Art of War. Sun TzuЧитать онлайн книгу.
some distance from each other, that there might be room to admit the elephants of the enemy, without disturbing the ranks. Hannibal, in order to terrify the enemy, placed his elephants in the front. While they were thus engaged, Scipio gave the signal for battle. The trumpets and cornets were sounded, and the Romans raised such a shout, that the elephants, particularly in the left wing, were frightened at the sound, and turned back upon their own men. The Carthaginian line was therefore exposed on both flanks, not having the cavalry to cover them, when the infantry began to engage. At the very first onset the Carthaginian line gave way. The Romans thrust them back with their elbows and the bosses of their shields, and stepping forward into the places from which they had dislodged them, they gained ground rapidly.
At this critical juncture the cavalry under Lælius and Massinissa who had pursued the flying horse of the Carthaginians to some distance, returned, and charging the rear of the enemy, effectually routed them. Many were surrounded in the field and slain; while many who escaped into the open country adjoining were pursued and slain by the Roman cavalry. Hannibal escaped during the confusion, with a few horsemen, and fled to Hadrumetum. This battle closed the Punic war. The Carthaginians accepted the conditions dictated by Scipio, and peace was declared.
Siege and Fall of Carthage
(c. 149–146 BCE)
But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.
The Romans, jealous of the power of their rivals, commenced the third Punic war with the determination that it should end only with the total ruin and destruction of their beautiful city. No words can express the terror and dismay which filled the hearts of the people of Carthage, when they learned the immovable determination of the Romans to destroy their city. As they had delivered all their weapons to the Romans they now applied themselves to the making of arms with incredible dexterity and expedition. Palaces, temples, markets, and squares were all turned into so many arsenals.
The Romans at length advanced toward the city in order to besiege it. The Carthaginians met the assaults of the Romans with the utmost vigour. They made frequent and bold sallies on the besiegers, endeavouring to burn their engines and to harass their foragers. The Roman tribune Scipio, afterward surnamed Africanus, distinguished himself above all the rest of the Roman officers. His great ability won him such a lofty reputation that many officers his equal in rank, were at first jealous of his achievements; but his modesty and reserve at length changed their envy into esteem and respect, so that when deputies were sent from Rome to inquire into the state of the siege, the whole army unanimously commended him. Having ordered his troops to provide themselves with axes, levers, and scaling-ladders, he led them, in the dead of the night, to the district of the city called Megara. The Carthaginians, surprised at this sudden attack, at first made but feeble resistance, but soon recovering from their terror, they defended themselves so vigorously, that the Romans were unable to scale the walls. Scipio, at this juncture, perceived a tower that had been abandoned, and which stood without the city, very near the walls. He immediately detached thither a party of bold and daring soldiers. They then hastened to the gates and broke them down. Scipio and his troops instantly entered, and drove the Carthaginians from that quarter of the city. The conflict was long and obstinate. The Romans fought with the valour of conquerors, while the Carthaginians, fighting for home and country, were inspired with the desperate courage of despair.
During the winter, Scipio endeavored to overpower the enemy’s troops without the city. He accordingly attacked a neighbouring fort called Nepheris. After sustaining a siege for twenty-four days the fort was carried, with great bloodshed on both sides, and contributed greatly to the taking old Carthage itself, as after that time it was almost impossible to convey provisions into the city.
Early in the spring, Scipio attacked, at one and the same time, the harbour called Cothon and the citadel. The Romans, after gaining the walls which surrounded this port, threw themselves into the great square of the city that was over it. For six days the combat was carried on in every part of the houses, from top to bottom. The slaughter which occurred during those six days was most terrible. At length, the Carthaginians, appalled by the sight of this bloodshed, determined to surrender. Carthage had fallen. The Roman soldiers eager for plunder, and heated with victory, pillaged the city, and laid it in ruins. When the news of the fall of Carthage reached Rome, the whole city rejoiced. Rome now stood without a rival.
Roman Turtle Formation, detail of a casting of Trajan’s Column.
Plaster cast, 152.1 cm (height of drum segments), 369.5 cm (diameter).
The National Museum of Romanian History, Bucharest. Photographer: Cristian Chirita.
Lionel Noël Royer, Vercingetorix Throws Down his Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar, 1899.
Oil on canvas, 321 × 482 cm.
Musée Crozatier, Le Puy-en-Velay.
Battle of Alesia
(September, 52 BCE)
To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of the enemy’s attack and remain unshaken – this is effected by manoeuvers direct and indirect.
Labienus, when neither the ramparts or ditches could check the onset of the enemy, informs Caesar by messengers of what he intended to do. Caesar hastens to share in the action.
His arrival being known from the colour of his robe, and the troops of cavalry, and the cohorts which he had ordered to follow him being seen, as these low and sloping grounds were plainly visible from the eminences, the enemy join battle. A shout being raised by both sides, it was succeeded by a general shout along the ramparts and whole line of fortifications. Our troops, laying aside their javelins, carry on the engagement with their swords. The cavalry is suddenly seen in the rear of the Gauls; the other cohorts advance rapidly; the enemy turn their backs; the cavalry intercept them in their flight, and a great slaughter ensues. Sedulius, the general and chief of the Lemovices is slain; Vergasillaunus [Vercassivellaunos: relative of Vercingetorix], the Arvernian, is taken alive in the flight, seventy-four military standards are brought to Caesar, and few out of so great a number return safe to their camp. The besieged, beholding from the town the slaughter and flight of their countrymen, despairing of safety, lead back their troops from the fortifications. A flight of the Gauls from their camp immediately ensues on hearing of this disaster, and had not the soldiers been wearied by sending frequent reinforcements, and the labour of the entire day, all the enemy’s forces could have been destroyed.
Battle of Teutoburg Forest
(September, 9 CE)
Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between, deep natural hollows, confined places, tangled thickets, quagmires and crevasses, should be left with all possible speed and not approached.
Dark and disheartening, even to heroic spirits, must have seemed the prospects of Germany when Arminius planned the general rising of his countrymen against Rome. Half the land was occupied by Roman garrisons; and, what was worse, many of the Germans seemed patiently acquiescent in their state of bondage. The resources of Rome seemed boundless; the earth seemed left void of independent nations. The German chieftain knew well the gigantic power of the oppressor. Arminius was no rude savage, fighting out of mere animal instinct, or in ignorance of the might of his adversary. He was familiar with the Roman language and civilisation; he had served in the Roman armies; he had been admitted to the Roman citizenship, and raised to the rank of the equestrian order. It was part of the subtle policy of Rome to confer rank and privileges on the youth of the leading families in the nations which she wished to enslave.
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