For a very long time it was at war with the Romans, who were the great
military nation then, and at first the Carthaginians got the better of
their adversaries.
One great help to them was their corps of elephants. These elephants
had scythes fixed on to their tusks, so that when they charged they
not only cut down the serried ranks of their enemies, but they also
trampled them underfoot.
In their great fight outside Carthage, the army belonging to the
Carthaginians under a Greek officer, Xanthippus, carried the day with
a grand charge of elephants, and thus defeated and routed the Romans
under Regulus.
Of the 20,000 men who formed the Roman force only 2000 escaped.
Regulus and a number of his best officers were captured and held as
prisoners of war for several years.
* * * * *
A BRAVE MAN FACES TORTURE.
As time went on, the Carthaginians tried to make peace, and they sent
their prisoner, Regulus, over to Rome to persuade the Roman Government
to come to terms. They made him promise on his word of honour that if
he failed to bring about peace he would return again to Carthage, and
become a prisoner once more.
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