m the allied infantry, extending to the
centre, and contiguous to the Roman legions. The darters, and the rest
of the light-armed auxiliaries, formed the van. The consuls commanded
the wings; Terentius the left, Aemilius the right. To Geminus Sevilius
was committed the charge of maintaining the battle in the centre.

46. Hannibal, at break of day, having sent before him the Baliares and
other light-armed troops, crossed the river, and placed his troops in
line of battle, as he had conveyed them across the river. The Gallic
and Spanish cavalry he placed in the left wing, opposite the Roman
cavalry: the right wing was assigned to the Numidian cavalry, the
centre of the line being strongly formed by the infantry, so that both
extremities of it were composed of Africans, between which Gauls and
Spaniards were placed. One would suppose the Africans were for the
most part Romans, they were so equipped with arms captured at the
Trebia, and for the greater part at the Trasimenus. The shields of the
Gauls and Spaniards were of the same shape; their swords unequal and
dissimilar. The Gauls had very long ones, without points. The
Spaniards, who were accustomed to stab more than to cut their enemy,
had swords convenient from their shortness, and with points. The
aspect of these nations in other respects was terrific, both as to the
appearance they exhibited and the size of their persons. The Gauls
were naked above the navel: the Spaniards stood arrayed in linen vests
resplendent with surprising whiteness, and bordered with purple. The
whole amount of infantry standing in battle-array was forty thousand,
of cavalry ten. The generals who commanded the wings were on the left
Hasdrubal, on the right Maharbal: Hannibal himself, with his brother
Mago, commanded the centre. The sun very conveniently shone obliquely
upon both parties; the Romans facing the south, and the Carthaginians
the north; either placed so designedly, or having stood thus by
chance. The wind, which the inhabitants of the district call the
Vulturnus, blowing violently in front of the Romans, prevented their
seeing far by rolling clouds of dust into their faces.

47. The shout being raised, the auxiliaries charged, and the battle
commenced in the first place with the light-armed troops: then the
left wing, consisting of the Gallic and Spanish cavalry, engages with
the Roman right wing, by no means in the manner of a cavalry battle;
for they were obliged to engage fron