[Romani AAR] It began on seven hills...

[QuintusSertorius]

Syrian War 187BC

The final battle of the war was not fought by the proconsul Pulcher or even a Roman army, but a force of allies advised by Pulcher's tribune Aulus Cornelius Rufinus. Acting in support of Pontic allies, he encoutered the garrison of Mazaka and some supporting troops.



He stretched his troops out in a long line, skirmishers out front.



After a clash of lines, superior numbers carried the day.



A peace treaty was signed, whereby the Seleukids agreed to give up all territorial claims in Anatolia, as well as pay Rome and Pergamon an indemnity for the next 10 years.

Small Wars, 185BC

Not everyone welcomed the pre-eminence of Pergamon, assisted and supported by Rome. Some of the local Greeks saw the emergence of one power, worse one aided by foreigners as intolerable. Pergamon was besieged, before the ruler sallied out to drive off the invaders, and having returned to the kingdom, Rufinus met another of their armies coming from the Hellespont.



He advised the Pergamene general to array the troops in a single line.



The two armies advanced to meet each other.



Greek cavalry attempted to outflank the Pergamene line, and was trapped by our cavarly.



Some Galatian mercenaries on the right were routed.



The main line advanced to meet the Pergamenes.



The Greek strategos himself led the charge.



A second cavalry battle erupted out from the Pergamene right.



While the strategos fought on, many of his troops had fled, and the Pergamene cavalry roamed freely around the battlefield, their counterparts driven off.



After a long while, even his hardened bodyguard gave in.



In the rout he was cut down.



It was costly, but a victory was won.



In Hispania the quaestor Caius Fabius Maximus was despatched with the provincial army to deal with a rising amongst a sept of the Lusotanii. He was accompanied by one of the local kings, along with a contingent of Iberian and Celtic troops. He encountered an Iberian army outside Oxtraca. The Romans and their allies outnumbered the Iberians by a significant margin, but the Iberians were fierce and brave.



The Iberians used their knowledge of the local area to their advantage. The Romans and allies advanced nervously into the forest.



The first the Romans knew of the enemy was a charge to the left, scattering the skirmishers.



The fighting became confused in the forest, runners getting lost or even ambushed and killed. The warchief charged the Roman front and died for his boldness.



Eventually the Iberians were driven off, but it was a costly victory.