With the Scipios' province again being Spain for another year the brothers planned to eliminate Carthaginian influence from Southern Spain. During the winter Roman diplomacy had worked on the tribes, and now claimed a triumph. Spanish Princes allied themselves with the Romans, bringing over 30,000 warriors to bolster the brothers' consular army. Publius Scipio divided the army, 2/3rds would remain with him while 1/3rd would go with his brother. Around 10,000 would remain while 20,000 would give Gnaeus a decided advantage against Hasdrubal Barca. The plan had Gnaeus blocking Hasdrubal from advancing, while Publius would advance against the two generals, Mago Barca, and Hasdrubal Gisgo and their small armies, with overwhelming force. When the two Punic leaders appraised the plans of the Scipios, they retreated behind to the other side of the River Baetis (The Guadalquivir), and commenced counter diplomacy with the new Roman allies.
Hasdnubal was able to convince the various princes to leave their alliance. Livv declares that the excuse the Romans were told was that there was a war in their homeland that the Celtiberians had to intervene in. Scipio faced a major problem. With the desertion of his allies, he no longer decisive outnumbered the Punics and he retreated into the river valley. During the first day of this retreat he was intercepted by Masinissa and his tribe of Numidian cavaln. That evening. Scipio's advance slowed, by the swirling Numidian horse, he made camp. Sometime during that same evening he heard that his old enemy Indibilis of the Suessetani. was on his way to join the chase, helping Mago with 7,500 warriors.
Faced with this overwhelming addition to the already serious threat from the two Punic armies. Scipio hatched a desperate stratagem. Apparently the path of relieving Suessetani was known, and Scipio planned an ambush Around midnight he left his camp, leaving a small detachment as guards under his second, Ti Fonteius. while he took his main army and marched to meet the Suessetani.
Battle of Baetis 211 BC
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