Chapter 58

On the next day the enemy led out their entire combined forces from all their camps and, gaining possession of a certain prominent knoll, arrayed their battle line not far from Caesar’s camp, and took up their position there. Caesar likewise led forth his forces, speedily arrayed them and took up a position in front of his fortifications which were in the plain; for he thought, no doubt, that his opponents, seeing they were equipped with such substantial forces and the reinforcements supplied by the king, and had previously been quite prompt to sally forth, would now take the initiative, advance towards him and join battle. After riding round encouraging his legions he gave the signal and awaited the enemy’s advance. For he himself had good reason not to advance too far from his fortifications, since the town of Uzitta, held by Scipio, contained enemy cohorts under arms; moreover, his right-hand wing lay opposite the said town, and he was afraid that, if he advanced beyond it, the enemy might make a sally from the town, attack him in flank, and maul him severely. Apart from this there was another reason too to make him pause, namely that in front of Scipio’s line there was a patch of very broken ground, which he believed would prevent his troops from going over to the offensive.