d
that of the Gauls, with which he was already acquainted. The chief, with
the greater part of his followers, now started and joined the army of
Hannibal, which laid siege to the town of Turin, whose inhabitants were
in alliance with Rome. It was strongly fortified. Hannibal erected an
intrenchment at a distance of sixty yards from the wall, and under cover
of this sank a well, and thence drove a wide gallery, the roof above
being supported by props.

Divided in brigades, each working six hours, the troops laboured night
and day, and in three days from its commencement the gallery was carried
under the walls. It was then driven right and left for thirty yards each
way, and was filled with wood, combustibles, and explosives. The workers
then retired and the wood was fired, the props supporting the roof were
soon burned away, the earth above fell in bringing down the walls, and
a great breach was made, through which the besiegers, drawn up in
readiness, rushed in and captured the town.

On the same day that Hannibal captured Turin, Scipio entered Piacenza.
After finding that Hannibal had escaped him on the Rhone, he had
despatched the principal part of his army, under his brother Cneius, to
Spain, their original destination, and with the rest sailed to Pisa and
landed there. Marching with all haste north he enlisted 10,000 troops
from among the inhabitants of the country, many of them having already
served in the Roman army. He then marched north to Tenneto, where he was
joined by the praetors Manlius and Attilius with over 20,000 men, with
whom he marched to Piacenza.

Hannibal, after, as usual, rousing the enthusiasm of his soldiers by
an address, marched towards Scipio. The latter, with his cavalry, had
crossed the Ticino and was within five miles of Vercella, when Hannibal,
also with his cavalry, came within sight. Scipio's front was covered
with a swarm of foot skirmishers mixed with irregular Gaulish horsemen;
the Roman cavalry and the cavalry of the Italian allies formed his main
body.

Hannibal ordered the Carthaginian horse to charge full upon the centre
of the enemy, and the Numidians to attack them on both flanks. The
Romans, in those days, little understood the use of cavalry, the troops
frequently dismounting and fighting on foot. Hannibal's soldiers were,
on the other hand, trained to fight in tactics resembling those
of modern days. No sooner was the word given to charge than the
Carthaginian horse, de