Legio XVII: Roman Legion at War

by Thomas A. Timmes

  One month before the Legion’s scheduled deployment, about 3000 family member of his command assembled on the outskirts of Rome in a field adjacent to the XVII assembly area. The staff had spent a month preparing for this event and had to be augmented several times with additional personnel to meet Manius’ expectations. The “Hearth Stone” idea was noticed by some in the Senate and Army and they too were in attendance.

  The day long activities included a parade by the Legion, a demonstration of various military skills, briefings on where and what the Legion would be doing (consistent with security needs), and an introduction of Tribunes and Centurions. A Tribune then explained to the family members the novel idea of transporting letters from family members to the individual Legionaries. A system was also developed to return individual Legionaries to Rome in cases of extreme family hardship and emergencies. While welcomed by the families, this idea was met with strenuous resistance by the Army and even within the Legion.

  Manius’ wife, Lucia, used the occasion to introduce the future “Queen Rosa” to the Legion. For the last five months, Lucia had worked diligently with Rebecca to find and train a suitable bride for Timo. Seven young women volunteered and three were selected for continued training and interviews. Almost immediately, it was clear to all concerned that Rosa was the ideal candidate. She was extremely attractive, 18 years old, highly intelligent, a quick learner, loyal to Rome, and eager to be Queen. She was keenly aware that her feminine charms affected men and used them judiciously. Among her peers, she was known as a fun loving, witty young girl with a virtuous reputation. Her father was a Senator and very supportive. Her mother was less supportive, but willing to make the sacrifice for the good of Rome.

  Envoys travelled to Tridentum to announce that a Roman bride for Timo had been selected and to make arrangements for the wedding which would be in the coming spring.

  Manius planned to maintain robust contact with his Rome-based Rear Detachment to handle operational, soldier, and family issues. He insisted upon letters going both ways from the XVII to the families in Rome. This concept had never before been tried, but Manius felt it would add to unit morale and be worth the extra effort. Visiting dignitaries were highly impressed and planned to implement several aspects of Manius’ “Hearth Stone” concept throughout the Roman Army. Some objected to the idea of soldiers departing the field to address family problems at home, but saw undeniable value in the rest of the plan.

  The Rear Detachment was also responsible for scouring the valetudinaria and recovery centers to recruit veterans to volunteer for duty with the XVII upon their recovery. These volunteers would join the Legion via the frequent resupply ships bound for the two forts that provided the Legionaries with food stocks such as beef, cheese, vegetables, grains, oil, salt, vinegar, beans, lentils, peas, pork, lamb, and vintage and sour wine. Most of the other items required by a Legion in the field such as animal fodder and animal replacements could be procured from the local tribes.

  Tribune Quintus Sentius Calvus

  With two weeks remaining before the operation would be put into motion, two very strange things happened: first, the Campus Martius Commandant, Tribune Quintus Sentius Calvus, was abruptly assigned to the XVII as Manius’ Optio [Second-in-Command] and, second, by pure chance one evening, Joseph observed Ambassador Farrid and Tribune Calvus in a conspiratorial huddle. Joseph saw the two men talking in a little used passage way near the 230 year old Lacus [pool] Curtius that he used as a short cut to get to the bridge over the Tiber where he had been secretly meeting with Decima.

  Joseph and Decima were passionately in love and had been meeting for about a month. Their favorite place was the west end of the bridge over the Tiber along the shore. Their romance blossomed during the last five months when Joseph saw her almost on a daily basis while living at the Tribune’s house. It began slowly, platonically, but quickly moved through infatuation to love as they spent time getting to know one another in the beautiful peristylium at the rear of the house. It was here that she learned about his one God, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. She was fascinated by the history, the traditions, and rituals. In time, she said she also wanted to observe the Torah. Joseph was pleased with her accepting attitude, but still undecided whether to embrace or reject his faith.

  Both Manius and Lucia noticed the growing relationship between Joseph and Decima and felt that the upcoming separation forced upon them by the Cisalpine mission was going to be difficult for the two of them, but maybe it was a good thing. Lucia felt that if the relationship survived the separation, then they could get married if they still felt the same. Manius, however, was beginning to have misgivings. He was not sure he wanted his daughter to marry a foreigner.

  Joseph was hesitant to tell Tribune Tullus how it came about that he saw Ambassador Farrid and Tribune Calvus talking, but he had to let him know they were planning something. Manius never questioned why Joseph was where he was and instead focused on why Farrid and Calvus were meeting at all and surreptitiously at that.

  Manius now recalled that over the last five months, those still loyal to him at Campus Martius would occasionally pull him aside to tell him how Tribune Calvus was undoing all that Manius had built in terms of training for the Legionaries. He had cut training hours for critical skills, reduced the standards needed to graduate, and shortened overall Legionaries’ training. They felt the training was inferior and Rome would ultimately suffer the consequences on the battlefield. Manius now pondered the unthinkable; perhaps Calvus’ was intentionally weakening the Roman Army by graduating poorly trained Legionaries; and who would benefit from that ~ the Carthaginians! And why was Calvus now suddenly assigned to the XVII? Perhaps so Calvus could keep Farrid apprised of their plans and movements so Hasdrubal and Mago would know when and where to invade Italy.

  Now that Manius felt he better understood Calvus’ intentions, he could possibly use that knowledge to send misleading signals to Farrid and the Carthaginians. Manius shared this information with Levi and trusted his discretion to tell only those who would be directly impacted. Specifically, Manius insisted that Levi authenticate all legitimate communication between Rome and the XVII via a hidden code written in two separate places on all official communications and known only by the two of them. The authentication code would also include a dated numbering system to ensure that no messages had been intentionally diverted or accidently lost. Manius feared receiving bogus messages from Farrid through Calvus that would undermine his mission and direct him away from a possible Carthaginian landing on the Italian coast.

  Centurion Servilius ~ Patavium Mission

  As privately instructed by Tribune Tullus, Centurion Publius Auerlius Servilius completed his final preparations for his mission to Patavium in early December 210 in order to meet his actual departure date. In three days, December 12th, he and his half of the Triarii would begin the 130 mile march east to the coastal city of Aternum. The publically announced route they would travel was along the Via Salaria [salt road], to Via Ceclia, to the settlement of Interamnia [Teramo] and then south along the coast to Aternum. Ships and barges were waiting to ferry his command north to the island of Fossa Clodia. He was actually scheduled to sail on January 1 and not the announced date of February 1 given at the planning meeting two months earlier.

  The announced departure date was a ruse designed by Manius to mislead any of the numerous spies who wished to see his mission fail. Similarly, the intended route to Aternum was not the announced northeast route of Via Salaria. His actual route was longer and took him in a more easterly direction, but it avoided the Gran Sasso Mountains, which was a relief.

  In their effort to discover the exact route that Servilius would travel from Rome to Aternum, Farrid and Calvus had recruited several more spies, one of which was an Illyrian archer assigned to Centurion Servilius. From him, they learned that the actual route was Rome, to Tibur [Tivoli], Avezzano, Properi [Popoli], Teate [Chieti], and Aternum. Farrid immediately notified Agron and his Ardiaei warriors w
ho were camped at Teate.

  The archer took the money and deserted. Snake learned later that he spent the money on drink, gambling, and prostitutes and was killed shortly thereafter in an argument over a gambling debt.

  Agron now knew Servilius’ route. He immediately moved his camp 12 miles west to a densely wooded area between Torre De Passeri and Scafa. This area would provide concealment from prying eyes and was an excellent site from which to launch an ambush. He now had to wait two months for his prey to arrive. Despite the cold, his female captives enjoyed bathing in the Pescara River, which ran through the encampment.

  Even though Servilius felt confident that his command was properly prepared for the mission in terms of planning, logistics, and training, his 25 years experience with the army taught him that if something can go wrong it will and that there are always unexpected challenges. But at least he had done his part to the best of his ability.

  He and Tribune Tullus and Centurion Vitulus had met continuously over the last five months to plan and collaborate over a whole host of issues and in the process, had all become good friends. There was no animosity or envy among them. They all had difficult jobs to do and welcomed any support and assistance they could get. In a sense, they upheld one another and provided encouragement when they seemed surrounded by naysayers and incompetence.

  Servilius was a little older than most other Centurions. The majority of the Legionaries he commanded were between 17 and 25. For them, fighting, marching, and physical hardships were an inconvenience easily endured. He was 42, which was on the older side even for Centurions who were generally in their mid to late 30s. It took him much longer to recover from an extended march or a sleepless night. Despite his age, he was physically and mentally tougher than most of the younger men and they knew it. He was rarely challenged. His scarred face was a constant reminder of his long service and vast experience in the Army.

  Following the end of the First Punic War with Carthage, Sardinia remained for years in a state of revolt against the newly imposed Roman Rule. Shortly after enlisting in the Army, Servilius and his Legion deployed to the fractious Island to quell the fighting initiated and maintained by Carthaginian mercenaries.

  As Servilius tells it, it was during a relatively small engagement that he sustained a sword slash to his left cheek. “I felt evenly matched against the Carthaginian. We were the same height and weight, but his sword arm was much stronger than I anticipated. His sword came at me horizontal to the ground, not overhead. I raised my shield and blocked it, but it was swung with such strength that his sword pushed my shield aside and the tip of the blade raked across my helmet and cheek and took out two teeth in the process. I backed up out of the line and tried to stop the blood loss. I never did see what happened to him. I was out of the fight and took months to recover. If the Army had introduced the cheek armor we now wear, I would not have this scar.” Inwardly, Servilius took great pride in his battle scar and made no attempt to hide it.

  Before Servilius left Rome, Manius met privately with him and Centurion Vitulus. Manius had developed 10 time-tested rules that he wanted to pass on. “The three of us will shortly become independent Commanders. By that I mean, you two will be separated from the Legion and I will be separated from other Legions. We will be on our own in hostile territory. There will be no one to provide immediate help should the need arise. Our decisions must be well thought out and executed in a timely manner or we will fail our men and our mission. Here are some thoughts I want you to consider. For now, just listen. Joseph has written them down and will give them to you when you leave here.

  1. Everything you do has a consequence. Think 10 steps ahead.

  2. Accomplishing the mission is your number 1 priority.

  3. Your men will enable you to accomplish your mission. Respect them and lead them.

  4. Always think food, fodder, and fuel. The army cannot operate without these.

  5. Assume the enemy will do the unexpected and plan for it.

  6. Whether you are attacking or defending, plan a surprise for the enemy.

  7. Lead from the front.

  8. Keep me informed of your location and activities.

  9. Treat friend and foe with dignity and respect.

  10. Never underestimate the enemy.

  Servilius was the first element of Legion XVII to depart Rome, so his troops got the biggest send off. Besides Tribune Tullus, there were representatives of the Senate, Comitia Centuriata, religious leaders, and hundreds of family members to see them off. It was a proud and sad day for everyone as the 1000 man “Patavium Mission” aligned themselves, were called to attention, and began their nine day march to the sea.

  Centurion Servilius planned to continue training his command while enroute to the port. But it was not training for training sake; the countryside outside of Rome was a dangerous place. Law and order, previously imposed by Roman might, had ceased to exist over large swaths of the country. War lords and gangs, some of which numbered in the thousands, roamed freely to rob and kill at will. Servilius paid particular attention to his rear guard as attacking the rear of a marching column was a favorite tactic of the many gangs that preyed on travelers.

  Late in the day, when Servilius and his Triarii were about six days out from Rome and a little over half way to the port, cavalry scouts brought back word that they had spotted a large encampment in the woods north of Scafa and close to the road. It appeared to hold several thousand people. “Centurion, we saw huts, women and children, and the smoke from numerous camp fires. The men appeared to be warriors and when they spotted us a general alarm went up throughout the camp; we immediately left and were not followed.”

  Centurion Servilius knew that this was the first major test of his command and it could not be ignored. A possible threat to the lives of his men and his mission lay about a day’s march east. With growing awareness he realized that whoever they were they may be searching for him now or, at least, planning when and where to ambush him.

  He collected himself mentally and gathered his leadership team of 12 Centurions to discuss possible courses of action. “Going further south to avoid them would add days to the trip and is out of the question, “he said. “The waiting ships might think we are not coming and disperse. We have to arrive on time. Similarly, we can’t get embroiled in a prolonged fight or suffer too many casualties. We have to preserve the force for the mission and not squander our men and resources before we even start.”

  Servilius needed more information to make sound decisions and decided to send out five teams of two riders each to gather more information on what they were facing. He told his Cavalry Centurion, an unassuming man by the name of Quintus Didius Sura, “Have the teams proceed together in the general direction of the camp, stop for the night when it gets too dark to proceed safely. Do not build fires. Have them split up and ride out before first light. Try to encircle their camp so you can watch them from all sides. If one of the teams sees them leave their camp, watch them until you can tell me who they are, in which direction they are moving, their approximate number, and their armaments. Then report back to me immediately. If they were planning to ambush us, that option is now off the table. We know where they are. If they now favor an open attack, they’ll probably leave their camp by mid morning to find us.”

  He continued talking to Sura, “At first light, put out an arc of eight riders to see if anyone is lurking in the surrounding woods. I don’t want to have to fight on two fronts. Next, prepared a 20-man cavalry detachment to ride east with me before dawn while I look for a suitable site to offer battle if that’s where this is going. We may not have a choice of whether to fight or not, but I want to fight on ground of my choosing.

  Lastly, mount 50 archers and swing wide to the north to avoid being spotted by anyone scouting from their camp. If you located armed warriors and can tell if they’re hostile to us, put the archers in position to ambush them. Your job is to delay them as best you can. Make them stop and raise their shield as o
ften as possible. Drop off archers in the woods on their expected route, but keep the horses close by so they can rapidly remount, disappear, and repeat the ambush. Their first volley should find flesh before they can react. My intent is for you to slow them to give me time to find a place to fight and time to bring the troops to that place.

  Servilius then turned to his Deputy and gave him his instructions, “Before first light, I’m going to ride east to find a proper place to fight. While I’m gone, I want you to get the troops up by 0400. Let them light their fires and cook their breakfast before you leave here. Make sure everyone has a hot meal. Force march the Command along the road heading east. Rest the troops at 1000 for 30 minutes and allow them to eat a light lunch. Then keep going until we link up. Speed is essential. When they meet the enemy, I want them fit to fight.”

  “Here’s the plan for tonight,” he continued. “I’m assuming that we’re being watched right now. So, we’ll stay here on the road until it is totally dark and then move quietly about 200 yards into the woods. That should confuse an attacker as to our exact location. I will take the eight Maniple Centurions with me now while there’s still some light to find a suitable place to camp for the night. Each Maniple will identify guides to take the Maniples from here to the site that the Centurions and I select. We will form a circular defensive position, but there will be no digging and no fires. The men will eat their rations cold tonight. It’s important that we remain quiet and hidden.

  The cavalry will set up their own encampment about half a mile away. Four two-man listening posts will be established about 300 yards out from our encampment and rotated every two hours. The dogs are trained to utter a low growl if strangers approach. Pay attention to them. I will be with Maniple number 1 if you need to contact me during the night.”