h of the Rhone, and sailing past the
Pyrenaean mountains, he had moored his fleet at Emporiae, having there
landed his army, and beginning with the Lacetani, he brought the whole
coast, as far as the river Iberus, under the Roman dominion, partly by
renewing the old, and partly by forming new alliances. The reputation
for clemency, acquired by these means, had influence not only with the
maritime states, but now also with the more savage tribes in the
inland and mountainous districts; nor was peace only effected with
them, but also an alliance of arms, and several fine cohorts of
auxiliaries were levied from their numbers. The country on this side
of the Iberus was the province of Hanno, whom Hannibal had left to
defend that region. He, therefore, judging that he ought to make
opposition, before every thing was alienated from him, having pitched
his camp in sight of the enemy, led out his forces in battle-array;
nor did it appear to the Roman, that the engagement ought to be
deferred, as he knew that he must fight with Hanno and Hasdrubal, and
wished rather to contend against each of them separately, than against
both together. The conflict did not prove one of great difficulty; six
thousand of the enemy were slain, and two thousand made prisoners,
together with the guard of the camp; for both the camp was stormed,
and the general himself, with several of the chief officers, taken;
and Scissis, a town near the camp, was also carried by assault. But
the spoil of this town consisted of things of small value, such as the
household furniture used by barbarians and slaves that were worth
little. The camp enriched the soldiers; almost all the valuable
effects, not only of that army which was conquered, but of that which
was serving with Hannibal in Italy, having been left on this side the
Pyrenees, that the baggage might not be cumbrous to those who conveyed
it.

61. Before any certain news of this disaster arrived, Hasdrubal,
having passed the Iberus with eight thousand foot and a thousand
horse, intending to meet the Romans on their first approach, after he
heard of the ruin of their affairs at Scissis, and the loss of the
camp, turned his route towards the sea. Not far from Tarraco, having
despatched his cavalry in various directions, he drove to their ships,
with great slaughter, and greater route, the soldiers belonging to the
fleet and the mariners, while scattered and wandering through the
fields (for it is usually th