mutineers saw that nothing of what Stotzas had
foretold was coming to pass, they began to be afraid as having been
unexpectedly cheated of their hope, and they broke their ranks and
withdrew, and marched off to Numidia, where were their women and the
money from their booty. And Germanus too came there with the whole army
not long afterwards, having made all preparations in the best way
possible and also bringing along many wagons for the army. And
overtaking his opponents in a place which the Romans call Scalae
Veteres, he made his preparations for battle in the following manner.
Placing the wagons in line facing the front, he arrayed all the infantry
along them under the leadership of Domnicus, so that by reason of having
their rear in security they might fight with the greater courage. And
the best of the horsemen and those who had come with him from Byzantium
he himself had on the left of the infantry, while all the others he
placed on the right wing, not marshalled in one body but in three
divisions. And Ildiger led one of them, Theodoras the Cappadocian
another, while the remaining one, which was larger, was commanded by
John, the brother of Pappus, with three others. Thus did the Romans
array themselves.

And the mutineers took their stand opposite them, not in order, however,
but scattered, more in the manner of barbarians. And at no great
distance many thousands of Moors followed them, who were commanded by a
number of leaders, and especially by Iaudas and Ortaias. But not all of
them, as it happened, were faithful to Stotzas and his men, for many had
sent previously to Germanus and agreed that, when they came into the
fight, they would array themselves with the emperor's army against the
enemy. However, Germanus could not trust them altogether, for the
Moorish nation is by nature faithless to all men. It was for this reason
also that they did not array themselves with the mutineers, but remained
behind, waiting for what would come to pass, in order that with those
who should be victorious they might join in the pursuit of the
vanquished. Such was the purpose, then, of the Moors, in following
behind and not mingling with the mutineers.

And when Stotzas came close to the enemy and saw the standard of
Germanus, he exhorted his men and began to charge against him. But the
mutinous Eruli who were arrayed about him did not follow and even tried
with all their might to prevent him, saying that they did not know the