RES GESTAE SENATUS POPVLIQVE ROMANI

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In the year of the consuls L. Papirius Cursor and Sp. Carvilius Maximus the Senate and People of Rome completed the pacification of Arminium and provided Arpi with drainage at public expense. In the spring of that year L. Cornelius Scipio invested the city of the Tarentines and the Epirot forces therein, although he failed to secure the aid of local mercenaries, feeling that half of one legion was sufficient for the task, or hoping by a show of frugality to earn a greater stipend later with the trust of the Senate.



In the summer of that year, desiring to capture the city of the Tarentines before a relieving force arrived from Epirus, he prepared to assault the city and take it by force.



Having addressed the troops he ordered the line forward with rams so as to batter down the walls. Thereupon the Epirotes, feeling confidence in the rumor of reinforcements, or perhaps honoring the recent memory great Epirot success in Italy, met the force of Scipio at the walls, refusing to give ground. Scipio, for his part, fearing lest the Rorarii retreat under the charge of cavalry, sent his Triarii through the breach, the Hastati and Principes elsewhere occupied.








Geiton, the enemy captain, fell near the breach, whereupon the Epirotes losing courage fell back to the square, relinquishing their dead.





The Epirotes, taking counsel one with another, contrived to lure the force of Scipio to a narrow space in order that he not strike at their flanks, but that he be forced instead to fight the hoplites front against front.



After a lengthy engagement wherein both forces lost many men, Scipio, using narrow streets and alleys, outflanked the Epirotes and attacked, charging repeatedly with his guard and slaying several of the enemy with his own hand, so that in after times he became somewhat of a local hero, and his men grew the more loyal. He finally took the city before the sun went down, though with great loss.





In the Autumn of that year, the Senate and People of Rome accepted terms of peace from the Aedui. At the same time having achieved the final pacification of the city of the Tarentines, the Senate voted to repair its walls. Furthermore, a drainage system was installed in Arminium. So ended the four hundred and eighty-second year AVC.