The historie of tvvo the moste noble capitaines of the worlde, Anniball and Scipio of theyr dyuers battailes and victories, excedyng profitable to reade, gathered and translated into Englishe, out of Titus Liuius, and other authoures, by Antonye Cope esquier.

¶ Hanniball intendyng to take a certayn castell by stelthe, was encountred by the consull, wounded, and put to the worse, and after a great slaughter of the people he wonne Vicū∣nias. And howe Cn. Scipio in Spayne ouer∣thr••we Hanno in battayle. Cap. xiiii. (Book 14)

VVhan Sempronius by chaunce had escaped the great daunger of his enemies, he retur∣ned to Rome, to the chosyng of the new cō∣suls, at which parliament Cneius Seruslius and C. Flaminius were created consulles. Whiche thinge done, he came to Placentia, thynkyng to passe the wynter quietly in that place, but the Romans had not quiete so moche as the win∣ter tyme. For the Numidians and other of the hoste of An∣niball were sparkled abrode in the co••••es, so that they were troubled on euery syde. There was a certayn market towne

and castell, not farre from Placentia, very ryche and strong∣ly fensed. Thither went Hannibal with his horsemen, and su∣che as were lyght harneysed, thynkyng to wynne it by assa•••• in the nyght. But the watchemen perceyuing his intent, rei∣sed suche a crye, that it was hearde to Placentia. Than the consull in the next morning, with his horsemen before, and his legions in good order folowyng after, came thither, and gaue them battayle, in the whiche Anniball was wounded: Wher∣by the Carthaginenses were in suche feare, that they gaue backe, and the peace lasted whyles Anniballes wounde was in healynge. And ere he was fully cured, he went to a place called Vicunuias. That place was surely kepte by the Ro∣manes, who being a great numbre, what of the garrison, what of the townes mē, also by reason of the assemble of the peo∣ple of the countrey, who beyng afrayde of the Numidians, whiche roued abrode: fledde thither for succour: these peo∣ple (I say) being many in numbre, hering of the noble defen∣dyng of the castell, adioynynge to Placentia, thynkyng to do a great feate, with a great route of people, without any or∣der, ranne to armour, and came forth to encounter with An∣niball. But bycause they were an vnruly company, without a capytayne or good order, the other, being but a fewe in nū∣ber, and good men of warre, hauynge a good capytayn, vnto whom they myght truste, dyd discom••te of them .xxxv. thou∣sande, and the nexte daye toke the towne, and made suche a slaughter and destruction amonge theym, as was not hearde of a great season before. These were Anniballes vyctories durynge the wynterseason, after whyche they rested the deepe of the wynter: And as soone as sprynge tyme of the yere came, Sempronius the consull, who was than returned from Rome, prepared to gyue battayle to the Caathaginen∣ses, & the first day that they met, the Romans had so good for tune, that they not only wonne the victory in playn fielde, but also draue them to their tentes, and indeuored them selfes to wynne their campe. But Anniball, setting certayn of his fote¦men to defend their gates or entrees of their campe, and cau∣sing the rest, as well fotemen as horsemen to recule, dyd sette them in aray within the campe, to the intent to be in a redines to rushe out vpon their enemies, so sone as he made to them a signe. The Romans seing they coulde not wynne the campe,

blewe the retreite. Whan Anniball sawe, that the bataile was slakid, and the Romans began to recule back from his campe: he set forthe the horsemen, some on the ryght hand, and some on the lefte, and hym selfe with the fotemen, came after from the campe, and gaue theym a stronge battayle, puttyng them to moch dysplesure. But anon the nyght departed them with lyke losse and slaughter on bothe sydes.

¶ Whyles these thynges were doone in Italy, Cn. Scipio, being sent into Spayne with his hoste, partely by force, and partly by amitie and olde frendshyp, he brought all the coun∣treys from Lusitania, to the riuer of Iberus, vnder the obe∣dience of the Romans. And also the fame of his gentil enter∣tayning of people broughte the inhabitauntes on the moun∣taynes, and the wylde nations to be his assured frendes. So that they were all redy with theyr armour & succours to aide the Romans to the best of their powers. Hanno, whom An∣niball hadde left for the defence of these regions, knowynge these actes of Scipio, after his arryuall, and fearyng leste he shuld be by hym put from the possession of all that countreye: appoynted to fight with hym before the matter were ouerfar gone, and pytched his campe not farre from the hoste of the Romans. Scipio knowyng that yf he did long tary from ba∣tayle, he shulde haue to do with hym, and also with Hasdru∣ball, who were bothe lefte for the defence of the countrey, thought it better for hym to mete with theym and theyr ho∣stes seuerally, thanne to matche with bothe the hostes togi∣ther. Wherfore he made spede to mete fyrste with Hanno and his company. In whyche battayle there were slayne .vi. thousand of the Carthaginenses, and .ii. M. taken with their capytayn Hanno, and all their tentes, with a certain town also nere vnto the campe called Stissus. Hasdruball, before he herd of the discom••iture of his felowe Hanno, was passed the ryuer of Iberus with .viii. M. fotemen, and one thousande horsemen, intendynge to mete the Romaynes at theyr fyrst commynge: But whanne he hearde of the ouerthrowe of Hanno and his people, he tourned toward the sea, where by chance he met with many Romans, that were left in the ships not far from Tarracon, wandryng abrode vpon the sea costis, takynge no hede to theyr ennemies, as people mystrustynge nothynge, but beynge neglygent by reason of theyr late pro∣sperous

successe. Of these negligent persons many he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the rest he drone to their shyppes with greate feare. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the lesse hym selfe being afrayd of Scipios commyng, ••urste not longe tary in those parties, but with his army passed the ryuer of Iberus, and distroyed the fieldes of the Illergites, bryngyng them to his subiection.