetorian guard, galloped all over the line, paying tribute to the colors, then returning to the center so addressed his soldiers:
“The next night with the victory will end our strains.
In our hands we will have Carthage as prey.
You will soon return home, at the Fathers, at the Wifes, the Children and the Penati Gods (family and home protectors)”.
His words were received by such a rumble that a dozen elephants panicked fled by investing the left wing of Hannibal, where the Mauri and the Numidians were, some of whom, having caught the favorable opportunity, deserted, reaching Masinissa.
VIII – When Hannibal saw irresolute Numidian and Mauri knights at his right wing, ordered the charge of the elephants, followed by the Ligurians, the Gauls, and the Mauri infantry.
According to the instructions received, our veliti and archers left the passages free and repaired in the maniples, bombarding the elephants, but the beasts, made furious from the wounds, charged our infantry men, upsetting the array.
Scipione, as the stratagem did not work, ordered Lelio and Masinissa to attack at the same time the two enemy cavalries.
Masinissa, who for a long time waited for the time of revenge, dragged his Numidians to the charge by overwhelming the Mauri and knocking out Numidian adversaries. Then, according to Scipione's signaling, while some of his men chased the enemy knights, with the bulk of his cavalry, jumped on the second line of Hannibal, the one formed by Carthaginians, Africans and Macedonians.
The Italic cavalry, led by Lelio, fought so vigorously against the Carthaginians that they made such an hasty escape that they did not deserve to be pursued. After Scipione's signaling, Italic knights also closed the tongs on the second line.
Hannibal in the extreme attempt to rescue his second line, he sent Bruttii and Spaniards, who constituted reserve troops, to the attack.
Desperate attempt, in fact, in that open campaign no hope could have the infantry against the cavalry of Masinissa and Lelio.
Therefore, dispersed the third line of Hannibal, its second line abandoned by the knights, failing to rejoin the first line, fell prey of Lelio and Masinissa.
They did not linger, but also put the second line to flight, attacked from behind the front line.
Our infantry recovered, while the elephants wounded by so many blows fell exhausted.
Given out the resistance Ligurians, Gauls Mauri throwing their weapons surrendered.
Hannibal,
after retiring to Adrumeto, returned to Carthage where he had left thirty-six years before.
Summoned the senate he declared was not only lost the battle, but the war and the only hope of salvation was to ask for and obtain peace.
Hannibal
IX – Of those feverish days I remember the contrasting emotions that stirred Scipione the African.
He was no longer the confident commander, who guided us to victory.
He was a man worried that through pernicious imprudence, would be dispersed the fruit of so much blood, so much pain, so much exertion.
Scipione the African
The commanders, the tribunes, the centurions, were called to order, no one had to abandon to untimely festivities.
The war would only end with the surrender of Carthage.
Negotiations began with the Carthaginians.
The conditions imposed by Scipione in order to grant the truce were tough, but it is said that the same Hannibal judged them reasonable.
Nevertheless Asdrubale Gisgone advised not to accept the truce.
Hannibal indignant abandoned the popular assembly where these things were discussed and fearing that his cowardly fellow citizens would hand him over to us, at night abandoned the ungrateful homeland and sailed to Antioco king of Syria.
As Hannibal left the Carthaginians accepted all the conditions imposed by Scipione the African.
 |
 |
| Antioco |
Hannibal |
THE END
