the Romans to flee to Mutina, which the Gauls then besieged. This probably occurred in April or May of 218 BC, the Roman Senate prioritized the defense of Italy over the overseas expedition, and Praetor Peregrinus Lucius Manlius Vulso marched from Ariminum with 600 Roman cavalry, 10,000 allied infantry and 1,000 allied cavalry, detached from Scipio's army, towards Cisalpine Gaul to aid the besieged Romans. The Army of Manlius marched from Ariminum towards Mutina, and was ambushed twice on the way, losing 1,200 men and six standards, although they relieved Mutina, the army fell under a loose siege a few miles from Mutina at Tannetum. The Roman Senate now took one Roman and one allied legion (10,000 men) from the army of Scipio again and sent it to the Po valley under the command of Praetor Urbanus Gaius Atillius Serranus. As Atillius neared Tannetum, the Gauls retired without battle, and the Romans spent the summer of 218 BC recovering and fortifying Placentia and Cremona, probably in a two month long operation. Sempronius remained in Rome until June/July, his army acting as a strategic reserve should more troops be needed in Cisalpine Gaul, Rome did not respond to the Carthaginian naval raids against Sicily and Lipari. Hannibal's passivity and non-threatening defensive dispositions during March – May probably influenced this decision by reinforcing the Roman perception they were fighting a repeat of the first war and the initiative lay with them. The Romans did not believe Hannibal would invade Italy, when they received news, probably in July, that Hannibal had crossed the Ebro, they probably assumed Hannibal's Catalonia campaign was part of securing Spain by subduing pro Roman tribes and creating a forward base, The Senate did not change the plan, Sempronius moved his forces to Sicily as planned while Scipio continued his preparations, to intercept Hannibal in Gaul. As a result, the departure of Scipo was delayed by two to three months. The trans-Ebro Campaign While Scipio raised new troops in Italy, the Carthaginian army crossed the Ebro River unopposed, in three columns: the northernmost detachment crossed at the confluence of the Ebro and Sicoris River and then proceeded along the river valley into the mountain countries, the central column crossed the Ebro at the oppidum of Mora and marched inland, the main column under Hannibal, along with the treasure chests and elephants, crossed the Ebro probably at the town of