Mathos Harasses Hamilcar
Meanwhile MathÅs himself was continuing the siege
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of Hippo Zarytus, and he now counselled Autaritus, the
leader of the Gauls, and Spendius to stick close
to the skirts of the enemy, avoiding the plains,
because the enemy were strong in cavalry
and elephants, but marching parallel with them on the slopes
of the mountains, and attacking them whenever they saw them
in any difficulty. note While suggesting these tactics, he at the
same time sent messengers to the Numidians and Libyans,
entreating them to come to their aid, and not to let slip the
opportunity of securing their own freedom. Accordingly,
Spendius took with him a force of six thousand men, selected
from each of the several nationalities at Tunes, and started,
keeping along a line of hills parallel to the Carthaginians.
Besides these six thousand he had two thousand Gauls under
Autaritus, who were all that were left of the original number,
the rest having deserted to the Romans during the period of
the occupation of Eryx. Now it happened that, just when
Hamilcar had taken up a position in a certain plain which
was surrounded on all sides by mountains, the reinforcements
of Numidians and Libyans joined Spendius. The Carthaginians, therefore, suddenly found a Libyan encampment
right on their front, another of Numidians on their rear, and
that of Spendius on their flank; and it seemed impossible to
escape from the danger which thus menaced them on every
side.
