Titus Livius (Livy), Ab urbe condita, Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor), 37.40

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[1] ¹ The Romans held the centre, the Latins the flanks; the advanced units were the hastati, then came the principes; the triarii held the rear.²

[2] Outside this, which may be called the regular battle-line, on the right flank and in line with the legions, the consul³ placed the auxiliaries of Eumenes mixed with the Achaean

targeteers,

being about three thousand infantry; outside them he stationed less than three thousand cavalry, eight hundred of whom belonged to Eumenes, all the rest being Roman⁴ cavalry; on the extreme flank he placed the Tralli and Cretans, each contingent amounting to about five hundred men.

[3] The left flank did not seem to need such auxiliaries placed there, since the river and its steep banks gave protection on that side; nevertheless, he stationed there four troops of cavalry.

[4] This was the whole of the Roman force, with two thousand Macedonians and Thracians who had followed as volunteers; they were left as a guard for the camp.

[5] They placed sixteen elephants in reserve behind the triarii, for, in addition to the fact that they seemed unable to face the greater number of the king's elephants —there were fifty-four of them —African elephants cannot resist even an equal number of Indian, whether because the latter are superior in size —for in fact they are far larger —or in fighting spirit.

[6] XL. The king's battle-line was more varied, made up of many races and auxiliary forces differently armed. There were sixteen thousand infantry armed in the Macedonian fashion, who are called phalangitae.⁵

[7] They formed the centre of the line, and their frontage was divided into ten sections; these sections were separated by intervals in which two elephants each were placed; from the front the formation extended thirty-two ranks in depth.

[8] This was the main strength of the king's army, and it caused great terror, not only from its general⁶ appearance, but by reason of the elephants, standing out especially conspicuously among the soldiers. They were of great size; head-armour and crests and towers placed upon their backs, and, in addition to the driver, four soldiers riding in each tower, added to their impressiveness. On the right of the phalangitae he stationed fifteen hundred Galatian infantry.

[9] To these he added three thousand armoured cavalry —they call them cataphracti.⁷ In addition to these there was a squadron of about a thousand cavalry; they called it the agema;⁸ they were Medes, picked men, and cavalry from many races in the same region mingled with them.

[10] Adjoining them a herd of sixteen elephants was posted in reserve.

[11] On this side, the flank being advanced a little, was the royal bodyguard; they were called argyraspides⁹ from the character of their equipment; then the Dahae, mounted archers, to the number of twelve hundred; then the light infantry, three thousand in number, about equally divided between Cretans and Tralli; to them two thousand five hundred Mysian archers were added. The extremity of this flank consisted of four thousand mixed Cyrtians, slingers, and Elymaeans, archers.

[12] On the left flank, next the phalangitae, were posted fifteen hundred Galatian infantry and two thousand Cappadocians similarly armed —they had been sent to the king by Ariarathes; then twenty-seven hundred auxiliaries mixed from all races, and three thousand armoured cavalry and one thousand other cavalry, the royal squadron, with lighter armour for them¹⁰ selves and their horses, but otherwise with equipment not unlike the rest; they were mostly Syrians mingled with Phrygians and Lydians.

[13] In front of this cavalry were scythe-bearing chariots and camels of the breed called dromedaries. These were ridden by Arab archers carrying slender swords four cubits long, that they might be able to reach the enemy from so great a height. Then came another great crowd, corresponding to that on the right flank: first the Tarentini, then twenty-five hundred Galatian cavalry, next a thousand Neocretans and fifteen hundred Carians and Cilicians similarly equipped, and the same number of Tralli and four thousand

targeteers

[14] these were Pisidians and Pamphylians and Lycians; then auxiliaries of the Cyrtians and Elymaeans equal to those stationed on the right flank, and sixteen elephants a short distance away.¹¹

Ab urbe condita. Titus Livius (Livy). Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor). Medford, MA. .

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

History of Rome (English) (Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Sage, Evan T.; Schlesinger, Alfred C., translators. Cambridge, Mass.; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959. (Loeb Classical Library))

Editions (3)

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Pars I-IV, Libri I-XL. Editio Stereotypica. Weissenborn, Wilhelm; Mueller, Moritz, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1884-1911.) — 37.40 focus

[1] regia acies varia magis multis gentibus, dissimilitudine armorum auxiliorumque erat. decem et sex milia peditum more Macedonum armati fuere, qui phalangitae appellabantur. haec media acies fuit,

[2] in fronte in decem partes divisa; partes eas interpositis binis elephantis distinguebat; a fronte introrsus in duos et triginta ordines armatorum acies patebat.

[3] hoc et roboris in regiis copiis erat, et perinde cum alia specie tur tum eminentibus tantum inter armatos elephantis magnum terrorem praebebat.

[4] ingentes ipsi erant; addebant speciem frontalia et cristae et tergo impositae turres turribusque superstantes praeter rectorem quaterni armati.

[5] ad latus dextrum phalangitarum mille et quingentos Gallograecorum pedites opposuit. his tria milia equitum loricatorum — cataphractos ipsi appellant — adiunxit. addita his ala mille ferme equitum;

[6] agema eam vocabant; Medi erant, lecti viri, et eiusdem regionis mixti multarum gentium equites.

[7] continens his grex sedecim elephantorum est oppositus in subsidiis. ab eadem parte,

[8] paulum producto cornu, regia cohors erat; argyraspides a genere armorum appellabantur; Dahae deinde, equites sagittarii, mille et ducenti; tur tum levis armatura, trium milium, pari ferme numero, pars Cretenses, pars Tralles; duo milia et quingenti Mysi sagittarii his adiuncti erant.

[9] extremum cornu claudebant quattuor milia, mixti Cyrtii funditores et Elymaei sagittarii.

[10] ab laevo cornu phalangitis adiuncti erant Gallograeci pedites mille et quingenti et similiter his armati duo milia Cappadocum — ab Ariarathe missi erant regi — ;

[11] inde auxiliares mixti omnium generum, duo milia septingenti, et tria milia cataphractorum equitum et mille alii equites, regia ala levioribus tegumentis suis equorumque, alio haud dissimili habitu; Syri plerique erant Phrygibus et Lydis immixti.

[12] ante hunc equitatum falcatae quadrigae et cameli, quos appellant dromadas. his insidebant Arabes sagittarii, gladios tenuis habentes longos quaterna cubita, ut ex tanta altitudine contingere hostem possent.

[13] inde alia multitudo, par ei, quae in dextro cornu erat: primi Tarentini, deinde Gallograecorum equitum duo milia et quingenti, inde Neocretes mille et eodem armatu Cares et Cilices mille et quingenti et totidem Tralles et quattuor milia caetratorum:

[14] Pisidae erant et Pamphylii et Lycii; tum Cyrtiorum et Elymaeorum paria in dextro cornu locatis auxilia, et sedecim elephanti modico intervallo distantes.

Ab urbe condita Perseus (Livy in Fourteen Volumes. Foster, Benjamin Oliver; Moore, Frank Gardener; Schlesinger, Alfred C., editors. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd., 1919-1959 (printing).) — 43.23 focus

[1]

Rex cum non ¹ minore vexatione iumentorum hominumque quam venerat in Macedoniam rediit; Appium tamen ab obsidione Phanotes fama ducentis ad Stratum Persei summovit.

[2] Cleuas cum praesidio impigrorum iuvenum insecutus sub radicibus prope inviis montium ² ad mille hominum ex agmine impedito occidit, ad ducentos cepit.

[3] Appius superatis angustiis in campo quem Meleona vocant stativa dierum paucorum habuit. interim Cleuas assumpto Philostrato, qui quingentos ex ³ Epirotarum gente habebat, in agrum Antigonensem transcendit. ⁴ Macedones ad depopulationem profecti;

[4] Philostratus⁵ cum cohorte sua in insidiis loco ⁶ obscuro consedit. in palatos populatores cum erupissent ab Antigonea armati, ⁷ fugientes eos persequentes effusius in vallem insessam ab hostibus praecipitant.

[5] ibi ad mille ⁸ occisis, centum ferme captis, et ubique prospere gesta re prope stativa Appi castra movent, ne qua vis sociis suis ab Romano exercitu inferri possit.

[6] Appius nequiquam in his locis terens tempus, dimissis Chaonum Thesprotorumque ⁹ et si qui alii Epirotae erant praesidiis, cum Italicis militibus in Illyricum regressus, per Parthinorum ¹⁰ socias urbes in hiberna militibus divisis, ¹¹ ipse Romam sacrificii causa redit.

[7] Perseus ex Penestarum gente mille pedites, ducentos equites revocatos Cassandream, praesidio ut essent, misit.

[8] Ab Gentio eadem adferentes redierunt. nec deinde alios atque alios mittendo temptare eum destitit, cum appareret, quantum in eo praesidii esset, nec tamen impetrare ab animo posset, ut impensam in rem maximi ad omnia momenti faceret.

Ab urbe condita libri, erklärt von M. Weissenborn Perseus (Weissenborn, W.; Müller, H. J., editors. Berlin: Weidmannsche Buchhandlung, 1873-1883.) — 37.40 focus

[1]

regia acies varia magis multis gentibus, dissimilitudine armorum auxiliorumque erat. decem et sex milia peditum more Macedonum armati fuere, qui phalangitae appellabantur. haec media acies fuit, in fronte in decem partes divisa;

[2] partes eas interpositis binis elephantis distinguebat; a fronte introrsus in duos et triginta ordines armatorum acies patebat.

[3] hoc et roboris ¹ in regiis copiis erat, et perinde cum alia specie tum eminentibus tantum inter armatos elephantis magnum terrorem praebebat.

[4] ingentes ipsi erant; addebant speciem frontalia et cristae et tergo impositae turres turribusque superstantes praeter rectorem quaterni armati.

[6] agema eam vocabant; Medi erant, lecti viri, et eiusdem regionis mixti multarum gentium equites. continens his grex sedecim elephantorum est oppositus in subsidiis.

[7] ab eadem parte, paulum producto cornu, regia cohors erat;

[8] argyraspides a genere armorum appellabantur; Dahae deinde, equites sagittarii, mille et ducenti; tum levis armatura, trium milium, pari ferme numero, pars Cretenses pars Tralles; duo milia et quingenti Mysi sagittarii his adiuncti erant.

[9] extremum cornu claudebant quattuor milia, mixti Cyrtii funditores et Elymaei ² sagittarii.

[10] ab laevo cornu phalangitis adiuncti erant Gallograeci pedites mille et quingenti et similiter his armati duo milia Cappadocum —

[11] ab Ariarathe missi erant regi —; inde auxiliares mixti omnium generum, duo milia septingenti, et tria milia cataphractorum equitum et mille alii equites, regia ala levioribus tegumentis suis equorumque, alio haud dissimili habitu: Syri plerique erant Phrygibus et Lydis immixti.

[12] ante hunc equitatum falcatae quadrigae et cameli. quos appellant dromadas. his insidebant Arabes sagittarii, gladios tenuis habentes longos quaterna cubita, ut ex tanta altitudine contingere hostem possent.

[14] Pisidae erant et Pamphylii et Lycii; tum Cyrtiorum et Elymaeorum paria in dextro cornu locatis auxilia, et sedecim elephanti modico intervallo ³ distantes.

Translations (2)

History of Rome Perseus (Spillan, D.; Edmonds, Cyrus; McDevitte, William A., translators. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1849-1868. (Bohn's Classical Library)) — 37.40 focus

[1]

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.

[2] 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.

[3] 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.

[4] 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.

[5] On the right side of the phalanx, he placed five hundred Gallograecian 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.

[6] They were Medes, all picked men, with a mixture of horsemen from many other nations in that part of the world.

[7] 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, ¹ from the kind of armour which they wore.

[8] 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 thou- sand five hundred Mysian archers. Four thousand Cyrtaean slingers and Elymaean archers mixed together covered the flank of the wing.

[9] Next to the left flank of the phalanx, stood one thousand five hundred Gallograecian horse, and two thousand Cappadocians, (which were sent by king Ariarathes,) wearing the same kind of armour;

[10] 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.

[11] 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.

[12] Then followed another multitude, like that in the right wing, —first, Tarentines; then, two thousand five hundred Gallograecian horsemen; then, one thousand new Cretans, and one thousand five hundred Carians and Cilicians, armed in the same manner;

[13] then, an equal number of Trallians, with three thousand targeteers (these were Pisidians, Pamphylians, and Lycians); then came brigades of Cyrtaeans and Elymaeans, equal to the auxiliaries placed on the right wing, and sixteen elephants, separated by a small interval.

[14] The king himself was in the right wing; the command of the left he gave to his son Seleucus, and Antipater, the son of his brother; the centre was intrusted to three, Minio, Zeuxis, and Philip, the master of the elephants.

History of Rome Perseus (Volumes 1-2. Roberts, Canon, Rev, translator. London, New York: J. M. Dent and Sons; E. P. Dutton and Co., 1912.) — 37.40 focus

[1]

The king's army was a motley force drawn from many nations and presented the greatest dissimilarity both in the men and their equipment. There were 16,000 infantry in the Macedonian fashion.

[2] known as the "phalanx." These formed the centre, and their front consisted of ten divisions; between each division stood two elephants. They were thirty-two ranks deep.

[3] This was the main strength of the king's army and it presented a most formidable appearance, especially with the elephants towering high above the men.

[4] The effect was heightened by the frontlets and crests on the animals, and the towers on their backs on which stood the drivers, each accompanied by four soldiers.

[5] On the right of the phalanx Antiochus stationed 1500 Gallograeci infantry, and with them were linked up 3000 cavalry, clad in mail armour and known as "cataphracti."

[6] These were supported by the "agema," another body of cavalry numbering about 1000; they were a select force, consisting of Medes and men drawn from many tribes in that part of the world.

[7] Behind these in support were sixteen elephants.

[8] The line was continued by the royal cohort called "argyraspides" from the kind of shield they carried. Then came the Dahae, mounted archers, 1200 strong; then 3ooo light infantry, half of them Cretans and half Tralles.

[9] Beyond these again were 2500 Mysian bowmen, and at the end of the line a mixed force of Cyrtian slingers and Elymaean archers.

[10] On the left of the phalanx were 1500 Gallograeci infantry and 2000 Cappadocian, similarly armed and sent by Ariarathes, next to whom were posted a miscellaneous force numbering 2700. Then came 3000 cataphracti and the king's

[11] personal cavalry, 1000 strong, with somewhat slighter protection for themselves and their horses, but otherwise closely resembling the cataphracti, made up mostly of Syrians with an admixture of Phrygians and Lydians. In front of this mass of cavalry were scythe chariots and the camels which they call dromedaries.

[12] Seated on these were Arabian archers provided with narrow swords four cubits long so that they could reach the enemy from the height on which they were perched.

[13] Beyond them again a mass of troops corresponding to those on the right wing, first Tarentines, then 2500 Gallograeci cavalry, 1000 newly enlisted Cretans, 1500 Carians and Cilicians similarly armed, and the same number of Tralles.

[14] Then came 4000 caetrati, Pisidians, Pamphylians and Lydians, next to these Cyrtian and Elymaean troops equal in number to those on the right wing, and finally sixteen elephants a short distance away.

Notes on the current edition

Ab Urbe Condita With An English Translation, books 1-10, 21-45, with periochae 11-20

1. xxxi. 2), but was sometimes as high as 6,200 (XXIX. xxiv. 14).

2. This is the typical battle formation of the legion, the three lines corresponding roughly to the modern front-line, support and reserve. Each unit of hastati, who formed also the skirmish-line, occupied enough frontage to permit the principles to pass through them as reinforcements and replacements; the triarii were held out until the decisive blow was to be struck or a counter-attack organized.

3. B.C. 190

4. This seems to include the Latin cavalry.

5. Cf. XXXVI. xviii. 2.

6. B.C. 190

7. Cf. XXXV. xlviii. 3.

8. In XLII. lviii. 9 (cf. note), the agema seems to be distinguished from the equitum sacra, alia, lii. 4.

9. They carried silver shields.

10. B.C. 190

11. Livy has not accounted for the 60,000 infantry and more than 12,000 cavalry of xxxvii. 9 above (about 43,700 infantry and 12,000 cavalry). But Antiochus held out a strong guard for the camp, and Livy does not give the strength of all the contingents. Appian ( Syr. 32) differs from Livy in several respects.

Titus Livius (Livy) Ab urbe condita 37.40

Benjamin Oliver Foster, Ph.D. (Editor), Frank Gardener Moore (Editor), Evan T. Sage, Ph.D. (Editor), Alfred C. Schlesinger, Ph.D. (Editor)

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