Publius Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus’ father) crossed the Po River to try to make contact with Hannibal’s army which had recently completed its crossing of the Alps. Scouts reported that the Carthaginian army was at the Trebia River. He had a pontoon bridge constructed. He crossed and established a camp. His army’s dust cloud had been seen by Hannibal and vice versa. Both generals sent probes to locate the other. The Battle of the Ticinus was fought in late November in 218. Prior to the battle, Hannibal would have reminded his men of the obvious – it was conquer or die. Both generals sent out a reconnaissance in force. Hannibal’s force was about 6,000 horsemen and Scipio’s force was 3,600 cavalry and light infantry.
The two forces ran into each other. It is unclear if Hannibal was with his cavalry. He probably was not, but his cavalry commander Maharbal was. The ”battle” was more of a skirmish. Scipio’s force had his Gallic cavalry in the center. Each rider had a javelineer riding with him. In front were the velites. Hannibal’s force had his Gauls in the middle and his Numidians on the wings. His force was larger so it extended beyond the Roman flanks. The engagement began with a charge by Hannibal’s heavy cavalry. The velites, anticipating the traditional missile warfare with the enemy light infantry, did not put up much of a fight. It is unclear if they even threw their javelins before they ran. Their retreat took them through their Gallic cavalry, causing mayhem. Meanwhile, the Numidians had outflanked the Romans and surged behind the Romans to attack the velites who were now behind their cavalry. The melee was distinctly in favor of the Carthaginians. Scipio was in the rear with a small cavalry reserve. He charged ahead to try to break the enemy’s momentum. His unit was quickly surrounded by Numidians and he was wounded. With the consul unhorsed and surrounded by his bodyguard it was not looking good. At this point, the 17-year-old Publius Cornelius Scipio was safely watching the battle with his own bodyguard. Seeing his father in dire straits, Scipio turned to his men. He ordered his unit forward, but the men demurred due to the fearful odds. “I’m going, come if you want.” Most of the men followed him in a charge to where his father was fighting for his life. Scipio’s small force carved its way to the general and rescued him. (Another version had Scipio the elder’s life being saved by a slave.) Polybius claimed this exploit affected Scipio the younger’s conduct in Spain. “After this exploit had won him a reputation for bravery, which all were bound to recognize, he was careful to refrain from exposing himself to danger when his country’s entire hopes rested upon his safety.” His father was not only grateful, but proud. He wanted to award his son with the corona civica (“civic crown”) given for saving a comrade’s life in battle. It was one of the highest Roman military decorations, but the future Scipio Africanus refused it saying: “The action was one that rewarded itself.” (The story of Scipio’s action came to Polybius by way of Scipio’s best friend Laelius.) About 1,500 years later, the famed poet Petrarch wrote an epic poem about his hero Scipio Africanus entitled Africa. Here is how he commemorated this incident:
The Roman leader would have fallen there
had not his son, a lad whose tender years
numbered a scant eighteen, with fierce assault
snatched from the hand of death his stricken sire
who lay upon the ground with wounded flank.
A boy’s work, thus to cleave with thirsty brand
a way through the ranks of foemen to his father?
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