Legio XVII: Battle of Zama (3 page)

Scipio immediately launched his cavalry and skirmishers in the half-light to threaten the enemy on the flanks and encourage them to believe a major attack was imminent.  The Carthaginian cavalry led by Mago and the Numidian (modern Morocco/Algeria) Masinissa could offer little resistance.  Their surprise cavalry attack on the Roman camp four days prior had backfired and resulted in heavy Carthaginian losses.  They fled the field before the Romans could attack them.

The movement and dust kicked up by the Roman cavalry helped conceal Scipio’s revised formation.  While his cavalry and skirmishers harried the flanks, Scipio held back his main attack.  He was waiting to allow the effects of a missed breakfast to take its toll.  After a few hours, the sun was up and Scipio ordered his Legions forward, but held back his Celtiberian center to merely threaten and pin in place the strong Carthaginian center.

From the beginning, Hasdrubal’s flanks were under heavy pressure from the front and sides by a combination of Legionaries, cavalry, and skirmishers.  It still took an all-out effort to make them give ground.  Unlike the Gauls of the Cisalpine, these Celtiberians were experienced fighters and matched the Romans in weaponry, shields, and physical conditioning.

It took a strong arm and wrist to wield sword and shield for an extended period of time and both sides were equally capable.  Roman and Celtiberians pushed with their shields, stabbed, and slashed at their opponents exposed legs.  This fighting was personal and exhausting.  The Centurions rotated their men frequently to keep fresh men at the front.

Many of these Celtiberians and their leaders had been fighting Romans for the last 12 years and won battles as often as they lost them.  Like the Romans, they used the same sword (gladius), large shield, and threw a spear not unlike the Roman pilum.  In today’s fight, superior battlefield tactics and soldiers’ endurance would decide the outcome.

Slowly, the Celtiberians began to give ground under the enormous pressure of the greater numbers assailing them from front and flank.  They began to back into their own center to protect their rear.  The men in the center had no idea what was happening on the flanks or why they were being forced to squeeze tightly together.  Their view of the battlefield was limited to the backs of the men standing to their front.  They could only hear the shouting and clashing of shields and swords.

The highly feared elephants were finally ready to join the fight, but their handlers couldn’t get the men to move aside to let them pass.  There was simply no room to move by man or beast.  The battlefield had become compressed.  The elephants added to the general feeling of anxiety as men constantly glanced over their shoulder to see where they were.  The Carthaginians were well aware that these great beasts could trample them as well as the Romans.  Every time one would trumpet, heads swiveled to see where it was.  At this point, the elephants were a greater threat to the Carthaginians than to the Romans.

Once Hasdrubal’s center became a mass of confusion, Scipio launched his Celtiberians into the Carthaginians and completely overwhelmed them.  Scipio’s Celtiberian Commander had done what he had said he would.  He held his men back until Scipio ordered the attack and then showed themselves to be worthy fighters.

Earlier, the cloudy sky had been a blessing from the gods and kept the air cool, but the winds had picked up noticeably as the two sides engaged, and then the rain started falling, lightly at first.  As the Romans pushed home their victory and began to cut down the enemy center, the skies opened up and delivered a blinding rainstorm.  Shields became too heavy to hold.  Visibility was down to zero as water poured from the men’s helmets and made the ground slippery.

As if by mutual agreement, the two sides began to back away from each other.  The Africans and their Celtiberians took advantage of the opportunity and fled unmolested back into their camp.  Scipio had no choice but to collect his dead and wounded and return to his camp.  His plan had worked perfectly, but the gods denied him a complete victory.  He vowed to resume the attack on the camp the next day, and eliminate this last threat to total Roman domination of Spain.  He suspected that Mago and Hasdrubal would attempt an escape during the night and planned accordingly.  He was not going to let them go until this battle was a complete victory.

That evening Mago, Hasdrubal, Masinissa and his other Commanders met to discuss their options.  Mago, who had suffered a devastating defeat by Marcus Silanus, Scipio’s Second-in-Command, in a surprise attack on his camp a month prior, was the first to speak.  “I estimate that we lost about 30,000 men today, killed and captured.  That’s bad enough, but I have a strong feeling that our allies will desert us in droves tonight.  That’s what they did after our camp was attacked last month.  I bet that by tomorrow morning we will have less than 20,000 fighting men still in camp, if that.”

Hasdrubal looked defeated and his voice sounded flat.  “I agree.  We’re in no condition to fight again tomorrow.  Damn that Scipio!  We need to evacuate the camp during the night and hope we can shake a Roman pursuit.  Get the men ready to move shortly after midnight.  Leave the dead, wounded, and the elephants.  They’re no good to us now.  We need to put miles between us and Scipio as fast as we can.”

When he finished speaking, the Commander of the Celtiberian mercenaries entered the tent and apologetically declared that some of his men were already leaving the camp.  “We have no chance of beating the Romans in our current condition.  I say flee now and reassemble later.”

Hasdrubal responded despondently, “Ask them to stay with us a little longer.  We need to keep the army together.  We’re all going to evacuate shortly.  We had bad luck today, but the rain was a sign that the gods still favor us.”

The Commander replied, “I’ll try, but I can’t make any promises.”

When the elephant handlers were told that they were to remain in camp while the army fled, they were in a panic over what to do.  One of the men said, “If the Romans discover the elephants they will kill them and us.” Another said, “If the Romans pursue the army, they may bypass us here in the fort.  Once they are out of sight, we can lead the elephants south to Seville, and then to Gades (modern Cadiz) where we can reunite with the army.  We must keep the elephants quiet until the Romans pass by.”

At 2:00 A.M., the rear gates swung open, and the defeated Carthaginian Army silently filed out and into the cool blackness of the night.  Hasdrubal, Mago, and Masinissa rode in the vanguard.  The sky was still overcast, and the night was pitch black.  The retreating Army disappeared within minutes.  Their escape plan seemed to be working.

Earlier, Scipio posted Roman cavalry around the Carthaginian camp to watch for an escape, but it was too dark to see anything.  Staying awake and alert in the saddle was a problem, but the peaceful night sounds were unmistakably interrupted by the sound of thousands of shuffling feet and hooves.  The enemy was on the move heading north!

The scouts picked their way back to camp with the news.  Scipio was awakened and ordered an immediate pursuit.  This time, there would be no escape!  The camp was filled with the sound of horns and men stirring from their tents.  The Legionaries were told to bring enough food and water for three days and to expect to eat on the march.  There would be no letup until Hasdrubal’s Army was brought to bay and decisively defeated.  Within the hour, the Legions were on the move.

When the elephant handlers heard the Legions marching away, they rode the great beasts out the rear gate and turned south.  They followed the Guadalquivir River south to the coast and turned southeast to Jerez.  They decided to stay there to await developments.

As soon as it was light enough to see, the Roman cavalry sped in pursuit of the retreating Carthaginians.  They soon made contact with Hasdrubal’s rear detachment, and would have overwhelmed them had not Hasdrubal sent reinforcements.  Hasdrubal had lost his bid to escape; his Army stopped, turned about, and assumed a defensive posture.  The Legions were being forced marched and were not far behind.  Hasdrubal, Mago, and Masinissa began planning their own escape.

Scipio told his trumpeters to sound, “Call the Legates.”  When they assembled, he led them ahead of the marching Legions to the battlefield.  “When the Legions arrive,” he said, “deploy them like they were lined up yesterday, with the Legions on the flanks and our Celtiberians in the center, and then give them a short rest in place.  We outnumber Hasdrubal almost 3 to 1.  I think the enemy Celtiberians will run as soon as we charge; the Africans will probably stand and fight.  I want to envelop their flanks like we did yesterday.  Right here will be the center point of the formation.”

Within 15 minutes, the leading Legion came trotting into view.  As they got closer, Scipio could see the exhaustion on their faces.  One by one the Legions arrived and were led to their position.  Soon a strong line was formed facing the skirmish already taking place to their front.  The enemy line was formed, but was a shadow of its former self in numbers and length.  Scipio’s line stretched well beyond the Carthaginian flanks.  “Let the men rest and drink for 30 minutes, then we will attack,” said Scipio.  While the Legionaries rested, the light infantry went forward to join the cavalry to keep the enemy pinned in place.  The skirmishers would dash forward, throw their javelins, and run back to stay out of enemy missile range.

The Legionaries were eager to attack and spontaneously began to stand and ready themselves for battle.  They were rested enough and wanted to finish what they had started the day before.  Swords began to beat on shields.  “I think the men are telling us to let them go,” Scipio said to his Legates.  “Sound the charge!”  Within minutes, thousands of Legionaries and Celtiberians were running in formation towards the waiting enemy.  The men could sense a victory was at hand.

As expected, the Celtiberians fled into the surrounding hills as the numerically superior Romans smashed into them and began to encircle them.  The killing, stopped by the rainstorm, the previous day now continued unabated.  The ground was littered with bodies.  Finally, a small remnant of 6,000 Carthaginians fled to a nearby hilltop for a last stand.  They formed a defensive circle, quickly fortified it, and vowed to one another to fight to the death.  “Surround the hill,” ordered Scipio, “but do not attack until I order it.”  After an hour of rest and preparation, Scipio ordered an all-out attack up the hill.  Surprisingly, it was repulsed with losses; such was the determination of the Carthaginians.

Laelius, Scipio’s able cavalry Commander and childhood friend, rode over to Scipio.  “I think we should try to get them to surrender.  We’re going to lose a lot more men attacking up hill, and it’s not worth it.  If they surrender, Rome could use them to work the mines, and we could all profit from their sale.”  Scipio smiled and called for Silanus.

When he arrived, Scipio said, “I want you to talk with the Carthaginians on the hill.  Promise them whatever you want, but get them to lay down their weapons and walk off the hill.  Tell them that we will not kill them; they have my word.”  Silanus saluted Scipio and rode to the bottom of the hill, careful to keep out of missile range.

“Men of Carthage,” Silanus began, “enough blood has been shed for one day.  Let’s end this now.  My Commander has given his word that not one of you will be harmed.  We have food and water waiting for you.  Drop your weapons and walk towards me.”

When the nearest Legate saw that a surrender was actually taking place and that men were walking down the hill, he quickly organized his Legion to receive them.  The Carthaginians had to be searched and their hands bound.  When they arrived, begging for water, they were led to the wagons that carrying provisions.  All of Scipio’s promises were kept.  He was not a brutal man by instinct, and he respected his enemy.

“Return the Legions to camp,” Scipio told his Commanders.  “Loot the enemy camp tomorrow, and then burn it down.  Silanus, I want you to march the prisoners to Qart Hadasht (Latin Carthago Nova and modern Cartagena) and arrange for their transportation to Rome.”

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As Scipio’s Legions encircled the Carthaginians, their Commanders, Hasdrubal, Mago, and Masinissa, were able to ride away in the confusion of battle.  Mago went directly to Gades, his former base, to recruit new troops from the surrounding tribes.  In his mind, the disaster at Ilipa was a setback, but did not end the war in Spain.  Masinissa decided to return to Numidia and Hasdrubal rode to the east coast.

After the battle, Scipio marched his victorious Legions farther into Spain on a punitive mission against two specific fortified cities.  He had a score to settle with the Celtiberians who switched sides during a battle in 211 that resulted in the death of his father and uncle.  When he arrived at the first city, his Legions surrounded it and prepared ladders to scale the walls.  Their first attempt ended in failure.  The occupants knew this was a life-and-death struggle; they would not be shown mercy by the men of Rome.  Men, women, and children manned the walls and successfully fended off attack after attack.  Finally, Scipio stood at the base of the wall to encourage his men.  It worked.  The next attempt succeeded, and the Legionaries gained the top of the walls.  Wholesale slaughter was the order of the day.  No one was spared.  Upon hearing the fate of the first city, the second city capitulated and was led off into captivity.