Re: [Romani AAR] It began on seven hills...
Sicily 213BC
Having heard that a Qarthadastim army had landed on Sicily, the proconsul Lucius Atilius Balbus was dispatched to the island to take command of the army in the province. With him was Quintus Claudius Nero acting as his senior tribune.
Ashtartyaton Cercina, a Qarthadastim noble, had seized Agrigento by treachery, then freed hundreds of slaves to fill his ranks. His forces thus bolstered, he set to raiding and pillaging the area, threatening communities loyal to Rome.
Balbus met the invader in the fertile plains south of Etna.
Balbus marched out in the traditional manner. He stationed Nero on the right and kept his extraordinarii close to hand.
Cercina had the advantage of numbers, fuelling a bold opening to the battle.
Then he halted and sent out screens of skirmishers while he prepared his main line to attack. Balbus responded with his own skirmishers.
The Romans had the measure of the Qarthadastim skirmishers, and spirits lifted Balbus sounded the advance.
The Liby-Phoenicans tried to turn the Roman right, Nero and his cavalry charged to avert the threat.
On the left, a band of cavalry and skirmishers were dispatched to drive off the Numidian light troops. They would take little further part in the main conflict.
Freed slaves moved in support of the Liby-Phoenicians on the right, Nero and his horse were forced into the retreat.
The pursuit of the elusive Numidians continued.
On the right Cercina personally joined the fray trying to exploit the gap created by the Liby-Phoenicians.
On the left, the African skirmishers continued their retreat, only stopping every so often to halt the Romans.
Liby-Phoenician infantry rushed to the aid of their countrymen, throwing the outcome of the fight on the right into doubt as they lent their weight to the conflict.
Eventually the heavier armour of the Romans began to count, allowing them to survive prolonged contact without serious wounds. The Qarthadastim begam to melt away. Seeing how this battle was going, Cercina left the field.
With relatively light losses, Balbus had halted the invasion of Sicily.
Unbeknownst to him however, Qarthadastim agents had slipped into Syrakousai and aided in the murder of old Hiero. He had long been an ally of Rome, and now the new rulers sought alliance with Qarthadast. Moving to avenge this insult to Roman honour, Balbus marched to invest Syrakousai and restore order.
Italy 213BC
The Senate of Qarthadastim had decided that it was time Nepheris received some reinforcements in his war in Italy. They despatched Hasdrubal Rusucuru and a strong force including elephants by sea. They landed in Lucania and immediately marched for Capua.
The proconsul Kaeso Cornelius Blasio, with a new army composed of those Italians and Latins still loyal to Rome and organised in the Roman fashion, took transports the short distance down the coast to intercept them. They were about even in numbers.
Blasio deployed in the quincunx, placing his extraordinarii in the second rank of the Right ala. The Samnites, of who's loyalty he was dubious, he placed in the second rank of the Left ala. His senior tribune, Pulcher commanded the Left ala to keep an eye on them.
Rusucuru took up position on a small hill on the Roman left to observe the battle, keeping his elephants in reserve. He put his elite African pikemen in the centre, with Libyans and Garamantines on their flanks. His wings were guarded by fierce Iberian tribesmen, and Numidian light cavalry roamed around.
Blasio marched out to meet the Qarthadastim line, pulling back some of his skirmishers to act as elephant defense. He kept a wary eye on the big beasts, still resting near the enemy general. Meanwhile the opposing skirmishers traded missiles. It was an indecisive trade, both sides taking losses, but neither feeling beaten.
The Romans advanced to meet the main battle line, hurling missiles first. Blasio's plan was simple enough; rout those flanking the pikemen in the centre and envelope them on both sides.
The right engaged under the shade of some trees, and everywhere the Roman line was in contact with the enemy.
On the left, the long-awaited arrival of the elephants put fear into the Left ala, but the skirmishers got to work, felling several elephants.
The elephants caused some damage, but slowly the javelins began to take their toll.
On the right, some cavalry and velites set off to outflank the Qarthadastim left.
On the left Rusucuru charged into the fight, lifting the spirits of his men. Things were beginning to look desparate for Pulcher and the Left ala. The threat of the elephants may have been defeated, but the Garamantines, Libyans and Iberians fought hard.
On the right, the arrival of Romans in their flanks and rear routed the Iberians and Libyans. Maniples were marched round to outflank the African pikemen.
Meanwhile on the left, the Samnites gave up the fight.
Rusucuru's horse was wounded, and he was caught by the triarii. His death caused his army to dissolve.
After a hard-fought battle, Blasio had given the Romans their first victory on home soil. It might not have been against the scourge Nepheris, but he would not be strengthened.
Dardanoia 213-212BC
The propraetor Sextus Cornelius Rufinus had marched out of Illyria in the winter of 213BC to ensure the Makedonians didn't try to return to his area of operation. His winter camp was attacked by Captain Philokalos. While Rufinus had greater numbers, he was on their home territory.
He deployed on a hilltop, with his legion on the right, ala on the left.
As the Makedonian phalangites marched up the hill, Rufinus' skirmishers punished them with missile fire.
They closed and the propraetor's line infantry threw their missiles. The heavier javelins inflicted a horrible toll.
Still the Makedonian phalanxes advanced.
He sent some skirmishers to outflank the pike block.
Exhausted, cold and wounded, the maneuver set the enemy to flight.
With relatively few casualties, he'd damaged the Makedonian war effort.
In the spring, rather than turning around, Rufinus continued into Makedonian territory, seeking towns to pillage. He stumbled across a Thracian band outside Serdike. The garrison of the town, commanded by Demetrios Argeades marched out to rescue the Thracians, and Rufinus eagerly offered battle.
He marched out as before.
Wasting no time, he advanced to meet the foe.
Trying to link up with the Thracians, the Makedonian commander sent another band to slow the Romans down.
Then he charged the Romans himself, heavy horsemen in his bodyguard thundering along.
Rufinus sent his Illyrian cavalry out to charge Argeades from behind. They charged repeatedly.
They whittled Argeades' bodyguard down, isolating the big horses and their well-armoured riders.
Argeades panicked, and tried to escape.
He was the only survivor to make it clear of the whooping Illyrians, hunting down the Makedonian horsemen with lance and axe.
Argeades was slain by a javelin as he fled.
Effective resistance ended after that, and the Illyrians killed many fleeing enemy.
Rufinus entered the defenseless town of Serdike and took everything of value.
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Originally Posted by ServiliusAhala
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