After the battle many deserters came over, and prisoners were taken, from whom Caesar learnt that the design of the enemy was to terrify the small force of the Romans by a new manner of fighting, and to surround and destroy them with their cavalry as Curio had been destroyed. Labienus had declared openly his confidence in obtaining a victory; for he had sixteen hundred Gallic and German horsemen, whom, as the historian states, he had originally carried over the sea from Brundisium to Epirus, and brought to Africa after the battle of Pharsalia: he had seven thousand Numidian horsemen who used no bridles, and the sixteen hundred horsemen of Petreius, who however came late on the field he had also about four times as many infantry, and light troops, with archers and slingers, and many mounted bowmen. The battle was fought in a perfectly level plain on the 4th of January, on the sixth day after Caesar's landing, and was continued from the fifth hour after sunrise till the sun set. Petreius was severely wounded and compelled to retire from the fight.

Caesar now strengthened his defences. He formed one rampart from Ruspina to the sea, and another from his camp, which was close to the town, also to the sea, and thus he secured a safe communication both ways. The missiles and military engines were brought from the ships to the camp. Part of the rowers from the Gallic and Rhodian ships, and the fighting men also, were armed for the purpose of being employed as light troops among the cavalry, in the same way as such troops were employed by the enemy. Caesar also took the archers from the ships, Ityraeans, Syrians, and all kinds, and thus increased his force, for it was reported on the third day after the battle that Scipio was approaching to join Labienus and Petreius with eight legions and three thousand horsemen. Workshops were set up for making arrows and missiles, casting bullets and preparing stakes. Messengers and letters were sent to Sicily to procure hurdles and timber for the construction of rams, of which there was a deficiency

7 I have omitted part of this chapter, which only confuses the matter. Some translators have misunderstood the words "a Brundisio transportaverat.” 8 Ityraeans from Ityraca a country on the east side of the lake Tiberias.

in Africa, and for a supply of lead and iron. Caesar was also under the necessity of importing corn for his army. In the preceding year the cultivators of Africa, who were of the class named Stipendiarii,' had been summoned by Scipio's party to serve as soldiers and the harvest had been lost for want of reapers. The enemy had also ordered the corn from all parts of the province to be carried into a few well fortified towns and had emptied the country: the towns, with the exception of the few which could be defended by garrisons, were destroyed, the inhabitants were compelled to seek shelter within the strong places of the enemy, and the cultivated lands were made a desert. By kind words and persuasion Caesar had got a little corn, which was in the possession of private persons, and he used it very sparingly. Every day he visited the works on which the men were employed, and kept three cohorts on the watch against the enemy. In the meantime his transports were beating about on the sea, not knowing where Caesar was; and many of them were severally attacked by the enemy's boats, and burnt or taken. Accordingly Caesar placed his ships about the islands on the coasts and the harbours to secure the safe arrival of his supplies. The islands were probably the two small islands of Kouriat about ten miles east of Monestir (Ruspina), on the larger of which there is a spring of good water.'

Guischardt remarks that Caesar's position was one of the most extraordinary recorded in military history. All the ground that he occupied in Africa was contained within his intrenchments, which were a few miles in circuit. Leptis, the only other place that he held, was protected by a small garrison. He depended on his ships for supplies, but they ran the risk of being intercepted by the enemy's small craft which issued from the African ports. He was threatened by a more formidable force than that with which Labienus had attacked him; for Scipio was coming with his legions. The only hope

9 They paid a fixed land-tax in money.

1 Shaw (p. 110, 2nd ed.) names them the Jowries, which he supposes to be the Tarichiae of Strabo. Guischardt (p. 215) names them "Souries." Pellissier (p. 98) names them Kouriat, "which," he says, "Europeans name Conilières, because of the great number of rabbits found there."

of safety was in making his defences at Ruspina so strong that they could not be taken by assault, and in waiting for fresh troops and supplies from Sicily. The situation was certainly strange and difficult, but the courage and the genius of the man rose above the danger, and he saw the prospect of victory where other men would have despaired and perished.

Cn. Pompeius, the elder son of Magnus, does not appear in the African war. We learn from the historian (c. 22) that he was at Utica doing nothing. Cato endeavoured to rouse the young man to activity by reminding him of the great things which his father had done at an early age. Cneus was moved by the words of Cato, and taking thirty small vessels of all kinds, a few of which had beaks, sailed from Utica to Mauritania and the kingdom of Bogud, who was friendly to Caesar. He had with him two thousand men, free and slave, of whom only part were armed, and he marched with this wretched force to a town named Ascurus, where Bogud had a garrison. The people allowed Pompeius to advance close up to the wall and the gates, and then sallied out and drove the commander and his rabble to their ships. Pompeius sailed away towards the Balearic isles, and the historian says no more about him. Any man could have foreseen the failure of such an enterprise. Probably Pompeius only sought a decent excuse for leaving Utica, and did not choose to serve under Scipio, who now held the place which the father of Cneus held till the battle of Pharsalia.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE AFRICAN WAR.

B.C. 46.

SCIPIO leaving a strong garrison in Utica marched to Adrumetum, where he stayed a few days. From Adrumetum he advanced by night to join Labienus and Petreius; and the united forces formed one camp in the plain of Ruspina three miles from Caesar's position. The enemy's cavalry were continually moving about Caesar's lines, and cutting off those who went beyond the ramparts for forage and water. The object of Scipio, who did not venture to attack Caesar's lines, was to reduce him by famine, or to compel him to fight against superior numbers. Caesar's army was suffering from want of food: the supplies had not arrived from Sicily or Sardinia, and it was dangerous at this season of the year for ships to be on the sea. Caesar's troops, says the historian, were not masters of the country for more than six miles in all directions; nor indeed so much as that in some directions, if Scipio was only three miles distant. As there was scarcity of fodder, Caesar's veterans who had been in like difficulties before, collected the sea-weed from the shore and by washing it in fresh water made it fit for the beasts to eat.1

Juba hearing of Caesar's difficulties and of the smallness of his force left his kingdom with a large body of cavalry and infantry to join Scipio. But as soon as he set out, P. Sittius

1 The fucus saccharinus is still used by the inhabitants of the Kerkennah islands. The stems and leaves are given to cattle, and in time of scarcity men eat a kind of gall, which this marine plant produces in great abundance. This substance is very nourishing and is not at all disagreeable to the taste. In certain years all the coast is covered with this sea-weed. Pellissier, Descript. de Tunis, p. 107.

2

and King Bocchus united their forces and entered Juba's territories. Sittius was an Italian, whose name has appeared as one of the adherents of Catilina (vol. iii. p. 231), and he was now an adventurer in Africa. Sittius and Bocchus took Cirta (Constantina) the richest of Juba's cities; and two Gaetulian towns, which refused to surrender on terms, were captured and all the inhabitants put to the sword. Juba had nearly reached Scipio's camp when he heard of his dominions being ravaged, and he resolved to return and protect his own country. He even drew off the troops which he had sent to Scipio, but he left with him thirty elephants. By this diversion Sittius did great service to Caesar. Dion states that Sittius had never received any favours from Caesar and was not known to him. But it is much more probable that Caesar knew Sittius before he left Italy and connected himself with the kings of western Africa; and that he had now contrived to secure his services. As it was not generally known that Caesar had landed in the province, and it was supposed that one of his legati had come with some troops, Caesar sent letters round to inform all the African towns of his arrival. It is true that he was almost blockaded by the enemy, but still the roads south of Ruspina were open, and we must suppose that he found daring men, who were willing to carry his letters. The chief persons came from their towns to Caesar's camp and complained bitterly of the treatment which they had received from Scipio's party. Caesar was moved by their tears and sufferings, and determined to commence the campaign as soon as the fine weather began and he had collected all his forces. He wrote to Sicily to Alienus and Rabirius Postumus and sent his letters by a quick sailing vessel : his orders were that they must bring over the troops immediately without any regard to the weather: he told them that the province of Africa was entirely ruined by his enemies, and if help did not come soon, there would be nothing left save the bare soil, not even a house to take refuge in. Caesar was so impatient, that on the day after he had despatched his letters he was complaining of the delay in the arrival of the fleet and army and had his eyes continually

2 It has been suggested that the name Bocchus should be Bogud. But Appian (B. C. ii. 96) mentions Bocchus as a king of the Maurusii, and Dion (43. c. 3) also.