Hannibal now sent back a part of his troops, retaining 50,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry, all veterans.

With these he crossed the mountains, and marched along the coast by Narbo (Narbonne) and Nemansus (Nimes), through the Celtic territory, with little opposition.

The last of July found him on the banks of the Rhone, opposite Avenio (Avignon).

The Romans were astonished at the rapidity of his movements.
The Consuls of the year were SCIPIO and SEMPRONIUS.

The former had been in Northern Italy, leisurely collecting forces to attack Hannibal in Spain; the latter was in Sicily, making preparations to invade Africa.
Scipio set sail for Spain, touching at Massilia near the end of June.
Learning there for the first time that Hannibal had already left Spain, he hoped to intercept him on the Rhone.