Book 11
12
Machanidas at first looked as though he meant to attack theThe attack of Machanidas. enemy’s right wing in column; but when he got within moderate distance he deployed into line by the right, and by this extension movement made his right wing cover the same amount of ground as the left wing of the Achaeans, and fixed his catapults in front of the whole force at intervals. Philopoemen understood that the enemy’s plan was, by pouring volleys from the catapults into his phalanx, to throw the ranks into confusion: he therefore gave him no time or interval of repose, but opened the engagement by a vigorous charge of his TarentinesThe Tarentines were horsemen armed with light skirmishing javelins. See 4, 77; 16, 18; and cp. Arrian, Tact. 4, § 5; 18, § 2. Livy, 35, 28; 37, 40. close to the temple of Poseidon, where the ground was flat and suitable for cavalry. The battle begun by light-cavalry charges. Whereupon Machanidas was constrained to follow suit by sending his Tarentines forward also.
