Hannibal on the Run

Carthage are losing momentum: Hannibal trapped in Bruttium.
   Marcellus had a successful campaign in Sicily and captured Syracuse from Epicydes and then Agrigentum. Sicily resumed its place as grain producer for the Roman army. Many Sicilian pirates were relocated to Bruttium and Rhegium to assist the Roman naval effort. Muttines was often trying to reap the rewards for other people's hard work.
   Scipio and Laelius captured New Carthage after a bloody battle at the outer walls. Several Roman attempts. After a tip-off from local fishermen, 500 Romans waded across the harbour at low tide and simply walked into the city. No-one was defending the walls. A surprise tactic. The Carthaginians tried to play down losing New Carthage, but they knew it was a huge blow losing a good strategic port and treasury. Many merchant ships and 'scorpion' weapons were captured. After securing Spain, a Celtiberian chief's beautiful daughter was in love with a Roman centurion who fought exceptionally well. He wanted to marry her, so his wish was granted by Scipio. The gratified girl's parents insisted on sending gold to Scipio, he reluctantly accepted the gift and decided to pass on the gold to the lucky centurian as a wedding present. A beautiful wife and gold - he didn't do too bad! Many Carthagininan captives were sent to Rome together with Numidian and Spanish prisoners. Mago and the two Hasdrubals were still at large and more legions were being sent to Spain to deal with the situation.
   Manlius did consistently well in fending off attacks in Sardinia. Historians seemed to neglect Sardinia a bit so Manlius was obviously doing a decent job out there, keeping the Carthaginians at bay.
   Fulvius took the Greek colony of Tarentum. Marcellus took Apulia. His first battle in Apulia against Hannibal was an embarrassing rout, where the troops gave up early and ran away from the enemy like chickens. Marcellus was furious and reprimanded his soldiers severely. At the rematch Marcellus rekindled their courage and the Romans beat the Carthaginians hands down, even turning Hannibal's elephants against him - they panicked and trampled the enemy as they were prone to do so on occasion. Marcellus fought in the van - leading by example. Carthalo surrendered but a Roman soldier failed to recognize the bloke and he was brought down with a spear. Democrates was a player.
   Capua was now well and truly back in Roman hands. Capua had lost most of its privileges because of a pronounced allegiance with Carthage. Treacherous Senators of Capua had committed suicide by drinking poison, which had actually taken a few days to kill them as they had drunk alcohol which slowed down the effects. Such was the Campanian anti-Roman stance. Hannibal was trying all his tricks and traps but the Roman leaders were growing ever wiser to his dirty surprise tactics.
   The Romans also took careful notice of particular omens that by coincidence often served them well. If someone reported seeing a talking ox, it was to be believed very seriously. Several rivers flowed with blood ( maybe down to a reflection of the sunset or maybe red soil discharged or even an injured animal ) and it rained stones ( hailstones probably). Statues moved and vultures landed on sacred places. A pig was born with a man's head and a kid was born with an elephant's head. (Elephaniasis?) Another child was born a hermaphrodite and another was born the size of the four year old. The baby was put in a box, and still alive, was thrown over the cliffs into the sea - to appease the gods and rid the Romans of a bad omen. Some omens were laughable by today's standards but in those days nothing was ignored. They generally believed lightning was caused by the gods. There were special 'strewing' couches to sit on to pray to the gods in these circumstances. Sometimes there was still time to conduct the Plebeian Games and posher Roman Games which always drew a crowd and was a good source of revenue. New taxes were imposed on recaptured provinces to assist the Roman effort. Some city leaders said they had no men or money left and this lead them into trouble with the government.
   Sometimes annual elections for the Roman Senate took place during the midst of important campaigns, such as when Marcellus had Hannibal on the run. It was a tricky decision having to recall consuls and commanders from the heat of battle. A dictator was often elected instead. Laevinus was also a Roman commander of note. Turditanus and Crassus too. Decimius was successful. Maximus was appointed a dictator. Hannibal often burnt the surrounding countryside in spite, if he was unable to capture a city. Romans started raids on Africa.
   Hannibal was still using tricks to fool the Romans, he hid in a woodland on a hill and ambushed them when Marcellus and Crispinus went to investigate with a cavalry. Marcellus was killed by a spear during this reconnoitre. Hannibal later stole Marcellus's signet ring, after he'd conducted a burial, he used it to send false letters to the Romans. The Romans sent heralds to other contingents to warn them not to be deceived by letters from Marcellus, as he'd been killed in Bruttium. Crispinus also died later from very severe wounds.

Crete and Thera

Knossos was the capital but other important towns were Lyktos and Gortyna. The Eastern side is Eteocretan. The Diktaein zeus is located here. Thera is in the Cyclades, a smattering of islands in the Aegean Sea. King Minos ruled at Knossos, supposedly fairly, but others say he was a tyrant and exacted tributes from everyone and could be cruel and ruthless. The two opposing powers of the island were often at war but sometimes they formed an alliance and there was less upheaval. Lots of Cretans migrated to other parts of Hellas and elsewhere in the Mediterranean and vice versa. The main port for Knossos was Herakleion. In earlier times it was Amisos. They say Crete was settled by Lacedaimonians, Dorians from Doris, Thessalians, and the migratory Pelasgians and is sometimes considered part of the Peloponnesos - but it's not. The Samonian Cape is east facing Egypt and the White mountains are in the west.
    Gifts were very often given to abducted lovers as was the custom, usually including a military uniform, a drinking cup and an ox which was sacrificed to Zeus and later consumed at a party attended by friends of the lovers. The friends of the lovers followed and made sure the lovers were compatible with each other. Other rich gifts were given, maybe a set of golf clubs, possibly York Fruits, well they would've been if they'd been invented! It was quite a long courtship lasting for two months including various entertainments and hunting expeditions. At any point the relationship could be averted and could be terminated - only by the Andreion who had a 'paidonomos' to supervise him. An expensive business was a paidonomos. If you were good looking and well bred it was said to be disgraceful not to have a lover. Looks were secondary to manliness and decorum. Money in Crete was provided by the State to balance out any equality and nobody starved in the mess halls which were ran for the 'herds' of young lads undergoing military training.
   Ancient Hellenes sometimes believed the sun went beneath the sea. The sun always sets in the west and the Phoenician word for sunset is 'europa', and this became the name of the continent in the west, after the goddess.
 Ephoros mentions crete in his tales. Kallimachus does too, as he was a fan of Crete, and who can blame him, with its decent climate and good wine. Mithridates IV was involved with Crete and he was King over in Anatolia. The Romans had a few run-ins with the bloke.
   Mallia is now a clubby resort that plays house and trance music and after midnight the streets are awash with vomit, and it's not far from Amnisos. A world of hedonism in summer: a long way from ancient Knossos or maybe it did have elements of that. From some accounts King Minos was no goody goody and could be a nasty bit of work. Phaistos is a port on the south coast facing the Libyan sea. Theothrastus comments about Greek lads in love in his book 'in love'. Delos became under Athenian rule during Strabo's time. They say Delos was an island that floated around the Aegean sea and a goddess once landed there and she wanted a solid platform to give birth so she erected four vast columns to anchor the island in place and Delos has retained it's strategic position ever since, particularly as a naval station and once the centre of the Delian League which eventually evolved into the Athenian League under Kimon, and then Pericles.
   Leukokomas of Leben once said to his lover Euxynthetos "go to Praisos and bring back my dog!" Cheek of it. When he got to Praises he may have seen the sanctuary of Diktaian Zeus from where Minos asked many questions every ninth year. I doubt Euxynthetos would've seen the woman Britomartis who escaped from the supposedly violent and tyrannical king Minos although some say he was a just man and civilised Cretans society with laws etc. Anyway Britomartis ran away regardless of whether he was good or bad and she jumped into a fisherman's net and she was called Diktyanna after having done so as the Greek word for net is Diktya. There is a Mount Dikte nearby. Well Euxynthetos obviously brought back his lover's dog and all was good. Now that's love for you. Maybe Euxynthetos said to Leukokomas "ok I got your dog now you go get mine, it's in China ha ha". Mt Dikte was said to be near Mt Ida but this is nonsnese as it is nowhere near it. Aratos doesn't alway get his brass tacks correct.

Hippocrates and Epicydes

Sicily was predominantly anti Roman and pro Carthaginian but they mainly wanted to be an independent state, similar to when King Hiero ruled, but now things had changed and they were tired of the Romans. The Roman assault of the harbour walls of Syracuse under Marcellus had been thwarted by the ingenuity of Archimedes. He invented many devices along the walls that helped repel the Roman attack, including grappling chains that lifted triremes and quinqueremes out of the water and dropped them upright, smashing the ships and crew against the rocks. Arrows and catapults were fired through small slots in the wall. The Romans too, had their ingenious weapon designs, which incuded a type of javelin that couldn't be thrown back by the enemy. The wall of Syracuse extended around the city to the plain where Roman foot soldiers tried an assault from another angle. Hippocrates and Epicydes had been instrumental in regaining Syracuse. The people of the city certainly supported them. The boy king Hieronymous had been murdered at Leontini and subsequently other members of the royal family were tracked down and killed. Adranodorus and his colleague was killed in Syracuse. Adranodorus was a Roman married to a daughter of Hiero called Damarata. Another princess was tracked down in Egypt, living in the court of King Ptolemy and married to a bloke in Alexandria called Zoippus. She asked to be relocated to Alexandria, as she felt herself to be a neutral party, concerning the war. Nevertheless she was killed by Carthaginian perpetrators. Her two daughters tried to flee the house, but they eventually died of multiple stab wounds. A nasty situation happened at Henna. A Roman commander Panilius surrounded the rebellious citizens of the town who were vehemently pro-Hannibal. They wanted the Romans out of Henna. Panilius waited for the right moment when the unarmed mob began to resort to violence during a speech. Panilius gave a sign ( pulling on his toga ) and soldiers armed with swords, rushed from the rear of the forum and slaughtered the rebels. Roman soldiers hunted the streets and killed people indiscriminately. It was a terrible massacre, enough to put a lump in anyone's throat, but Marcellus didn't complain when he heard about it. Megara was involved; another Greek colony. Himilco came across with reinforcements and more elephants from Africa. Sicily was a vital grain station for both camps. Achradina was a part of Syracuse.

Thessaly Revisited

Demetrias Poliorketes founded the Magnesian port of Demetrios, later subject to Philoctetes, situated on the north coast of the Pagasitic Gulf, near a temple of Demeter. The gulf was named after the old port of Pagasai or Pagai ( named after springs - pegai ) and was the place where Peleus ordered Jason to set sail in the Argo. Nearby Iolkos was razed by seditions and tyrannies, eventually swallowed up by Demetrios. Demetrios was a naval station used by many Macedonian kings in times past. ( Naupegia - ship building )
Thessaly, famed for beautiful women, had four parts: Thessalotis, Hestiotis, Pelasgiotis and Phthiotis. Phthiotis was subject to Achilles and his mate Patroclus, who fell at Troy. Other leaders were; Polypoites, Protesilaos, Eumelos, Medon,  Philoctetes, Eurypylus and Phoinix. Phoinix was a Dolopian. It is contested as to whether he was an advisor to Achilles in the Trojan war as he wouldn't have gone to war without his subjects. Ancient kings were Deucalion and the son of Heracles, Thessalos. Achilles once let his hair down to impress the River Sperchious, that emerges into the Maliac Gulf between Lamia and Thermopylai. Halos is nearby. Once central Thessaly, being flat and below sea level, was a big lake surrounded by mountains. An earthquake fractured the region between Ossa and Olympos and the lake flowed out to sea via the Pinious river near Tempe, thus draining the land. Lake Nessonis and Lake Boibis are the only remnants. Boibis is where an important local maiden once bathed her foot. Lake Nessonis is now dry farmland. It once had an embankment built by Perrhaibians to stop flooding. Philip II of Macedonia invaded the area, as he was prone to do at times. At the Lamian war, Antipatros lead the Macedonians against the Athenians under Leosthenes. The Romans beat the Macedonians later at Kynoscephalai. At Metropolis (Doris was one ) Kallimachus says that one of the Aphrodites preferred swine as a sacrifice. Pork sarnies all round!Skyros, where Achilles had a fling with Lycomedes, became one of Philip's conquests. It was an island renowned for goats and much exported variegated white stone, used in Rome to such excess, it was very common and thus became worthless, despite the stone's excellence. Pelasgian Larisa was a very popular city and indeed a popular name, what with there being at least a dozen Larisas across the Hellenistic lands. Pelasgian Argos is long gone. Phthiotic Thebes is gone. They say all of Phthiotis was once Achaian. Ithome became Thamai. Deucalion once ruled Thessaly and he named it Pyrrhia in honour of his wife, Pyrrha. The north was called Pandora after his mother and the south was called Haimonia. Deucalion had a son called Hellen and he gave his name to Hellas - the old name for Greece proper. Homer always thought of Hellas and Phtia as one. Antron is a port on the Maliac Gulf and gives its name to a reef called the arse of Antron. It is subject to Protesilaos. Xerxes' invasion by sea was foiled on the coast of Magnesia at Cape Sepias, when his ships were smashed up on rocks and beaches by typhoons. They say the Talarians once lived on Mt Pindos and took in some refugee Centaurs who were chased away from Hestiotis by Perrhaibians, but there's no trace of the Talarians today. Maybe the Centaurs killed them. Hesiod was a fan of the white peaks of Titanos and the Dotian lake and the Didymian Hills. River Titarios is said to be very oily. The magic helmet of Meges was burgled from a house in Eleon, near Mt Pindos, by Autolykos the tea leaf and it ended up being passed down to Odysseus. It rendered the wearer invisible, so Odysseus used it on a stealth mission and infiltrated the Trojan nightwatch during the build up to the siege of Troy. It's all true! Amphrysos river. Mopsos was here. Olizon is a port situated in Magnesia on the the southernmost cape. Mount Pelion dominates the skyline around the Pagasitic Gulf. Parocholeitai. Skotoussa is on the Pinious river. Pharkadon was another city, as was Pharsalos. Rhizous. There was also Aithikians Athamanians Elimotians and other tribes.

Mycenae and Tiryns

The Mycenians ate buns as there was a granary close to the Lion Gate. They exported and imported goods via the sally port. A cyclops built the city wall of Tiryns for Protos who may have worn a gold crown. Someone did, because Heinrich Schliemann the archaeologist found a gold crown in the Caves of Shaft. Cyclops' must've been good brickies. The residents of the palaces of Mycenae had decent plumbing and bathrooms. They migrated from Crete to the eastern Peloponnesos - although it wasn't called that in the bronze age. To the Mycenians it was uncharted land, long before Pelops invaded from the north and long before Spartan predominance. There were some indigenous tribes that probably had to be subdued or moved on. There was gold, silver, amethyst, faience and alabaster and there were plenty of skilled craftsmen. People drank wine or beer out of cups made from Egyptian ostrich eggs. I was at a pub in Tiryns once and there was an ostrich still in my cup. It pecked my fucking eye out. A cyclops said "you could get a job as a bricklayer now mate!" The barman scratched some words on a large jar that said "faulty ostrich cups - to be sent back." Inscriptions on jars found at archaeological sites often tell stories and give us clues about how ancient society operated. Little fragments of history. According to Pausanius, Aigisthos killed Atreus and others, who returned from Troy, at his banquet. Aigisthos knew Atreus had a stash of treasure in his cellars. Mycenae came to an abrupt end, once believed to have been destroyed by the Thera volcanic catastrophe but analysis shows Mycenaen civilization ending 150 years before Thera exploded. Maybe they all died of plague or famine, although there was an abundance of fertile lands in Greece at the time. Corinth was founded then and seems to have lasted beyond the age of Roman expansion into Greece. A city with a great history. One day a bloke called Kaysius came in and said "that's the way ah ha ah ha, I like it, ah ha ah ha that's the way" Everyone started boogieing down and some bloke said "it's a shame records haven't been invented yet as I reckon that tune would go straight to the top of the charts."

Hannibal down Bruttium

Hannibal's camp was now in Bruttium on the toe of Italy. He was trying to surround Rome and Latin territory. At Beneventum, Hannibal lost 20,000 men. Gracchus told his ex-slaves and convicts to cut the enemies heads off. Every head presented to the Roman consul would guarantee their individual freedom. This tactic certainly worked as many soldiers were going out of their way to cut the heads off Carthaginian corpses on the battlefield. This also caused problems as instead of carrying a more useful sword the Romans were carrying heads which Gracchus thought was starting to hinder the battle. Gracchus ordered the slave warriors to 'drop the heads' and this instantly improved the fighting. Gracchus also said that if the Carthaginians are defeated every slave and prisoner will be set free and granted Roman citizenship. This compelled them to go into manic mode and the Carthaginians were overwhelmed by a new Roman aggression. Hannibal knew his guys were flagging and were lacking incentive. Rome was gaining momentum. The Volturnus river offered a formidable crossing point. Naples, then Neapolis, was on alert. Nearby Puteoli was attacked by Hannibal. Meanwhile, Manlius was on alert in Sardinia. Someone had seen a spear on a statue move forward slightly and heard a cow talk and this was enough to have the Romans consulting the sacred books. A jar of prawns in a Co-op started spouting out Latin invective. It rained chalk supposedly. I'm just guessing it was hailstones. They say it rained stones on various occasions when it thundered and this phenomenon could be put down as hailstones. Who knows. New consuls and praetors etc were elected in Rome as was usual. Fabius had been elected for the fourth time despite protestations. It seems the second Punic war was a sort of rebellious uprising in Italy where the commoners were fed up with being subject to a corrupt and greedy aristocracy. The commoners of many Italian cities were rebelling against the local Senate. It was pretty much a class war! Greek colonies in Bruttium were under attack as they were mostly pro-Roman, including Croton. Wheat and barley were a priority. At Casilinum Hannibal constructed a defensive tower at the city wall, but the Romans had built a taller one. Much stone and missile throwing took place with the Romans having the edge. Eventually the fighting spilled into the gates.

Hamae and Xenophanes

Temple of Juno much frequented. Bit of a butchering administered by the Romans towards some treacherous Campanians. They were at an evening festival that stopped just before midnight and they were caught unawares by stealthy Romans under Gracchus. Most of the Campanians were too pissed and too tired to retaliate. They had also neglected to fortify their city walls. 2000 Campanians were killed. Their magistrate 'medix tutatis' and leader was killed in the process. Hamae wasn't far from Cumae and Casilinum, the sites of skirmishes. Once again many strange happenings such as a cow giving birth to a colt and raining stones had the Romans reaching for the Sacred Books and strewing couches and conducting other ceremonies to appease the gods. Thunder was heard and this was thought to be Jupiter taking a dislike to current events. Xenophanes was involved in the Philip of Macedon affair, where he attempted to infiltrate Rome by initially feigning friendship with Romans and then secretly having talks with Hannibal. Philip was offering Hannibal support, but the Romans smelled a rat on a ship bound for Macedon, the familiar Campanian accents betrayed hopes of getting away with the treacherous plan. The perpetrators were imprisoned and executed. Philip of Macedon was under much scrutiny - not to be trusted. He wanted a big chunk of Greece if Hannibal succeeded in conquering Rome. Philip of Macedon was an added irritance hindering Roman military planning. The Roman army was ramping up again, many convicts were enlisted and debtors were freed and cleared of their debts if they joined the frontline. Hasdrubal was annoyed about giving up Spain but his contingent was much needed in Italy. Mago held out in Spain but the Spaniards were a strong resistance, especially their cavalry. They were becoming increasingly more pro-Roman. The Ebro river was always a contested zone. Quintus Fabius had been consul three times. In Rome, a new Senate of 150 was elected and for the first time some plebeians were enlisted which caused class conflict. Numidians on the Carthaginian side tricked the Romans at Cannae by pretending to surrender. They threw their shields and arms to the ground, amongst the carnage. They were escorted to the rear of the Roman infantry and they suddenly picked up their weapons, when the Romans weren't expecting it during the battle, and inflicted much damage. Earlier, the Romans had fared worse due to an opposing wind blowing dust into their faces. It's a wonder why so many Numidians were trusted in that situation. Grain was a problem for the Carthaginians, as ports were continually blockaded to stop grain being delivered. A further 20 elephants had been ordered from Carthage. Himilco and Bostar were in Spain.   Tarentum and Brundisium were useful ports on the heel of Italy. Lavinum. Cales got a mention. Another god they devoted to was Mens, whoever he or she was. General Varro was still applying his 'gung ho' tactics in contrast to Paullus's more cautious bearing - Paullus was unfortunately killed by spears at Cannae. He died fighting and was already wounded severely. Varro had his methods. Petelia was a town caught in the fray. The tribal Boii were tricky Celts; you had to watch some of them. And the Tartesii. (Anything ending in two I's - watch 'em!) Buteo was elected as Roman dictator. Now there were two dictators, which was unprecedented, but one dictator was annoyed at not having his Master of the Horse, which was an essential second in command. Aedile turned curule. Some bloke killed someone by throwing his thyrnix at them - whatever that was. Hannibal gave up trying to take Nola and Naples as they offered fierce resistance. Capua was trying to free itself from Hannibal too. I feel things aren't going totally as planned despite his relentless siege warfare and pitched battles along the Appian Road, a main Italian artery. Flaccus gets going. Titus Tarquatus was always about. Scipio captured 16 elephants in Spain and many prisoners and horses. Hannibal realised his men were flagging, he tried in vain to motivate them.