Legio XVII: Battle of Zama (51 page)

Mago was irate!  He told Hamilcar, “I am facing seven veteran Legions.  Nearly half my army consists of untrained, unruly, and ill-disciplined Ligurians and Gallic soldiers.  I’m not worried about my Carthaginians, they will fight well, but these native levies will not change their ways.  They are either too drunk to train or off visiting their women.  If the Senate wants me to attack, I will attack and may the gods have mercy on us!”

While enroute home after the devastating defeat of the two camps, Syphax encountered 4,000 Celtiberians mercenaries who had been recruited by Punic agents in Spain.  They knew nothing of the recent defeat and were marching to join Hasdrubal.  He camped with them and was strengthened by their optimism and desire for battle with Scipio.  He also received several messages from his Carthaginian wife Sophonisba to stay the course and pursue a final victory.  Her words and his love for her convinced him to continue fighting.

After the fire destroyed his camp and army, Hasdrubal took refuge in a nearby walled town, but was told to leave when the pursuing Romans came into view.  He departed and the town subsequently surrendered.

A few weeks later, Syphax and Hasdrubal linked up and began recruiting a new army.  Local Carthaginians, fearful of the invading Romans, flocked to join the new army and within a mere 30 days, Syphax and Hasdrubal had 30,000 new, but untrained recruits.

This army set up their camp in a great swath of open plains near the Bagradas River (modern Medjerda River), about 80 miles due west of Scipio’s camp near Utica.  Recruiting agents were sent throughout the area to bolster the size of the army.  The small nearby community of Souk-el Khremis sold goods to the troops and was enjoying an economic boom.

The Leadership in Carthage was in a state of disarray.  When they received word of Scipio’s victory, they had to abandon their plan to besiege Scipio at Utica by land and sea.  Scipio was now free to roam the countryside and could even attack Carthage itself if he wanted.  The citizens began to strengthen the walls and prepare for a siege.  Some wanted to make peace with Scipio, others favored recalling Hannibal, but the majority ruled in favor of recruiting a new army and continuing the struggle.

In late April 203 BC, Masinissa’s scouts were the first to report the presence of Hasdrubal’s large and growing army.  He reported his findings to Scipio.  “Commander, my scouts have found Syphax and Hasdrubal.  They are a five day’s march west in an area called the Great Plains.  New recruits are joining them daily and they will soon be too large to fight.  I suggested we destroy them while we can.”

Scipio saw the wisdom of an immediate attack and began his planning.  He decided to leave a portion of his men at camp to continue to put pressure on Utica while the rest of the army would go west.  To move faster, he left most of his baggage at camp and planned to march 16 miles a day.  Five days later, the army of 25,500 men arrived at the Great Plains.  They dug in their camp three and a half miles from Hasdrubal’s.  Scipio was anxious to start the fight and marched his men out as soon as the camp was built.  They advanced to within a mile of the enemy and formed up in a standard triplex acies with Masinissa’s cavalry on the left and his Roman cavalry on his right.  Hasdrubal didn’t respond.  For the next three days, Scipio marched his men out of camp and offered battle, but Hasdrubal refused to fight with his untrained men.  Throughout the three days, the skirmishers from both sides engaged each other in the open space between the two armies.

Souk-el Khremis - Great Plains Battle
(Google Maps)

Finally, on the fourth day, Hasdrubal marched his army of 30,000 green recruits out of camp.  Having been defeated at Ilipa and seeing two of his camps burnt to the ground by Scipio, Hasdrubal was extremely wary.  He expected Scipio to manage some surprise even in this open ground.  Hasdrubal put his strong and highly motivated Celtiberians mercenaries in the center of his line and his Carthaginian and Numidia infantry on their flanks.  He placed his Numidian cavalry on his left and his Carthaginian cavalry on his right.  Hasdrubal knew the mercenaries could go toe to toe with the Romans, but the rest of his army was barely trained.  He expected them to break and run.

Without any fanfare, the two sides charged each other across the open plains.  The Legionaries knew the Celtiberians were a tough foe and could only fight them to a standstill.  The flanks were a different matter.  The Numidian and Carthaginian infantry had never before faced a hostile army intent on killing them.  They were uneasy and nervously eyed one another looking for encouragement.  The first volley of pila broke their resolve.  The second and third volleys sowed pure terror.  They fell back and quickly broke and fled the field.  Similarly, Masinissa’s horsemen and the Roman cavalry routed the enemy cavalry as soon as they charged.

The Celtiberians were the only line in Hasdrubal’s army that continued to fight.  They had nowhere to run.  The plains were wide open and they were far from home.  Scipio skillfully ordered his Principe and Triarii to move to their left and right respectively and encircled the Celtiberians while the Hastati held them in place.  The results were predictable.  The Celtiberians fought to the last man.  Scipio’s men showed them no mercy.  The time gained by this protracted struggle enabled the Numidian and Carthaginians who fled the battlefield to make a clean escape.  There was no Roman pursuit.

With the elimination of this Carthaginian army, Scipio held a council of war to determine his next step.  After a prolonged discussion, Scipio decided on three courses of action.  He would keep part of the army in the region around the Medjerda River and accept the surrender of the surrounding cities or force them into submission.  Masinissa and Laelius would take another part of the army and travel to Syphax’s kingdom in Numidia.  The intent was to overthrow him and replace him with Masinissa.  The rest of the army would continue with the siege of Utica.

The Carthaginian Senate faced a similar decision.  With the most recent defeat of Hasdrubal and Syphax, there was no one left in Africa to oppose Scipio.  They decided to send an envoy to Hannibal at Bruttium and order him to return to Africa to face Scipio.  Some suggested opening a dialogue with Scipio as a delaying tactic until Hannibal could arrive.  The Senate still held high hopes that, with any luck, Mago might be as good as his brother and defeat the Romans opposing him.  If he were successful, Rome would have to recall Scipio to defend their capital.  The newly built Carthaginian fleet was ordered to row to Utica to engage the Roman warships to keep Scipio occupied, and break his resupply route with Sicily.  All these proposals were put into motion.

Scipio meanwhile had ravaged the towns around the Medjerda River and was so heavily loaded with loot and other items that he had to return to Castra Cornelia to store them.  He then decided to march on Tunis, a mere 10 miles northeast of Carthage.  Tunis was strongly defended, but the Carthaginian troops abandoned the city when they saw the Legions approaching.  Scipio marched into the city unopposed.  Carthage was in a panic!

After years of ship building, the Carthaginian fleet sailed out of Carthage and headed for Utica.  Scipio saw the fleet and immediately departed Tunis for Utica.  His fleet was not prepared for a sea battle.  The Carthaginian fleet steadily advanced on Scipio’s position until a lookout high atop the Commander’s ship shouted, “Ships off the starboard.”  All eyes scanned the distant horizon.  Slowly the tops of several ships came into view

The Commander signaled the fleet, “All stop.”  He had to determine if these were Roman warship.  He was afraid of getting trapped between the oncoming ships and Scipio’s fleet at Utica.  While he waited, he repositioned his fleet to face the advancing ships.  Two hours later, the lookout shouted, “Supply ships and a few warships.”  The Commander cursed his bad luck.  These ships were no threat, but he had wasted precious time, and the delay had given Scipio the time he needed to prepare his defenses.

Scipio’s transports were lashed together in a protective ring around the Roman warships, which were pulled in close to shore.  Planks were laid between the transports to allow troops to move about more easily.  Scorpio were positioned on the transports as well as ballista to keep the enemy ships at bay. Initially, the Carthaginian fleet stayed off the coast waiting for the Roman fleet to sail out and offer battle.  When they failed to show, they rowed closer and saw the protective ring of transports.  The Carthaginian managed to throw hooks onto some of the transports and pull them out of line, but accomplished very little.  They eventually returned to their base having done minor damage.

A Carthaginian ship stole away at night to evade Roman warships that patrolled the sea off the coast.  It landed successfully at Bruttium to communicate Senate orders to Hannibal.

Cirta at red flag
(Google Maps)

Masinissa and Laelius marched 250 miles to Cirta (modern Constantine) the capital city of the Numidian Kingdom to engage Syphax.  They caught him by the river Ampsaga (modern Rhumel), which runs through he city.  His small army formed a battle line, which melted away when Laelius’ 3,000 men appeared on the field.  In an attempt to rally his troops, Syphax rode his horse across their front in full view of the Romans.  Something struck the horse and it threw Syphax.  Legionaries fell upon him and captured him.  Masinissa took Syphax into the capital to formally depose him and declare his reign over all Numidia.  Syphax was eventually taken to Scipio.

Scipio was now free to devote all his energy to the siege of Utica.  Carthage made a deceptive plea for peace terms.  They were waiting for the arrival of Hannibal and the possible success of Mago.  The peace talks were formal and included exchanging ambassadors.  Rome sent negotiators to Carthage and Carthaginian envoys went to Rome.  An agreement was reached and both capitals consented.  Shortly thereafter, Rome declared the agreement null and void because of numerous Carthaginian violations.

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Mago Attacks 203 BC

Mago knew he wasn’t ready to engage the Romans, but felt he had no choice.  Hamilcar was applying constant pressure to attack and threatening dire consequences if he did not.  Mago’s army consisted of 20,000 veteran Carthaginian and Numidian warriors and 15,000 Ligurians and Celts.  He also had 2,000 cavalry and seven elephants.  He marched his troops out of Savona to Milan and headed south.

Roman cavalry scouts detected the deployment and notified the two Roman Commanders Proconsul M Cornelius and Praetor P Quintilius Varus, who had recently replaced the original Commanders Proconsul Livius and Lucretius.  The new Commanders had already moved their camps farther north to get closer to Mago when they saw unmistakable signs that Mago was massing his army.  The long wait was finally over and the future of Rome now hung in the balance.

Over several days, the two armies edged closer and closer together.  Each was searching for favorable terrain upon which to entice the other to attack.  South of Milan the armies faced each other across a mile long field.  Mago felt that fighting this close to Milan would encourage his Gallic warriors to put forth their best effort.  The terrain also favored the use of his elephants.  The Roman Commanders had the advantage in cavalry and the ground favored their employment.  The three Roman Legions, the XI, XII, and XIII were battle hardened and would fight well.  The four Auxiliaries Legions were also comprised of veterans.  It was now in the hands of the gods.