Hamilcar's Tactical Superiority
The assistance thus obtained from these allies encouraged the Carthaginians to maintain their resistance: while
Mathōs and Spendius found themselves quite as much in the
position of besieged as in that of besiegers; for Hamilcar's
force reduced them to such distress for provisions that they
were at last compelled to raise the siege.
B. C. 238. Hamilcar, with assistance from Sicily, surrounds Mathōs and Spendius. |
However, after a
short interval, they managed to muster the most
effective of the mercenaries and Libyans, to the
number in all of fifty thousand, among whom,
besides others, was Zarzas the Libyan, with
his division, and commenced once more to watch
and follow on the flank of Hamilcar's march.
Their method was to keep away from the level country, for
fear of the elephants and the cavalry of Narávas; but to seize
in advance of him all points of vantage, whether it were rising
ground or narrow pass. In these operations they showed
themselves quite a match for their opponents in the fury of
their assault and the gallantry of their attempts; but their
ignorance of military tactics frequently placed them at a
disadvantage. It was, in fact, a real and practical illustration
of the difference between scientific and unscientific warfare:
between the art of a general and the mechanical movements
of a soldier. Like a good draught-player, by isolating and
surrounding them, he destroyed large numbers in detail
without coming to a general engagement at all; and in
movements of more importance he cut off many without
resistance by enticing them into ambushes; while he threw
others into utter dismay by suddenly appearing where they
least expected him, sometimes by day and sometimes by night:
and all whom he took alive he threw to the elephants.
Finally, he managed unexpectedly to beleaguer them on
ground highly unfavourable to them and convenient for his
own force; and reduced them to such a pitch of distress that,
neither venturing to risk an engagement nor being able to run
away, because they were entirely surrounded by a trench and
stockade, they were at last compelled by starvation to feed on
each other: a fitting retribution at the hands of Providence for
their violation of all laws human and divine in their conduct
to their enemies. To sally forth to an engagement they did
not dare, for certain defeat stared them in the face, and they
knew what vengeance awaited them if they were taken; and
as to making terms, it never occurred to them to mention it,
they were conscious that they had gone too far for that. They
still hoped for the arrival of relief from Tunes, of which their
officers assured them, and accordingly shrank from no suffering
however terrible.