Legio XVII: Battle of Zama (36 page)

Vendim broke camp at 8:00 A.M.  His Advance Guard, comprised of 50 men and 25 archers, left 30 minutes earlier.  His troops were in a column formation that stretched out alongside the lake as they walked towards the hill.  Within 20 minutes, his lead element began the gentle ascent, but stopped when they suddenly saw men running towards them.  They were from the Advance Guard and yelled, “Stay here!” as they continued running downhill. They found Vendim a few minutes later.

Still out of breath, one of the men said, “Commander, when we got within 400 yards of the crest of the hill, we could see a defensive wall that went from one end of the hilltop to the other. There are troops behind the wall.  A lot of them!  We were sent back to tell you.”

Vendim called for his Commanders and began riding to the base of the hill.  He managed to push his horse part of the way up, then dismounted, and began walking.  The hill was mostly grassy, but dotted with just enough trees and small brush to obscure his view.  Finally, he spotted his men at the edge of a clearing.  In the distance, he could see the log wall running along the crest.  “Let’s get closer, so I can see what we’re facing,” he said.  The entire group began moving cautiously up the hill closer to the wall.

Odo’s men watching the Illyrians from the cliffs could clearly see that most of the enemy was still at the bottom of the hill and passed the word to Odo, “This is merely a reconnaissance.”  He summoned his archers, telling them, “Be prepared to fire on my command.  I suspect that their commanders are in this group approaching us.  Maybe you can hit a few of them!”

Vendim led the group to within 300 yards of the wall. He could see that one side of the wall went right to the cliff’s edge, but the other seemed to just stop.  He figured that there was probably some natural obstacle on that side, but then again, maybe it was a soft spot.  The wall was heavily manned, but he couldn’t see any detail to tell him who they were.  He assumed Cenomani. 
This position is too strong.  Attacking up hill, against a fortified position that is strongly defended will need more men
.

“Let’s go back,” he signaled quietly.  He had barely turned around when arrows began raining down on them.  Some overshot, some fell short, but many were hitting their target.  Men started screaming in pain and dropping.  Vendim yelled, “Run!”  Several more men were hit before they got out of range.  Some of the wounded began crawling downhill, while others lay deathly still.  Vendim walked rapidly downhill until he found his horse.  “Take the men back to camp,” he told his Commanders.

Once everyone was back, Vendim assembled his leaders and told them what happened.  In a determined voice, he said, “I’m going to ask Dindar for 10,000 more men.  I know we can take that position.  If that’s all that’s preventing us from going around the lake and bypassing the wall, it will be worth it.”

Vendim added, “I’m going to talk to Dindar myself.”  He told his second-in-command to post guards at night and to have people watch the wall on the hill in case the Cenomani decide to come down and attack.  “Be prepared to fight, but withdraw if there’s too many of them.  I’ll be back in five days.”

About two hours later, Manius, his Commanders, and staff were informed of what had happened.

*******

Two days after Tribune Tomaeus announced that the defenses of the Mincio were complete, Manius and his Commanders climbed a tower and watched Dindar and his Command Group studying the wall from across the river.

When the Illyrians eventually rode away, Manius directed the Commanders to continue putting their men on the ramparts to rehearse for the attack that was sure to come.

The Legates personally observed as the men took their place on the wall.  The Centurions were responsible to ensure each man knew his place.  Four Legionaries would line up behind the lead man at the wall.  The two men in the rear were assigned the job to use the forked poles to push ladders off the wall.  The Centurions then rotated the men forward.  Each man at the wall would simulate using his pilum to strike at men coming up the ladders.  They swung their shield as they would when fending off swords and spears to get the feel of the space to their front and men on their left and right.  Extra pila were stacked all along the wall.  When the training ended, the ‘Cenomani’ would resume their duty of standing watch atop the rampart.

Early the following day, Manius was informed that Illyrian scouts were riding towards the mountains and four others were riding south along the river.  He knew Rasce had his scouts posted along the river to watch them.  This was expected enemy behavior.  They were looking for a way around the wall.

Shortly after that, Manius was summoned to one of the towers.  The Illyrians were establishing four separate camps about a mile from the river.  They appeared to be separated by about 200 yards and stretched out for a mile.  Their southernmost camp was even with the end of the wall adjacent to the swamp.  Manius thought,
they’re getting into an attack position
.

On July 2nd, Manius was notified that Rasce’s cavalry screen along the river had engaged the Illyrian scouts by the bridge at Mantua and had captured a badly wounded man.  He had a runner tell Elitovius to interrogate him.

Two hours later, Elitovius gave Manius his report. “I talked to the wounded scout.  He is part of an Illyrian army of 20,000 men from Scodia on their way to join Mago’s army at Genoa.  He said his army is organized into four units of 5,000 men each.  Dindar is the Commander and he has two men, Andis and Sali, who each command 10,000.  He said the army is well supplied with food and other items looted along the way.  Unfortunately, when he fell from his horse, he must have cracked his skull.  He’s barely coherent now and won’t live much longer.”

“Thank you, Elitovius.”

Centurion Cassius and Modius normally stood silently by Manius’ side, and most of the time Manius wasn’t even aware of their presence.  So when Cassius quietly said, “Sir, may I speak?” Manius was quick to give him his full attention.

“Of course, what’s on your mind?”

“I have experience with these Illyrians.”

“Go on,” answered Manius looking intently at Cassius.  He had learned to listen when he spoke.

“Sometime after Cannae, when Hannibal was still roaming freely, I was with a Legion that had a running fight with the Illyrian part of his army.  One night, the Legate had us conduct a night attack against their camp.  They had no listening posts around their position and only a few guards standing watch on their wall, if you can call it that.  All they do is put sticks in the ground, tie them together and call it a wall.  Most of us were massed by the gate while others threw torches over the wall to light up their tents.  The entire camp was soon a blazing fire.  They came running out the gate and right into our pila and swords.  We killed 2,000 that night.  The next day, we discovered a second gate on the other side of the camp.  The other interesting thing we noticed is that their tents are highly flammable.  They use some kind of grease to make them water tight.  The reason, I’m saying all this is that we may have a similar opportunity here.”

“Cassius, that’s very useful information.  You may be right.  Maybe we can repeat your experience, but this time we’ll also block the rear gate.”  Manius kept Cassius’ story uppermost in his mind, wondering how he might exploit this weakness.

That evening, Manius summoned Legates Calvus, Caile and his key Roman staff officers.  When they were gathered in his tent, he said, “I want to tell you my thinking.  I believe that it is in our best interest and that of the Republic to entice the mercenary army into attacking us.  I know that sounds strange.  Here’s why I say that.  If they try to bypass our position here by going south along the river, I believe that they will eventually succeed.  My concern is that the Cenomani, the Raeti, and the Suevi forces that have agreed to fight with us here will only go so far south and then return home.  Once beyond Mantua, they may feel that this is a Roman fight and leave us.  If that were to happen, our two Legions cannot fight 50,000 mercenaries!”

He went on, “If Mago were to begin his move south at the same time that 50,000 mercenaries are on the loose in northern Italy, our seven Legions in Etruria would have no choice but to withdraw or be caught between two large armies.  If Mago and the mercenaries joined forces, there is a very real possibility that we would be unable to stop them from joining Hannibal.  If that happens, this war with Carthage will continue long into the future.”

“By stopping the mercenary army here, we will avert a catastrophe and help end this war.  I believe that the mercenaries will only attack us if they think our position is weak in terms of defenders.  If they see our true capability, they won’t attack.  It would be too costly.  The mercenaries must not know our strength and should only see a handful of Cenomani on the walls.  That doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about a nighttime raid or other offensive action if the opportunity presents itself.  That’s all I have.  I just wanted you to know how important it is that we stop them here.”

Three days later on the morning of July 5th, Manius stood atop a tower and watched as 5,000 Illyrians began marching north towards the top of the lake.  The camp they departed was the one adjacent to the southernmost of the four Illyrian camps.  That last camp was now separated from the nearest Illyrians by half a mile.

Hurrying back to his tent, Manius summoned his Commanders.  “I think the Illyrians have just inadvertently presented us with an attack opportunity.  Five thousand men just left their camp and it appears they are headed for the top of the lake.  I suspect they will attempt an assault on the Suevi position, but that’s not the opportunity I’m referring to.”

“Their southernmost camp, which is opposite the end of our wall, is now isolated from the nearest Illyrian camp by about half a mile.  I want to attack it.  A couple of days ago, Cassius told me about an experience he had with the Illyrians after Cannae.  He learned that their tents are highly flammable and their camps have only two entrances.”  Manius then directed his comments to the Commander of the 5,000 Cenomani warriors.  “Gervasius, I want you and your men to attack that camp tomorrow night.  Before I give you my guidance, can your men do it?”

Without any hesitation whatsoever, Gervasius answered, “Praetor, we are here in the service of our people.  We will do anything we can do to prevent the enemy from reaching Brixia.  I have commanded these men for four years.  They are trained and tough.  Issue your guidance.  We are ready to fight.”

“Excellent response, Gervasius, and I agree with you.  Your warriors are fit and the pride of the Cenomani people.  Today, I want you to take your men outside the west wall and practice what I’m about to tell you.  If you are confident that they are prepared, tomorrow night you will attack.”

“These are my instructions, said Manius.  “Tomorrow night at 1:00 A.M. lead your men out of the south gate and wade across the Mincio.  Send about 50 archers ahead of you by 100 yards.  Their job will be to kill any listening posts and the guards posted around the inside of the walls.  Move your men forward silently in a column formation with 10 abreast.  Once you are within 100 yards of the camp, divide your column.  Five files to the right and five to the left until you encircle the Illyrian camp.”

“I want you to send the last 1,000 men in the column to stand guard between the camp you are attacking and the Illyrian camp closest to you.  This blocking force need only be 200 yards away from the rest of your men.  Designate the bulk of your force to form a semi-circle around the two entrances.  On your command, the men will light the torches they are carrying, run to the camp, and throw the torches over the wall.  I expect the ensuing fire will drive them out the two entrances and into your waiting men.  Complete your mission quickly and return to the south gate before the entire Illyrian encampment can react.”

“While you rehearse today and tomorrow, it’s important that every individual knows where he is to be standing when you reach the camp.  When I ask your men tomorrow after the final rehearsal, ‘What is your position at the enemy camp?,’ I should hear only one of three responses. And they are ‘I am part of the blocking force.’; ‘I will be standing at one of the entrances.’; or ‘I will be standing by the wall around the camp.’  If the men are not ready, we will postpone the attack until the following night.”

“Praetor, we will be ready,” Gervasius assured him.

When the meeting ended, Gervasius left the tent and rode to his Legion camp.  He had an aide summon his Commanders and staff.  They had a lot of planning to do before his men could begin practicing the attack.  After an hour, the major details were worked out.  One group was assigned to make torches and soak them in flammable oil from the amphora stored by each onager.  Second, a staging area was chosen and an order of march identified.  Third, a list of equipment to be carried or left behind was prepared.  Next, men were sent to mark an area outside the west wall that approximated the dimensions of the enemy camp, and finally poles were stuck in the ground in a circular pattern 150 yards out from a center point.