“Excellent Tomaeus! Based on what you’ve said, I calculate there will be a total of about 42 towers with two scorpio each. Distribute the remaining 16 scorpio to the five Legion camps.”
“Snake, you’re going to have to spread your archers out among the towers here and on the islands. With the bridges connecting the mainland to the islands, and the bridges connecting the three islands, we can shift forces as the situation dictates.”
“Sir, the mercenaries have one more option,” said Vitulus. Manius nodded for him to continue. “They could send men around the lake to attack us from the rear. By attacking the west wall, they would draw our men off the river wall and increase their chances for a breach. Servilius can speak to their ability to go around the lake.” Manius turned to face Servilius.
“Sir, if the mercenaries send a small force to the northern end of the lake, the 5,000 Suevi should be able to hold them. They would need at least a three to one advantage in manpower to breach their defenses. If they send a 15,000 man force or larger, the defenders of that blocking position will have to abandon it and come back south via the lake road. Tomorrow, I’ll depart here to intercept the 5,000 Suevi coming from Innsbruck and redirect them to the blocking position on top of the cliffs. Once they are situated, I’ll return here. Sir, I think it would be a good idea if we send them 10,000 extra pila and some more archers.”
Manius looked again at his Illyrian Commander of archers. “Snake, can you spare 300 archers to go with Tribune Servilius to meet the Suevi? I know they have some archers, but I think an additional 300 would provide them with more punch. Servilius go ahead and get the pila.”
Snake did some quick mental calculations and said, “I can spare them. We’ll still have enough here.”
Manius then addressed Rasce, his cavalry Commander. “I can think of five primary missions for your 600 horsemen. Put some riders in Verona and Trento to provide us early warning of approaching enemy troops. Put riders in the vicinity of Brixia to warn us if Mago’s men come at us from the west. Surround the swamp and put riders south of the swamp along the river to detect any attempt to get across the river. Send a detachment as far south as Mantua and be prepared to destroy the bridge there. Lastly, send some men to the Suevi blocking position on the northern end of the lake. If the Suevi have to abandon their blocking position, I want your men to find the nearest signal unit to pass along the message, so we can take steps to set up the ambush. It’s absolutely critical that we know as soon as possible that the Suevi are withdrawing. Do you think that will keep you busy?” Everyone laughed.
“Let’s discuss manning the walls,” said Manius. “I think we need to have a Legionary spaced out every two feet on the river rampart. That’s 3,960 men. I want to have four more men stacked behind the lead man. That adds up to 19,800 men on the one rampart facing the river. To plug a breakthrough and replace fallen men on the wall, I want to position a Maniple at the base of the ramparts every 100 yards. That’s another 2,600 men. I want other Maniples to be placed between the Legion camps and one on each end to be prepared to reinforce either wall; that’s another 700 men. One thousand men each will be posted on the south and north wall by the gates. I will keep a 900 man reserve with me in the center of the camp.”
“That leaves 5,000 men left to defend the islands, which will be the responsibility of the second Cenomani Legion. My idea is to actively defend the one island closest to the enemy and leave the other two with a much smaller force. The first island will have 3,200 feet of wall. I think we should put 4,800 men on the wall; that’s three men deep all the way around, and hold the remaining 200 in reserve inside the fort. If the first island is attacked and they have to abandon it, the men can fall back to the second island and then the third, if necessary.
Commander Bricius, I want you and your Cenomani warriors to take charge of the defense of the islands. Work with Tomaeus to get the walls and bridges the way you think will best support their defense. Once your forts are constructed, drill your men on how to defend the wall. Have them take up their positions during the day and at night. Run some unannounced drills. One more thing, if we are hard pressed here, I will recall your men from the islands to help hold this position. I want you to work with the trumpeters to develop a unique signal for you to return. Practice evacuating your men from the islands. I will only recall you if our situation is desperate. Cut loose the pontoon bridges as you withdraw.”
“I’ve already told the trumpeters to develop unique emergency calls for manning the walls. One call will designate the river wall and another call the west wall. Everything I said today about the river wall also applies to the west wall. We still face the threat that Mago will discover us and send part of his army against us. Legates, you need to practice putting your men on both walls. I don’t want any confusion among the troops. They must know their place on either wall.”
“As I said, I’ve instructed the trumpeters to develop an emergency call, which will signal that we are under attack and the walls may have been breached. When you hear that call combined with the call designating which wall is under attack, it means we have a very serious situation. The men must take up their helmet, shield, pila, and sword only. There will be no time to put on their armor. I plan to practice the emergency call once. The next time they hear it, it’s a matter of life and death. I will keep a trumpeter with me at all times and place one on the east wall and one on the west wall.”
“The enemy can hit us repeatedly at difference places along the walls and on both walls simultaneously. If they fail, they can regroup and try it again on another day. Their only objective is to get past us. That can fail multiple times, we can only fail once.”
“Servilius, you and Canutus are in charge of planning the ambush on the western side of the lake. I want you to identify the exact location and the forces you will need. After you’ve walked the ground, explain to me the tactics that you will employ. Consider several scenarios such as a day or a night ambush. I would like to hear your ideas three days after you return from getting the Raeti into position. Calvus, if an ambush is necessary, I want you to be there and command all the forces involved.”
Manius looked directly at each of his Commanders. “Each Legion is responsible to repel attackers assaulting their portion of the wall. I don’t expect to see any enemy soldiers coming over the top. The honor of your Legionaries and your Legion’s reputation is at stake. You must hold the wall at all cost.”
“I expect that the mercenaries will use numerous ladders to scale the walls, which means we must have forked poles to push them off. It takes a minimum of two forked sticks to push off one ladder and maybe even three or four depending on how many men are on the ground holding the ladder. I want the men to get the feel of how much effort is required to push a ladder with men on it and men holding it. Start practicing as soon as possible. This is a critical task that must be mastered.”
“I have one more item to mention. Gates are viewed as a weak point in a wall and usually draw the greatest number of assaulting troops. With that in mind, Tomaeus, I want you to build the facade of gates on the outside of the river and west walls. They must look like gates, which means build real gates and simply attach them to the outside of the walls. I want a total of six fake gates; three on each wall. Place one on each end and one in the center. The real gates that we will use will be located on the north and south ends of the camp and invisible to the attackers. Commanders, these false gates will serve as bait to draw enemy troops and will require stronger defenses. Three days from today, I want each of you to brief me on the additional measures you plan to take to hold these positions.”
“Tomaeus, I assume that you are planning to put ramparts on the north and south walls and that you will allow gaps for the two gates. I want a 20 foot wooden walkway to span the overhead distance over the gaps so we can properly man that portion of the wall if we have to.”
Manius stood up and looked at everyone. “Can anybody in this tent think of anything else th
at needs to be discussed, corrected, or expanded upon? This planning is a collaborative effort; there are no bad ideas. Let’s hear them.”
Manius’ body guard, Centurion Cassius, spoke up. “Sir, I have a comment.” Everyone in the tent turned to look at Cassius.
“Let’s hear it,” said Manius.
“Sir, if I were on that first island in the dark of night and suddenly became aware of movement on the land and splashes in the water, I would sure like to be able to see what those mercenaries were up to. If I had an onager, I could fire a shot of burning oil to light up the area and see what they were doing.” He sat down.
Manius was stunned for a moment and wondered why he hadn’t thought of that himself. Cassius was correct, and everyone in the tent knew it. It was a brilliant idea. Caile stood up, faced Cassius and began to applaud. Soon everyone was on their feet applauding and congratulating Cassius for his superb comment.
When the noise quieted down, Manius said, “Men who are not gifted have to surround themselves with those who are, and that’s why Cassius never leaves my side.”
The meeting adjourned and the real work began.
Acamus and Pittacus made sense of their notes and prepared several detailed letters for the various staff officers and Commanders for Manius’ signature. When the letters were ready, Acamus brought them to Manius. “Sir, with all due respect, Pittacus and I want you to know that you are a far more detailed planner than even the great Scipio. You don’t miss a thing and you try to plan for every contingency. It’s a pleasure to work for you.”
“Thank you; I’m flattered, but I find that hard to believe.” He signed the letters, and the clerks went out to distribute them.
When Manius’ meeting broke up, the four Legates, including Tribunes Tomaeus, Canutus, Servilius, and Vitulus went to Calvus’ tent. Manius had explained his concept for the defense of their position and now they had to work out the details to bring it to a successful conclusion. They had to identify who would be assigned to the many work parties that were needed. Specific units had to be tasked and supervised to build the bridges, walls, ramparts, and towers by the river and the islands. Trees had to be cut, trimmed, and hauled up to the river and Legion camps.
Tomaeus had a complete list of all the tasks. He had arranged them in priority of effort, and had identified the number of men and skills needed for each. Calvus’ clerks took notes while the leaders talked through the issues. After two grinding hours, the participants agreed to the division of labor, and the wheels were put in motion.
When the meeting ended, Servilius, along with 300 archers and wagons with the extra pila rode north to intercept the Suevi Legion and redirect them to the northern end of the lake. He was accompanied by several engineers to help site the position.
Lugano and Taluric had watched their men dig the ditch. They had never before seen their men work so purposefully. Having the Legionaries working alongside them was a powerful motivator, but the ditch was only the beginning. Taluric and Lugano needed to impress upon their men that their lives depended on doing the work right and on time. Anything less would spell their death.
On June 10th, the Army, now 31,000 strong and happy not to be marching with their heavy loads, began cutting and hauling timber and building the ramparts, parapets, and towers. Tomaeus estimated they could complete the river wall in three days, and then they could begin working on building the Legion camps. The west wall and work on the islands would follow. Some of this would be done simultaneously such as putting together the pontoon bridges.
In the end, it took four days to complete the river wall, three days to prepare all six Legion camps, and four to finish the west-facing wall. Simultaneously, teams of men were constructing the ramparts and parapets around the three islands. After the west wall was completed, the Legionaries and Auxiliaries crossed the pontoon bridges and work began in earnest on the islands’ defenses.
*******
On June 13th, Servilius intercepted the Suevi Legion just north of the top of the lake at the village of Rovereto. Through his Cenomani interpreter, he introduced himself to the Suevi Legate, Odo. They recognized each other from the time they spent together training at Bad Tolz and campaigning against the Cimbri/Teutons. Servilius accorded him all the courtesies due a Roman Legate.
“Sir, Praetor Manius Tullus sent me to talk to you concerning a change of plans. I have a written communication from the Praetor to you that summarizes the change.” Servilius handed Manius’ letter to the Legate. The Legate passed it off to an aide who read it aloud. Servilius waited until the Legate looked at him before he said, “I respectfully request that you march your Legion east at the next road junction and continue for eight miles to the top of the lake before making camp. With your permission, I’ll explain the Praetor’s concept as we ride.”
Legate Odo was an experienced, brave, and cautious Commander, but acted boldly when required. He was part of the Suevi army that attacked Landshut with Legio XX. He had a good reputation and was decorated for bravery at the battle of Regensburg. Bethica believed him to be her best Commander.
Odo used his signal horns to summon his leaders. When they were assembled, he informed them of the change in plans and directed them to march to Riva del Garda at the top of the lake and make camp. The advance guard was recalled and Suevi engineers were dispatched to site the camp.
When the Suevi Legion began moving again, Servilius rode alongside Odo and laid out the Praetor’s defensive plan at the Mincio. He briefed him as to the number of expected mercenaries, their expected date of arrival, his trip around the lake, the proposed Raeti blocking position, and the possibility of an ambush should the mercenaries attempt to go around the lake. The Legate listened intently and asked several questions. Servilius recommended that on the following day, they ride to the blocking position while the Suevi Legion remain in camp. Odo agreed and began issuing guidance to his aides. Servilius backed his horse away from the Legate and rode alongside a few of the staff officers that he recognized from Bad Tolz. At first, they talked about the new role for the Legion, and then began reminisced about the Cimbri/Teuton campaign and enjoyed reliving old times.
When the Suevi Legion stopped for the night, they established a Roman style marching camp which they had employed while training and campaigning with Manius in 210-209 BC. Servilius was impressed with the way they had so thoroughly adopted Roman Army field techniques.
That evening, Odo asked Servilius to brief his staff on what lay ahead and the plans for the next day. Through his interpreter, Servilius went into great detail about the military features of the defensive position by the Mincio River. He discussed his trip around the lake and why Manius was redirecting the Suevi to establish a second defensive position. “Sir, I recommend that tomorrow you and your staff accompany me to the new position, which is about half a mile from here. I believe the site on top of those sheer cliffs, that overlooks our position here, is ideally situated to stop or slow the mercenaries from going around the lake. The gap is about 1,600 feet long and sits between the edge of the cliffs and a small lake. The one problem I foresee is that I haven’t conducted a test of the soil, and I’m not sure how deep we can dig. Hopefully, the soil is deep enough to support a wall and ditch. If we can’t dig, there are other options.”
After breakfast, Odo assembled his staff, and Servilius led them up the grassy slope to the crest of the hill. Initially, everyone gathered at the cliff’s edge to look at the unprecedented view of the lake. They could see their camp, the Sarca River, and the road coming from the east, everything but the south end of the lake. It was windy, but otherwise comfortable.
Odo and the staff walked the area and talked among themselves while Servilius’ engineers began to dig. They were concerned that the rock of the cliff was only a few feet beneath the surface soil, so they dug several test holes along the 1,600 foot gap. The results were the same. About two to three feet down was solid rock. The position would not support a wall or ditch. Odo and his staff watche
d the digging and were disappointed with the results.
The chief engineer stepped forward and signaled the interpreter to translate as he addressed the group. “In lieu of a wall, I propose a barricade of logs lying horizontally on the ground at the very crest of the hill and rising five feet in height. As you can see around you, there is adequate lumber. In addition, the ground in front of this position and extending down the slope for several hundred yards could be pitted with hidden traps to pierce the feet of the attackers. If the attackers reach this position and threaten to overrun it, the logs could be released to roll down the hill. A rear guard of archers, combined with the logs, would give your men time to withdraw across the plateau and down to the lake.”
“Thank you, Chief Engineer; I think that’s the best we can do,” said Servilius. Odo sat down with his staff to discuss the proposal. Most thought it could work and were now curious about the route of retreat. If there were 10,000 to 15,000 mercenaries on their trail, they wanted to make sure they could escape. Odo motioned for Servilius to join them. “Tell us about the plans to withdraw from this position should it become necessary.”
“This plateau is about seven to eight miles long and fairly flat. It then descends steeply to the village of Limone, which is located on the lake. There is a road at Limone that runs along the lake all the way down to the southern end. This road is about 200 feet wide and sits between the lake and the forested hills. About 10 miles before reaching the southern end of the lake is a village called Salo. A road goes west from Salo and eventually joins the main road to Brixia. We are concerned that if the mercenaries reach Salo, they will simply bypass our defensive position at the Mincio and continue on to Genoa and Mago. They must be stopped before they reach Salo.”
Legio XVII: Battle of Zama Page 23
