Hannibal: Enemy of Rome

An instant later, Sapho arrived from the gloom. He had a dozen or more Libyans in tow; more were hauling themselves up nearby. A happy smile spread across his face when he saw that Bostar was alone. ‘On your own still? It’s not surprising, really. Nothing like the promise of gold to speed things along.’

Bostar bit back his instinctive response. ‘This is not the time for such bullshit,’ he snarled. ‘Let’s seize the damn breach. We can argue later.’

Sapho gave a nonchalant shrug. ‘As you wish.’ He levelled his spear. ‘Third Phalanx! On me! Form a line!’

Only four of Bostar’s men had arrived. He watched in frustration as his brother led his spearmen forward. Of course he would be following in the blink of an eye, but it still rankled. A moment later, Bostar was glad that he hadn’t been first into the gap. Like avenging ghosts, scores of screaming Saguntines emerged from the dust cloud. Every one of them carried a falarica, a long javelin with a burning ball of pitch-soaked tow wrapped around the middle of the shaft.

‘Look out!’ Bostar screamed, knowing that his warning was already too late.

Responding to an officer’s command, the Saguntines drew back and released. They aimed short. Clouds of flaming missiles scudded through the air. Horror-struck, Sapho and his soldiers slowed down. And then the falaricae landed. Driving through shields. Maiming, killing and setting men alight.

Cursing, Bostar counted his spearmen. There were about twenty of them now. It wasn’t enough, but he couldn’t just stand by. If he did, Sapho would be killed, and his soldiers would run away. Their chance would be lost. ‘Forward!’ Raising his shield, Bostar ran at the enemy. He did not look back. To his immense relief, he felt his men’s presence at each shoulder. Death might take them all, thought Bostar, but at least they followed him through loyalty, not lust for gold.

He aimed for the spot where it looked as if Sapho’s soldiers might be overwhelmed. Seeing him, the nearest Saguntines took aim and released their falaricae. Hunching his shoulders, Bostar ran on. Streaming flames, the javelins hummed right past him. There was a strangled scream, and he looked around. He wished he hadn’t. A falarica had struck the man to his rear in the shoulder, driving deep into his flesh. In turn, the burning section had set alight the soldier’s tunic. Gobbets of white-hot tow were dropping on to his face and neck. His screams were ear-splitting. Bostar’s nostrils filled with the stench of cooking flesh. ‘Leave him!’ he roared at the men who instinctively went to help. ‘Keep moving!’ Grateful it wasn’t him, and hoping the soldier died quickly, he spun back to the front.

If there was one small advantage to be gained from the enemy’s secret weapon, it was that after launching them, the defenders were momentarily defenceless. In addition, many weren’t even wearing armour. Snarling with fury, Bostar charged at a skinny Saguntine who was frantically trying to tug free his sword. He didn’t succeed. Bostar’s spear took him through the chest, punching through his ribcage with ease. The man’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets with the force of the impact. He was dead before Bostar pulled free his weapon, showering the ground in gouts of blood.

Panting, Bostar rounded on the next soldier within reach, a youth who couldn’t have been more than sixteen. Despite his rusty sword and bloodcurdling cries, he looked petrified.

Bostar parried his clumsy blows with little difficulty before sliding his spear into the youngster’s belly. He killed two more defenders before an opportunity presented itself to assess the situation.

Perhaps a hundred of his own men were present; more were still arriving. A similar number of Sapho’s soldiers were battling steadily around them. No doubt their father and Alete’s phalanxes were trying to reach them too. Remarkably, however, they were being held back by the Saguntines, who were performing acts of heroism and suicidal bravery. No ground had been gained at all. Bostar realised why as he took in hundreds of civilians, who, just a few steps from the periphery of the fighting, were frantically repairing the breach with their bare hands. He could see old men, women and even children heaving rocks into place. Grudging respect filled him. Knowing that their loved ones were so close would make any man, soldier or not, fight like a demon. Bostar was not dismayed. Even now, thousands more troops would be climbing the slope to join them. Against such overwhelming numbers, even the gallant Saguntines could not hold for much longer. All they needed to do was to press home the attack.

Abruptly, his attention was drawn back to the present. Through the dust, he could make out a line of flickering flame approaching from the enemy citadel. Bostar’s stomach clenched as the vision came into full focus. It was two further waves of warriors, carrying scores more burning falaricae. ‘Shields up!’ he yelled. ‘Incoming javelins!’

His men hurried to obey.