03-31-2019, 10:17 AM
Agreed. Polybius` reasons for the meeting are quite riduculous and Livy follows the original spy story more closely but takes the sudden, surprise appearance of Massinissa`s forces out of the scenario.
Actually, it makes Hannibal`s decision to enter into a major engagement against Scipio`s army with an inferiority in cavalry most unlikely!
Polybius needed to find a cause for Hannibal to be defeated in a major battle but the reality was closer to Appian`s cavalry battle and skirmishes that preceded negotiations.
After the two cavalries camped some distance apart (not at Margaron nor at Zama, but at smaller camps for mobile cavalry forces) Scipio`s cavalry fell back, Hannibal`s cavalry followed and was surprised Scipio`s cavalry turning and being joined with Massinissa, they then counter-attacked Hannibal. Skirmishes followed this battle "near Zama" and a supply train was captured also, which led to Hannibal seeking to negotiate with Scipio with Massinissa as the intermediary. This is a much more credible sequence of events because Massinissa (with his cavalry providing the Roman army`s screen) would have been the most forward Roman-allied commander - naturally he would be first senior commander to receive word from Hannibal`s messengers.
I have referred to Scipo`s cavalry, but I believe it is more likely that they were commanded in the field by Laelius and that Laelius and Massinissa defeated Hannibal at Zama, but this cavalry action was grafted onto the battle that Polybius engineered.
Actually if you look at Appian`s description of the fighting at Zama and set aside the heroic individulised combats between Scipio, Hannibal and Massinissa, you do get an impression of the way in which the cavalry fighting and skirmishes would have ebbed and flowed at the real battle of Zama.
[45] As the battle was long and undecided, the two generals had compassion on their tired soldiers, and rushed upon each other in order to bring it to a more speedy decision. They threw their javelins at the same time. Scipio pierced Hannibal's shield. Hannibal hit Scipio's horse. The horse, smarting from the wound, threw Scipio over backwards. He quickly mounted another and again hurled a dart at Hannibal, but missed him and struck another horseman near him.
At this juncture, Massinissa, hearing of the crisis, came up, and the Romans seeing their general not only serving as a commander but fighting also as a common soldier, fell upon the enemy more vehemently than before, routed them, and pursued them in flight. Nor could Hannibal, who rode by the side of his men and besought them to make a stand and renew the battle, prevail upon them to do so. (Appian The Punic Wars 9.45)
[46] Hannibal in his flight seeing a mass of Numidian horse collected together, ran up and besought them not to desert him. [202 BCE.] Having secured their promise, he led them against the pursuers, hoping still to turn the tide of battle.
The first whom he encountered were the Massylians, and now a single combat between Massinissa and Hannibal took place. Rushing fiercely upon each other, Massinissa drove his spear into Hannibal's shield, and Hannibal wounded his antagonist's horse. Massinissa, being thrown, sprang towards Hannibal on foot, and struck and killed a horseman who was advancing towards him in front of the others. At the same time he received in his shield - made of elephant's hide - several darts, one of which he pulled out and hurled at Hannibal; but, as it happened, it struck another horseman who was near and killed him. While he was pulling out another, he was wounded in the arm, and withdrew from the fight for a brief space.
When Scipio learned this, he feared for Massinissa and hastened to his relief, but he found that the latter had bound up his wound and returned to the fight on a fresh horse. Thus the battle continued doubtful and very severe, the soldiers on either side having the utmost reverence for their commanders, until Hannibal, discovering a body of Spanish and Celtic troops on a hill near by, dashed over to them to bring them into the fight. Those who were still engaged, not knowing the cause of his going, thought that he had fled. Accordingly, they abandoned the fight of their own accord and broke into disorderly rout, not following after Hannibal, but helter-skelter. This band having been dispersed, the Romans thought that the fight was over and pursued them in a disorderly way, not perceiving Hannibal's purpose.
[47] Presently Hannibal returned accompanied by the Spanish and Celtic troops from the hill. Scipio hastened to recall the Romans from the pursuit, and formed a new line of battle much stronger than those who were coming against him, by which means he overcame them without difficulty.
When this last effort had failed, Hannibal despaired utterly, and fled in plain sight...
(Appian, The Punic Wars 10.45-47)
I know, there is reference here to "Spanish and Celtic troops", but the overall impression of it (and Appian does go on to mention "Bruttian and Spanish horsemen"), is of cavalry combats which move and swing from side to side, rather than Polybius` account of comparatively more static infantry fighting.
The tactical decision at Zama was by cavalry action. The strategy of campaign was centred on cavalry superiority and upon the recruitment of Numidian allies. Massinissa gave Scipio cavalry superiority that he needed and once the hope of reinforcement from Vermina was unlikely, Hannibal and then the Carthaginian Senate were forced to accept Scipio`s terms.
Actually, it makes Hannibal`s decision to enter into a major engagement against Scipio`s army with an inferiority in cavalry most unlikely!
Polybius needed to find a cause for Hannibal to be defeated in a major battle but the reality was closer to Appian`s cavalry battle and skirmishes that preceded negotiations.
After the two cavalries camped some distance apart (not at Margaron nor at Zama, but at smaller camps for mobile cavalry forces) Scipio`s cavalry fell back, Hannibal`s cavalry followed and was surprised Scipio`s cavalry turning and being joined with Massinissa, they then counter-attacked Hannibal. Skirmishes followed this battle "near Zama" and a supply train was captured also, which led to Hannibal seeking to negotiate with Scipio with Massinissa as the intermediary. This is a much more credible sequence of events because Massinissa (with his cavalry providing the Roman army`s screen) would have been the most forward Roman-allied commander - naturally he would be first senior commander to receive word from Hannibal`s messengers.
I have referred to Scipo`s cavalry, but I believe it is more likely that they were commanded in the field by Laelius and that Laelius and Massinissa defeated Hannibal at Zama, but this cavalry action was grafted onto the battle that Polybius engineered.
Actually if you look at Appian`s description of the fighting at Zama and set aside the heroic individulised combats between Scipio, Hannibal and Massinissa, you do get an impression of the way in which the cavalry fighting and skirmishes would have ebbed and flowed at the real battle of Zama.
[45] As the battle was long and undecided, the two generals had compassion on their tired soldiers, and rushed upon each other in order to bring it to a more speedy decision. They threw their javelins at the same time. Scipio pierced Hannibal's shield. Hannibal hit Scipio's horse. The horse, smarting from the wound, threw Scipio over backwards. He quickly mounted another and again hurled a dart at Hannibal, but missed him and struck another horseman near him.
At this juncture, Massinissa, hearing of the crisis, came up, and the Romans seeing their general not only serving as a commander but fighting also as a common soldier, fell upon the enemy more vehemently than before, routed them, and pursued them in flight. Nor could Hannibal, who rode by the side of his men and besought them to make a stand and renew the battle, prevail upon them to do so. (Appian The Punic Wars 9.45)
[46] Hannibal in his flight seeing a mass of Numidian horse collected together, ran up and besought them not to desert him. [202 BCE.] Having secured their promise, he led them against the pursuers, hoping still to turn the tide of battle.
The first whom he encountered were the Massylians, and now a single combat between Massinissa and Hannibal took place. Rushing fiercely upon each other, Massinissa drove his spear into Hannibal's shield, and Hannibal wounded his antagonist's horse. Massinissa, being thrown, sprang towards Hannibal on foot, and struck and killed a horseman who was advancing towards him in front of the others. At the same time he received in his shield - made of elephant's hide - several darts, one of which he pulled out and hurled at Hannibal; but, as it happened, it struck another horseman who was near and killed him. While he was pulling out another, he was wounded in the arm, and withdrew from the fight for a brief space.
When Scipio learned this, he feared for Massinissa and hastened to his relief, but he found that the latter had bound up his wound and returned to the fight on a fresh horse. Thus the battle continued doubtful and very severe, the soldiers on either side having the utmost reverence for their commanders, until Hannibal, discovering a body of Spanish and Celtic troops on a hill near by, dashed over to them to bring them into the fight. Those who were still engaged, not knowing the cause of his going, thought that he had fled. Accordingly, they abandoned the fight of their own accord and broke into disorderly rout, not following after Hannibal, but helter-skelter. This band having been dispersed, the Romans thought that the fight was over and pursued them in a disorderly way, not perceiving Hannibal's purpose.
[47] Presently Hannibal returned accompanied by the Spanish and Celtic troops from the hill. Scipio hastened to recall the Romans from the pursuit, and formed a new line of battle much stronger than those who were coming against him, by which means he overcame them without difficulty.
When this last effort had failed, Hannibal despaired utterly, and fled in plain sight...
(Appian, The Punic Wars 10.45-47)
I know, there is reference here to "Spanish and Celtic troops", but the overall impression of it (and Appian does go on to mention "Bruttian and Spanish horsemen"), is of cavalry combats which move and swing from side to side, rather than Polybius` account of comparatively more static infantry fighting.
The tactical decision at Zama was by cavalry action. The strategy of campaign was centred on cavalry superiority and upon the recruitment of Numidian allies. Massinissa gave Scipio cavalry superiority that he needed and once the hope of reinforcement from Vermina was unlikely, Hannibal and then the Carthaginian Senate were forced to accept Scipio`s terms.
