Summer of 252 BC

Flavius Pacuvius was studying the newly arrived pieces of parchment intently, they contained the new marching orders. And were of course sent by the consul Servius Aemilius. The orders were easy enough; kill all the defenders and enslave the populace, Rome needs the slaves.

And thus it was that Flavius Pacuvius marched to, yet again, take a Carthaginian city, and he didn’t mind at all. There is only so much sand in ones bed a noble Roman General can take.

On to Kirtha.

During the march from Hippo Regius to Kirtha, which took about one season, the consular sized force was stripped of its Gallic soldiers – only the slingers still remained. It was to be the first time the Roman troops were to be tested. If tested was of course the right word, again the opposing forces were of such a level that none would have mistaken them to be anything other than Carthaginian. One can only kill so many Carthaginian Skirmishers....

This settlement did however differ in one fairly major aspect, this settlement had walls. Wooden walls, yes, but walls nonetheless. This wasn’t something our dear general had much experience with – as a matter of fact, it was the first settlement in which he would have to deploy actual siege equipment....

The Siege is started.

This was to be a simple assault, two battering rams would march on to the eastern section of the walls, and keep on ramming it untill the gate, and walls would come down. After that, the slingers and skirmishers would fire their load at any enemy soldier foolish enough to come too close to the fallen walls.

The General oversees the assault.


The wooden rams didn’t need a lot of time to deal with the simple wooden walls on which the Carthaginians relied. The Gate was the first section to go down, followed shortly thereafter by the other targeted section of the walls.


The Gate is breached !


The soldiers manning the rams were ordered to form a square on the Roman side of the destroyed walls, they were not to march into the city yet... First the slingers and skirmishers would have their way with the enemy, who indeed reinforced the downed sections of the wall.

The enemy captain himself comes to defend the walls, does he have a death wish ?


The gallic slingers throw volley after volley of stones into the marching Carthaginians on the far side of the walls, instead of defending the city plaza en masse – which every self respecting captain, or general, would have done – the Carthaginian captain decides to use his troops as stone catchers...The slingers inflict heavy casualties on the enemy soldiers, especially the skirmishers suffer badly.

The battle was almost won without even having to unsheath Roman steel. And it minded Flavius Pacuvius not for one bit.

The Bodies cover the dusty floor.


Now it was the time to enter the city, the troops met no resistance whatsoever when the marched through the destroyed sections of the enemy walls.

The walls were captured.


The soldiers were ordered to advance to the city plaza, where the enemy captain held what was left of his forces. The hastati led the march, followed by the principes and triarii, Flavius himself oversay it all from the back of the line.

The Romans march towards the plaza.

Whilst turning the last corner to the plaza, the hastati are attacked by what is left of the captains contignen and by a sad bunch of already worn skirmishers.
The Captain tries to motivate his soldiers one last time, but once the triari charge into the skirmishers, it’s all over.
A massive retreat to the plaza begins...

The Triarii engage the skirmishers.


The retreat was closely followed by the eager hastati and triarii, the rest of the forces also joined in, and not long after the initial rout, the soldiers slaughter what is left of the enemy on the city plaza.
The enemy captain died fighting, slain by a heavily armoured trairii soldier.

The enemy captain lies dead on the ground.



Victory was totall, the entire Carthaginian force was destroyed with only eleven losses mostly due to own fire.

A clear victory...



Another victory was added to Flavius Pacuvius’ rapidly growing list, he could now even call himself a surperior commander. Things were going well, one thing , however, bothered the General...What would the Consul have him do next ?

- Flavius Pacuvius.