along by Aurasium and waters the land there.  But to Iaudas it seemed inexpedient to array himself against the enemy in the plain, but he made his preparations on Aurasium in such a way as seemed to him would offer most difficulty to his assailants.  This mountain is about thirteen days’ journey distant from Carthage, and the largest of all known to us.  For its circuit is a three days’ journey for an unencumbered traveller.  And for one wishing to go upon it the mountain is difficult of access and extremely wild, but as one ascends and reaches the level ground, plains are seen and many springs which form rivers and a great number of altogether wonderful parks.  And the grain which grows here, and every kind of fruit, is double the size of that produced in all the rest of Libya.  And there are fortresses also on this mountain, which are neglected, by reason of the fact that they do not seem necessary to the inhabitants.  For since the time when the Moors wrested Aurasium from the Vandals,[44] not a single enemy had until now ever come there or so much as caused the barbarians to be afraid that they would come, but even the populous city of Tamougadis, situated against the mountain on the east at the beginning of the plain, was emptied of its population by the Moors and razed to the ground, in order that the enemy should not only not be able to encamp there, but should not even have the city as an excuse for coming near the mountain.  And the Moors of that place held also the land to the west of Aurasium, a tract both extensive and fertile.  And beyond these dwelt other nations of the Moors, who were ruled by Ortaias, who had come, as was stated above, as an ally to Solomon and the Romans.  And I have heard this man say that beyond the country which he ruled there was no habitation of men, but desert land extending to a great distance, and that beyond that there are men, not black-skinned like the Moors, but very white in body and fair-haired.  So much, then, for these things.

And Solomon, after bribing the Moorish allies with great sums of money and earnestly exhorting them, began the ascent of Mt.  Aurasium with the whole army arrayed as for battle, thinking that on that day he would do battle with the enemy and just as he was have the matter out with them according as fortune should wish.  Accordingly the soldiers did not even take with them any food, except a little, for themselves and their horses.  And after proceeding over very rough ground for about fifty stades, they made a bivouac.  And covering a similar distance each day they came on the seventh day to a place where there was an ancient fortress and an ever-flowing stream.  The place is called “Shield Mountain” by the Romans in their own tongue.[45] Now it was reported to them that the enemy were encamped there, and when they reached this place and encountered no enemy, they made camp and, preparing themselves for battle, remained there; and three days’ time was spent by them in that place.  And since the enemy kept