The Will of the Senate - Battle reports

[econ21]

A letter from Numerius Aureolus to his wife:

Dear Lucilla,

If this letter reaches you, then our courier has managed to evade the Macedonians besieging us at Pella. Do not panic, my beloved, although the Macedonian army outside the walls is formiddable, the First Consul is well prepared and if so ordered, Legio VI is can reach us within a season. Your father, ex-Consul Verginus, is safe in Scoda although I fear somewhat for your uncle Decius Laevinus, who is besieged in Corinth with only a band of mercenaries as an escort.

My main reason for writing, however, is to pass on news of Legate Publius Pansa's capture of Athens. I know that you are interested in military matters and believe this victory is significant. The Athenian garrison, led by a general of the highest calibre, Damiskos of Hestiaeotis, sallied out of the city when they heard of the arrival of a relief forces. Publius, with 496 men, outnumbered both the sallying force of 260 and the relief force of 361, but it was imperative to defeat them in turn rather than allow them to combine forces. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to this, aside from the calibre of the enemy general, was the presence of two phalanxes of elite hoplitai in the sallying force.

The battle opened with the elite hoplites forcing their way into the centre of the Roman line. Publius met them with Greek spearmen and hastati, while working principes and mercenary Gallic warriors around their flanks.



Publius himself drove away a few Greek light cavalry and then assisted the Italian swordsmen in fighting a phalanx of levy hoplites. That particular fight was nearly over when the Greek hetairoi arrived - a small contingent assisted the levies:



A larger body of hetairoi, led by Damiskos himself, charged towards the backs of the principes who had encircled the elite hoplites. Fortunately, the centurion commanding the principes had seen the threat and ordered his men to disengage from fighting the hoplites and to advance to meet the hetairoi.



The clash of hetairoi against principes was brutal, but by good fortune, Damiskos was slain in the initial impact - taking something off the bite of the Greek counterattack. Soon after Publius was able to assist the principes in destroying the hetairoi. The elite Greek hoplites then broke, already surrounded and now demoralised by the death of their general.

Publius's focussed on running down the fleeing elite hoplites before they reached the safety of the city walls. However, the relief Greek army turned, making as if to exit the field of battle. Hurriedly, the Romans began a pursuit and then the relief force turned about once more, resulting in a messing initial engagement.



Slowly, the Romans began to encircle the three levy phalanxes in the Greek relief force. Publius himself returned from pursuing the routers, to charge one phalanx in the flank:



and then another in the rear:



Unsure whether Athens would fall after the defeat of the two Greek armies, Publius led his own escort alone on a raid into the city's central forum. Pursuing routing Greeks through open city gates, they braved the arrows and boiling oil coming from the towers. They then made their way through the streets of the great city, riding over the few Greek levees who tried to obstruct them and claiming the settlement for Rome.



Not a single Greek from the combined force of 621 survived the battle. Publius's own casualties totalled 106 and he claimed a heroic victory.

My dear, the war in Greece and Macedon rages like a great forest fire. Everywhere Roman armies are outnumbered and besieged. But if our men fight as well as at Athens, I have no doubt we will prevail.

Your husband,

Numerius Aureolus

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Sparta, Summer, 261 BC



My speech to my men:

"We are outnumbered, for every man in our army there are 2 in the greek's. BUT! Fear not
great soldiers, for we; Romans are worth 10 times the Greeks, and by that, we outnumber
them 5 men to one. YES! Romans, we are ROMANS!"

The sound of the sword clashing with the shiels echoes into the horizon. Fear grows in
the greek's hearts. Shivering they start, wheeping they do..

"TO THE BATTLE!!!"

I order my men into formation. As usual:



A brave, rather foolish greek comrade dares to challenge my legions. His brothers' fate
will be no bettter, nonetheless.



I order my men to advance into the city plaza, and they do so hastly. I move forward to
distract the timidated camping units of Hoplitais, and even Spartian Hoplitais.



My men are put into formation, and are ready to engage the city plaza. My goal now
is to keep the Spartian Hoplitai unit away of contact with my men till the already
'being dealt with' Hoplitai unit dies.



As soon as the Hoplitai unit dies, I engage the one and only greek unit left in the city:
The Spartian Hoplitai unit.. The legends of the greek world. My men surround them and
soon their general is cut down to pieces.



Battle End:



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