Lusitanian War, 141BC

In the summer of 141 governor Fabius fought two pitched battles with the Lusotanii and their kin. He'd heard reports of a large army marching down the coast to Oxtracam but hoped the activities of the army of Nearer Spain would stop them. The Lusotanii king marched out to aid those coming to his relief, and thus numbers were about even.



On an open plain, the armies met, the ground allowing cavalry freedom of movement.



Fabius' slingers whittled down the enemy light cavalry.



Then the braver Iberians tested their mettle by attacking the Roman lines.



Perhaps leading by example, Bilosban Segobricoi charged. In the background, king Baelocoi and his army arrived.



He fought hard.



But the extraordinarii gave no quarter and cut him down.





The commander of the main force dealt with, Fabius ordered his eager troops forward.



Baelocoi made for the Roman left.



His troops joined those already in the fight, and it became a desparate struggle for survival.



Some levies wavered.



Panic was infectious, even as some rallied, others fled.



The allied cavalry was able to charge to the rear of the line formations.



The king fought on regardless.



But his people had lost the will to fight.



He fled once again, evading all attempts to catch him.



The first part of Fabius' strategy had succeeded.



However the commander of the army of Nearer Spain failed to prevent reinforcements arriving, and Fabius was trapped between Oxtraca and this new force, which outnumbered his own by some margin.



He waited for them, urging his weary men on.



The first move came from the enemy light cavalry.



They were driven off by the infantry and allied cavalry working in concert.



With a screaming warcry, the Iberians charged en masse.



King Baelocoi arrived behind the Roman lines.



He harrassed Romans lights, and not even the triarii sent to stop him could pin him down for long.





The Spaniards fought on.



Finally overcome by many wounds, Baelocoi fell.



It came slowly at first, just a tremor.



Then a full-scale rout.



Vengeful Romans gave chase, killing all they could catch,



Oxtraca surrendered and Fabius looted it before withdrawing his battered army.