Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from earliest times to the battle of Ipsus, : with a detailed account of the campaigns of the great Macedonian . o an island in the Danube, called Pence, noteasily identified but probably near and below modern Widdin,to which the Thracians had also fled and King Syrmus hadhimself repaired. When Alexander had crossed the Lyginusand was moving toward the barbarians on the Danube, hefound that the main body of the Triballians was marchingback on the former river as with intent to seize the passes inhis rear. By a sudden counte
Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from earliest times to the battle of Ipsus, : with a detailed account of the campaigns of the great Macedonian . o an island in the Danube, called Pence, noteasily identified but probably near and below modern Widdin,to which the Thracians had also fled and King Syrmus hadhimself repaired. When Alexander had crossed the Lyginusand was moving toward the barbarians on the Danube, hefound that the main body of the Triballians was marchingback on the former river as with intent to seize the passes inhis rear. By a sudden countermarch, Alexander surprisedthem at eventide as they were going into camp. The Triballians retired into a woody glen near the river,difBcult of access. Alexander marshaled his army for attack. THE TRIBALLIANS. 193 He led the phalanx in person, but took the precaution to throwout a curtain of archers and slingers, hoping to draw the bar-barians from their retreat into the open. These light troopsadvanced and gallantly forced the attack. The over-eagerTriballians could not be restrained from rushing out to en-gage in a hand-to-hand conflict, and had small difficulty in V.••*^. ./? Battle at the Lyginus. pushing the light troops back. This easy success induced themto advance still farther, and gave Alexander the opportunityof sending Philotas with an ile of cavalry to charge in ontheir naked right wing, which had advanced beyond theirmain line. Heraclides and Sopolis he sent with other twoiles of horse to attack their left, while he himself, with the pha-lanx, preceded by cavalry, advanced straight upon the bar-barians. So long as the attack was confined to skirmishingthe Triballians were not to be overcome, but when the densephalanx pushed in upon them, and the horse came to closequarters, riding them down bodily by mere weight, they were 194 THE GETJE. broken and driven back, with a loss of three thousand killed,into the ravine. The uncertainty of night prevented the Ma-cedon
Size: 1230px × 2031px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade189, booksubjectmilitaryartandscience
