Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume II. — John Shaqi
Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume II.Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
History
Pausanias' description of Greece, Volume II.
Pausanias, active approximately 150-175
Greece -- Antiquities; Greece -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
Meantime Mummius, and with him Orestes, who was first sent from Rome
to settle the disputes between the Lacedæmonians and Achæans, reached
the Roman army one morning, took over the command, and sent Metellus
and his forces back to Macedonia, and himself waited at the Isthmus
till he had concentrated all his forces. His cavalry amounted to
3,500, his infantry to 22,000. There were also some Cretan bowmen, and
Philopœmen had brought some soldiers from Attalus, from Pergamus across
the Caicus. Mummius placed some of the Italian troops and allies, so
as to be an advanced post for all his army, 12 stades in the van. And
the Achæans, as this vanguard was left without defence through the
confidence of the Romans, attacked them, and slew some, but drove still
more back to the camp, and captured about 500 shields. By this success
the Achæans were so elated that they attacked the Roman army without
waiting for them to begin the battle. But when Mummius led out his army
to battle in turn, then the Achæan cavalry, which was opposite the
Roman cavalry, ran immediately, not venturing to make one stand against
the attack of the enemy’s cavalry. And the infantry, though dejected
at the rout of the cavalry, stood their ground against the wedge-like
attack of the Roman infantry, and though outnumbered and fainting under
their wounds, yet resisted bravely, till 1,000 picked men of the Romans
took them in flank, and so turned the battle into a complete rout of
the Achæans. And had Diæus been bold enough to hurry into Corinth after
the battle, and receive within its walls the runaways from the fight
and shut himself up there, the Achæans might have obtained better terms
from Mummius, if the war had been lengthened out by a siege. But as
it was, directly the Achæans gave way before the Romans, Diæus fled
for Megalopolis, exhibiting to the Achæans none of that spirit which
Callistratus, the son of Empedus, had displayed to the Athenians. For
he being in command of the cavalry in Sicily, when the Athenians and
their allies were badly defeated at the river Asinarus, boldly cut his
way through the enemy at the head of the cavalry, and, after getting
safe through with most of them to Catana, turned back again on the road
to Syracuse, and finding the enemy still plundering the camp of the
Athenians killed five with his own hand and then expired, himself and
his horse having received fatal wounds. He won fair fame both for the
Athenians and himself, and voluntarily met death, having preserved the
cavalry whom he led. But Diæus after ruining the Achæans announced to
the people of Megalopolis their impending ruin, and after slaying his
wife with his own hand that she might not become a captive took poison
and so died, resembling Menalcidas as in his greed for money so also in
the cowardice of his death.
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