Legio XVII: Battle of Zama

by Thomas A. Timmes

  Lucia heard him come in and went to the entrance hall. “Well, how did it go with Scipio,” she asked.

  “Good; I have a lot on my mind.”

  Lucia said, “I don’t think it was a good idea to give Titus that sword. That’s all he plays with and he’s going to cut himself. He wants to be just like you, you know.”

  Manius shrugged. “He’s young; time will tell. A soldier’s life is a rough life. I’m not sure I want that for him. Someone is always telling you to go or to come. Everything is either too hot or too cold. You’re thirsty or hungry or both. You’re always walking, waiting, and occasionally fighting. Nothing is soft; everything is sharp and hard. For me, it’s been a good life, but maybe he can do better. Perhaps politics, or if we could buy the neighbors’ farms, he could manage a large profit making estate.”

  Manius paused and looked downward for a moment, then put his hand to his chin and locked eyes with Lucia.

  “Lucia, I accepted Scipio’s offer to go to Sicily to train his troops. I leave in a week.” Once he got this out, Manius was flooded with immense relief. Now they could talk about it.

  “How long will you be gone?” she asked calmly.

  Good she doesn’t appear upset, he thought.

  “Scipio said my job will be finished when I say the troops are sufficiently trained. It’s up to me. I would guess six months, maybe less.”

  “I’ll be glad when you retire so we can be a real family,” she said in a calm voice. “I’m not angry. I would just like you home more often. I know it’s important to you. We’ll be fine here. Titus will miss you. Just hurry it along and come back. I love you.”

  The following morning, Manius rode to meet with Calvus and Caile. After apologizing for disrupting their vacation, Manius said, “Yesterday, Scipio asked me to train his troops in Sicily, and I agreed. I expect I will be there for six months. While I’m gone Calvus will be in Command of our two Legions, including the attached Scorpio Detachment, cavalry, and Snake’s Illyrian archers. I’ll ensure Headquarters doesn’t send a replacement for me. Hopefully, they’ll just forget about you here. Continue to train. Keep the men active during the day, but I suggest releasing them in the evening. It’ll keep discipline problems down. Do you have any questions for me?”

  Caile said, “Don’t worry about us. The Legions will be fit and ready when you return.”

  Manius then rode to Scipio’s Headquarters to meet with Velius. As promised, Velius had an office for him, and two clerks were busy arranging the room. “Praetor, as befitting your rank, I’ve given you my two best clerks: twins Acamus and Pittacus. They are both Greek and very bright. They got bored working with the Senate and volunteered to support Scipio’s staff. They know everyone in Rome and can work wonders. Even though they’re both civilians, they followed us everywhere in Spain and were looking forward to going to Africa.” He then called out, “Acamus, Pittacus, come meet your new boss.”

  Manius greeted them. “The Tribune speaks very highly of you both. We’ll only be together for a week, but I appreciate your service.” Once in his new office, Manius asked the two clerks to have a seat and take notes. “I need two things to get started and both involve a bit of research.”

  Acamus said, “Praetor, if it exists in Rome, we’ll find it.”

  “Good, because this will be difficult! Back in 215 BC, I had my staff at Campus Martius, interview all the Cannae survivors. They recorded the survivors’ names, ages, units, and summarized their stories. I even met many of them myself. I know that the documents exist somewhere. I would start looking first at Campus Martius and then Army Headquarters. The other task is to find out everything you can about Sicily. I was there as a young Legionary many years ago, but I can’t even tell you at which port I landed. I need to know the weather, the terrain, and where Scipio will establish his Headquarters. I assume it will be near one of the ports. The sooner I can get this information the better. Can you do it?”

  Acamus and Pittacus vigorously nodded their heads. Pittacus said, “Now this is the kind of assignment we love. It’s a challenge and a welcomed change of pace from normal record-keeping. We’ll give it our best effort.”

  As they walked out of Manius’ office, a bored looking Tribune walked in. “Sir, the Chief of Staff asked me to inform you that there is a ship leaving Ostia for Sicily on the 27th. That’s eight days from now. He has assigned you two aides who served with him in Spain to make the necessary arrangements. They will also support you during the trip. Can you be on it?”

  “Thank you Tribune. Please tell the Chief I will be on that ship. Have the two men report to me as soon as possible. I need to learn more about fighting Carthaginians.”

  After he left the room, Manius leaned back in his chair and began to envision what he needed to do. About 20 minutes later, he got up and walked into Velius’ office. “Tribune, I apologize for asking you for another clerk, but I’ve dispatched Acamus and Pittacus to find some documents, and I need someone to take a few notes for me.”

  “No problem sir. Give me 5 to 10 minutes.”

  About 10 minutes later, a young Legionary knocked on Manius’ door. Manius smiled at him and pointed to a chair. The Legionary sat down and said, “Sir, whenever you’re ready.”

  Manius began:

  “1. Get a letter from the Chief authorizing me to train all Army units and civilian volunteers which explicitly includes the complete cooperation and support of the unit Commanders

  2. Review the roster of Cannae survivors to identify those over 40 years old

  3. Once in Sicily, meet the leadership of Legiones V and VI

  4. Identify existing training facilities

  5. Review ongoing military training, physical fitness activities, and established standards of competency for each Legionary

  6. Request a 10 mile march with full field pack followed by preparation of a standard Legion camp with ditch, ramparts, and palisades to assess the validity of ongoing military and physical training. Include field maneuvers during the march

  7. Identify a training cadre from among the two Legions

  8. Devise individual and unit level training schedules

  9. Modify, repair, or build new training sites

  10. Construct an 11 station training center”

  “That completes the list. Please give me a copy when it’s ready.” The clerk left to make a formal copy.

  Manius then drafted an authorization letter for the Chief to sign. When he finished, he set it aside and wisely decided to look at it again tomorrow rather than give it to the Chief today. He envisioned meeting some resistance from the two Legates in Sicily and people managing the facilities on the island. He wanted to make sure the letter gave him the authorization he needed to do his job.

  *******

  When Manius arrived home, Lucia smiled and said, “You’re just in time, the servants are ready to serve dinner.” Manius quickly washed up and went to the triclinium (dining room). Lucia stopped him at the doorway and reminded him, “Now don’t interrogate Flavia about what she did today. You know that upsets her. Your daughter’s a young lady and wants to be treated like an adult. Try asking her about the poetry she’s writing. They’re more like insightful short stories, but they mean a lot to her.”

  During dinner, amidst all the small talk, Manius broached the topic of poetry. “Did you know,” he said to no one in particular, “that many of my Legionaries and even some of the Tribunes write poetry in their spare time?” Flavia looked up expectantly as he continued. “Yes, it’s true. I myself have composed a few poems, but I’ve never written them down.”

  “Daddy you should; I would love to hear them,” she said. “I’ve written a lot of poems, but they’re mostly personal.”

  “I would appreciate hearing some of them.”

  Lucia interjected, “Maybe after dinner just the two of you could go to the peristylium (courtyard) and Flavia could read a few.”

  “They’re silly; daddy wouldn’t like them.”

&n
bsp; Manius could sense that he was connecting with his daughter and said, “Seriously, I would love to hear what you’ve written.”

  “Well, alright, but promise you won’t laugh.”

  After dinner, Manius took a seat in the courtyard, and a servant brought a fresh cup of diluted wine. He settled back in his comfortable chair and waited for Flavia to get her papers. When she came back and was seated, she spent the next few minutes telling him how horrible the poems were before finally reading them. Initially, she kept looking up to see her father’s reaction. He nodded and would occasionally say, “That line is really good; go on.” His heart was singing. He and Flavia were communicating! She read everything she had ever written, and they would talk about each one when she finished. Manius felt he had gained more insight into his young daughter in these 30 minutes than he’d gotten in the last 16 years.

  When she stopped reading, she hugged him and left to go to bed. She, too, felt happy that her father was paying attention to her and had gotten to know her at a much deeper level. Manius would never again talk to her as he would a child. Flavia was a sensitive, intelligent, somewhat insecure young lady. He decided that he not only loved her; he actually liked her.

  *******

  The next day, Acamus and Pittacus were waiting for him when he walked into his office. “You two look particularly pleased with yourselves. What did you find out?”

  “I went to Campus Martius, as you suggested,” reported Acamus, “and dropped your name. They still consider you one of the gods. I met with the Commandant; he said to give you his greeting, and then gave me complete access to all their files. After digging through stacks of papers for most of the day, I finally found the list of Cannae survivors you asked for.” He was beaming from ear to ear and felt justifiably proud of himself. He put the stack of papers on Manius’ desk.

  “Well done!” said Manius. “I can’t believe no one threw them away. It must have taken you hours to find these.”

  “It did,” replied Acamus, “but I like a challenge. Sir, Pittacus has the information you wanted on Sicily.”

  Sicily (Google Maps)

  Pittacus began reading from his notes, “Sicily is 1.9 miles off the coast of Italy at its narrowest and 3.2 miles at its widest. The island is about 155 miles (250km) wide and 175 miles (280km) long. Aetna (modern Mt. Etna) is located on the northeast side of the island and dominates the landscape. It’s 10,922 feet (3,329m) high and has erupted in 425, 396, and 350 BC. We are long overdue for another. The island is occupied primarily by farmers who supply the grain to our two Legions.”

  “The Legions in Sicily are spread out in small garrisons on the west coast from Drepana (modern Trapani) in the north to Mazar (modern Mazara Del Vallo) in the south, a distance of about 50 miles. Their mission is to guard against Carthaginian raiders. I hear that they are conducting limited training and are in reasonable physical shape.”

  “The primary port from which to launch an invasion of Africa is Lilybaeum (modern Marsala). But I am not sure that’s where Scipio plans to put his headquarters. It’s about 140 miles (225km) from Lilybaeum to Carthage by sea. I would suggest that any training camp you construct be situated near Lilybaeum.”

  “The weather in Sicily is cooler than you’d expect:

  January and February’s high is the same at about 55F,

  March is 59, April 64, May 72, June 77, July 84, August 84, September 79, October 72,

  Nov 64, and December 57. That means that when you arrive it should be between 72F and 79F (21C-17C). Sir that concludes my report on Sicily. Do you have any questions?”

  “Yes, how can I get the two of you assigned to my staff?!” Acamus and Pittacus both laughed. Pittacus said, “Talk to our boss, Tribune Velius. I think he’d let us go for this short mission.”

  “I will,” declared Manius, “and thank you both for your excellent staff work. Before you go, I have one more request. Yesterday, I drafted a letter for the Chief’s signature authorizing me to take charge of training the two Legions in Sicily. Even though I outrank the two Legates, I am not their Commander, and they may not fully cooperate with me. Would you please look it over, and give me your thoughts.” He handed the letter to Acamus.

  After they left the room, Manius took out the roster of Cannae survivors. As he glanced at the pages, memories of the battle, his wounds, recovery, and painful yet joyous trip back to Rome flooded his mind. He leaned back in his chair, stared into space, and let his mind wander. Anger, sadness, happiness, and relief filled his brain. Conflicting emotions smashed into one another creating an intense feeling of uncertainty and fear. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and began to study the document. He put a question mark next to the names of those men over 40 years and an X next to those over 45. He recognized many of the names and wondered how they were doing.

  As he was finishing, the Legionary clerk stepped into the room. “Sir, here’s the list you dictated yesterday of the 10 tasks to do once you arrive in Sicily.” Manius quickly looked it over, thanked the soldier, and dismissed him.

  As Manius prepared to leave for the day, Acamus walked in. “Sir we’ve looked over your letter for the Chief’s signature and have several recommendations.” Pittacus was a few steps behind him and was holding a piece of paper. “Sir, with all due respects, the Chief carries no weight whatsoever with the Legates in Sicily. Only the staff here listens to him. The two Legates will only obey orders from the Consul himself. He has to sign the letter if you want to get any cooperation. Another point, you need to spell out specifically the authorizations you are seeking. If you want to direct the Legates to march their Legions 20 miles to assess their physical condition, say it directly in the letter. We’ve taken the liberty to prepare a draft letter for Scipio’s signature that is much more directive. After you look it over, we’ll be happy to make any changes you want.” Manius thanked them and said he would look it over that night.

  *******

  When Manius got home, Titus had the fishing gear all ready and was anxiously looking forward to fishing in the Tiber with his father. After a short walk, the two sat on the bank, baited their hooks, and threw out their lines. Manius bought a few minnows from a vendor, and soon the first fish hit Titus’ line. Manius let him pull it in, but offered suggestions the whole time: “slow down, don’t jerk the pole, nice and easy.” He wanted to just grab the pole and do it himself, but held back. Titus was thrilled, and Manius didn’t want to ruin the moment. Titus caught a nice bream, then a chub, and finally two carp. Manius caught three bream. It was a good day. The two talked and got reacquainted. Back home, the servants took the fish promising to cook them up for tonight’s meal. Manius later found out that the servants had prepared another meal, but quickly changed plans to accommodate Titus.

  During dinner, Titus was immensely proud that everyone was eating the fish he had caught. He kept asking everyone, “Do you like it?” Flavia was much more talkative than previous nights. Without his prompting, she told her father what she had done that day and wanted him to hear a new poem she had written. Lucia was thrilled seeing that a warm relationship was forming between the man and the daughter she loved. After dinner, Manius listened to the new poem and told Flavia how impressed he was that she could put into writing how she viewed relationships, herself, and the world around her. Lucia was even invited to hear this poem. Titus went about the business of a 14 year old, which was a little of everything.

  When Flavia left the room, Manius retrieved the draft letter the clerks had written and read it to Lucia. “That’s very direct and to the point,” she said. “Who will sign it?”

  “It’s prepared for Scipio’s signature, but I don’t know if he’ll actually agree to all this. The letter gives me the authority of a Consul concerning all aspects of Legionary training to include managing the surrounding facilities.”

  “I guess it all depends on how strongly he feels about you being the one to train the two Legions,” she said. “If he plans to take them to Africa to face th
e Carthaginians, he probably will sign it, but, I’m curious, why can’t he just use the Legions he had in Spain?”

  “Those veterans now belong to new Commanders who are still fighting the Iberians. It’s not like facing Hasdrubal or Mago, but the Commanders have their hands full,” Manius replied.

  The next day, Manius greeted the two clerks as he walked into his office. “I read the letter last night and will buy you both a bottle of good wine if Scipio actually signs it. It’s a great letter, but I can’t believe he will give me all that authority.”

  Acamus said, “Sir, I’ll take your wager on the wine,” and disappeared with the letter in hand. Manius went outside to walk around. This was causing him more stress than he anticipated.

  One hour later, Acamus returned with the letter in his hand. Manius looked at him expectantly. Acamus’ face showed disappointment, and he slowly shook his head from side to side. Manius said, “I didn’t think he would sign it, but thanks for trying.”

  “Sir!” said Acamus, “you owe me a bottle of wine, and I’ll even tell you the brand I like.” He was all smiles. “He signed it alright. In fact, the Consul even wrote stronger language in the margin,” and handed the letter to Manius. Manius looked at the Consul’s note: ‘Praetor Tullus speaks for me concerning all matters related to training and camp management. Non-compliance will result in dismissal.’ And there it was at the bottom, “P. C. Scipio, Consul.” Manius grinned from ear to ear and couldn’t thank the clerks enough.

  He walked out of his office to see Velius. Velius read the letter and whistled. “Sir, Consul Scipio obviously has great faith in you. Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “As a matter of fact, there is. Lend me those two geniuses, Acamus and Pittacus, until I complete this assignment.”

  “Sir, those are my two best men! If I give them to you, what am I going to do?”