Editing Battle of Zama (section)

===Initial dispositions===
[[File:Mohammad adil rais-battle of zama-1.PNG|thumb|upright=1.3|alt=A map showing the initial dispositions of both armies|right|{{center| The initial deployment of the Roman and Carthaginian armies}}]]

The Roman army formed up with the heavy infantry of its two Roman legions in the centre and with allied legions on each side of them.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=302}}{{sfn|Bahmanyar|2016|p=41}} As usual, the {{lang|la|hastati}} formed the front rank with the {{lang|la|principes}} and then the {{lang|la|triarii}} behind them. Instead of organising each legion's maniples{{snd}}the basic Roman infantry manoeuvre unit of 120 men each{{snd}}in the usual "checkerboard" or {{lang|la|[[quincunx]]}} formation, Scipio arranged a {{lang|la|principes}} maniple directly behind each maniple of {{lang|la|hastati}}. This left broad avenues through the Roman lines, which were occupied by the Roman light infantry, the {{lang|la|velites}}. Masinissa's 4,000 Numidian cavalry were on the right of the infantry. Laelius led 1,500 Roman and allied cavalry positioned on the left. There were a further 600 Numidian cavalry under Dacamas, but it is not known whether they were attached to Masinissa's or Laelius's force.{{sfn|Lazenby|1998|pp=221–222}} It is not stated in the ancient sources what role or roles the 6,000 Numidian infantry took up. Modern suggestions include operating in close support of their cavalry, guarding the Roman camp, supplementing the {{lang|la|velites}} as skirmishers or forming up as close-order infantry to one side of the legions.{{sfn|Taylor|2019|p=322}}

The Carthaginian deployment reflected the fact that Hannibal's command was made up of the survivors of three different armies. Hannibal had not had time to integrate the forces he had been allocated into a unified command and so felt it wisest to deploy them separately.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=303}} The Carthaginian infantry, like the Romans', went in the centre. Its first line was made up largely of veterans of Mago's failed expedition to northern Italy. The close-order troops were [[Iberians]], [[Gauls]] and [[Ligurians]]. In front of these heavy infantry were light-infantry skirmishers consisting of Balearic slingers, [[Mauri|Moor]] archers and Moor and Ligurian javelin-men. The total strength of this component was 12,000 men. In front of these infantry were the 80 war elephants, evenly spaced along the line, approximately {{convert|30|m}} apart.{{sfn|Lazenby|1998|p=222}}{{sfn|Bagnall|1999|p=291}}{{sfn|Bahmanyar|2016|p=55}} The modern historian José Lago states that the Carthaginian light infantry were sent out in front of the whole Carthaginian army, as was usual, including in front of the elephants,{{sfn|Lago|2013|p=60}}{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=57}} for the several hours it took the army to form up.{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=304}}

Carthaginians and other Africans made up the second line. They were either survivors of the earlier campaigns whose morale was poor or freshly raised recruits who had received little training. They probably fought as close-order infantry; Polybius describes them as adopting phalanx formations, but there is modern debate as to just what this describes. The strength of the second line is not known, but it is sometimes assumed by modern historians to have consisted of a further 12,000 men.{{sfn|Lazenby|1998|p=222}}{{sfn|Bahmanyar|2016|p=56}}{{sfn|Daly|2002|p=87}} About {{convert|200|m|sigfig=1}} behind the Carthaginian second line were the infantry Hannibal had brought back from Italy. Most of them were [[Bruttians]], but they included some Africans and Iberians who had left Iberia with Hannibal more than 17 years before, and Gauls recruited in northern Italy in 218 and 217 BC. All were battle-hardened veterans.{{sfn|Lazenby|1998|p=222}}{{sfn|Carey|2007|p=117}} This third line is variously estimated at 12,000,{{sfn|Carey|2007|p=116}} 15,000–20,000{{sfn|Goldsworthy|2006|p=303}} or 20,000{{sfn|Miles|2011|p=317}}{{sfn|Taylor|2019|p=318}} men by modern historians. The Carthaginians are believed to have fielded approximately 4,000 cavalry. Hannibal placed the Numidians among them on his left flank, facing Masinissa's Numidians; and the other African cavalry on the right. How many of the total of 4,000 cavalry were in each of these contingents is not known, although Lazenby suggests that the Numidians on the left would have been the stronger.{{sfn|Lazenby|1998|p=222}}