09-23-2019, 10:19 PM
Well, the puzzle where Appian is getting all of this, which frankly doesn't feel compelling to me. And the internal coherence of the timeline also does't make much sense. Thermus' victory, as described by Appian, isn't a death-blow. And why would Hannibal be short of supplies? He's in his home territory.
This is where Polybius' series of events (which Polybius has probably compressed time-wise) still makes the most sense.
1) Hannibal returns with his army/war restarts
2) Scipio, lacking the forces to confront him and with his supply lines disrupted, marches towards Numidia, waiting for Masinissa to join him.
3) Hannibal builds up his own own army. He also receives reinforcements from Numidian chieftains
4) Masinissa finally moves to join Scipio, likely after taking his sweet time. He perhaps senses that his opponents (Tychaeus, Mazaetullus) are moving to join Hannibal.
5) The affair of the spies
6) The parley
7) Battle
Why did both sides fight? Hannibal had Scipio deep in Tunisia, far from his fleet, and probably had him modestly outnumbered. Scipio had the last Carthaginian army standing before him, and a chance to end the war before he could be replaced (clearly a major motive for Scipio). Both took a risk, and Scipio won.
Where does Appian get the Thermus affair and the second armistice? I'm not sure, but there likely were skirmishes prior to Zama that could be exaggerated into a battle, either by the Minucii Thermi, or by a annalist with a grudge against the Scipios. And there likely was some negotiation as well prior to the parley, which could be puffed into a second armistice.
This is where Polybius' series of events (which Polybius has probably compressed time-wise) still makes the most sense.
1) Hannibal returns with his army/war restarts
2) Scipio, lacking the forces to confront him and with his supply lines disrupted, marches towards Numidia, waiting for Masinissa to join him.
3) Hannibal builds up his own own army. He also receives reinforcements from Numidian chieftains
4) Masinissa finally moves to join Scipio, likely after taking his sweet time. He perhaps senses that his opponents (Tychaeus, Mazaetullus) are moving to join Hannibal.
5) The affair of the spies
6) The parley
7) Battle
Why did both sides fight? Hannibal had Scipio deep in Tunisia, far from his fleet, and probably had him modestly outnumbered. Scipio had the last Carthaginian army standing before him, and a chance to end the war before he could be replaced (clearly a major motive for Scipio). Both took a risk, and Scipio won.
Where does Appian get the Thermus affair and the second armistice? I'm not sure, but there likely were skirmishes prior to Zama that could be exaggerated into a battle, either by the Minucii Thermi, or by a annalist with a grudge against the Scipios. And there likely was some negotiation as well prior to the parley, which could be puffed into a second armistice.
