The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost Books — John Shaqi
The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost BooksLivy
History
The History of Rome, Books 37 to the End: with the Epitomes and Fragments of the Lost Books
Livy
Rome -- History
are inferior to them in size, (in which the Indian have much the
advantage,) or in unyielding courage.
40. The king’s line was more chequered with troops of many nations,
dissimilar both in their persons and armour. There was a body of sixteen
thousand men armed after the manner of the Macedonians, which were
called a phalanx. This formed the centre, and was divided in front into
ten parts. These parts were separated by two elephants placed between
each two; the line of soldiers was thirty-two ranks deep from point to
rear. This was the main strength of the king’s army, and it exhibited a
formidable sight, both in the other particulars of its appearance, and
in the elephants towering so high among the soldiers. They were of huge
bulk, and the caparisons of their foreheads and crests, and the towers
fixed on their backs, with four armed men standing on each tower,
besides the managers of the beasts, gave them a terrific appearance. On
the right side of the phalanx, he placed five hundred Gallogræcian
horsemen. To these he joined three thousand horsemen clad in complete
armour, whom they call Cataphracti, or mailed. To these were added a
brigade of near a thousand horse, which they called Agema. They were
Medes, all picked men, with a mixture of horsemen from many other
nations in that part of the world. Adjoining these, a body of sixteen
elephants was placed in reserve. On the same side, a little farther on
towards the wing, was the royal cohort; these were called
Argyraspides[4], from the kind of armour which they wore. Next to these
stood one thousand two hundred Dahan bowmen on horseback; then, three
thousand light infantry, part Cretans and part Trallians, the number of
each being equal; adjoining these, were two thousand five hundred Mysian
archers. Four thousand Cyrtæan slingers and Elymæan archers mixed
together covered the flank of the wing. Next to the left flank of the
phalanx, stood one thousand five hundred Gallogræcian horse, and two
thousand Cappadocians, (which were sent by king Ariarathes,) wearing the
same kind of armour; then, auxiliaries of all kinds mixed together, two
thousand seven hundred; then, three thousand mailed horsemen; then, one
thousand other horsemen, being a royal cohort, equipped with lighter
coverings for themselves and their horses, but, in other respects, not
unlike the rest; they were mostly Syrians, with a mixture of Phrygians
and Lydians. In the front of this body of cavalry were the chariots
armed with scythes, and a kind of camels called dromedaries. These were
ridden by Arabian archers, who carried thin swords four cubits long,
that they might be able to reach the enemy from so great a height. Then
followed another multitude, like that in the right wing,—first,
Tarentines; then, two thousand five hundred Gallogræcian horsemen; then,
one thousand new Cretans, and one thousand five hundred Carians and
Cilicians, armed in the same manner; then, an equal number of Trallians,
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