During the planning stages for the invasion, Legion command realized that getting their heavy infantrymen off the ships, onto the beach, and into formation took time. As the Legionaries unloaded, they would be easy targets while wading to shore. The solution was to form a specialty trained unit of four hundred Marines. And like modern day Marines, they would do the deadly job of holding ground while waiting for numerically superior forces to arrive. To Legion command, the Legion Marines of 256 B.C. were expendable. Semper Fi!
While in the coastal town of Aspis (Kelibia), the Romans besieged the fort for a few days then attacked and removed the last of the Empire’s resistance in the region. As the Republic controlled the land and the sea, I could not understand why they built a stockade fence around the warships. Historians report the fence was to keep their vessels safe. In Uncertain Honor, I used a different reason for the construction of the stockade around the beached fleet. All hail, the God Sterculius.
Alerio’s speech in the officer’s mess tent was paraphrased from writings by the historian Polybius.
“They wanted the Centurions (infantry officers) not so much to be venturesome and daredevils, but to be natural leaders of a steady and reliable spirit…At the same time, they did not want soldiers who initiated attacks and opened battles. They wanted men (Legionaries) who would hold their ground when beaten and hard-pressed. Warriors who were ready to die at their posts.”
Later in the book, Alerio talks about the perfect Legionary. This as well was taken from Polybius who also wrote about the maniple formation.
“The order of battle used by the Roman army (Legion) is very difficult to break through - since it allows every man to fight both individually and collectively. The effect is to offer a formation that can present a front in any direction. The maniples that are nearest to the point where danger threatens can wheel (pivot) in order to meet the threat.”
The maniple combat formation was a result of mountain warfare against tribes in the center of the Italian peninsula. It was the official battlefield tactic until the Marian reforms in 107 B.C. Part of those reforms, which unified and codified the Legions, instituted the use of the cohort battle formation.
I have been asked about the naming of Legions in the Clay Warrior Stories series. In the mid-Republic, fixed Legions around central and southern Italy took the name of the region where they served.
Marching Legions led by the elected Consuls took the names of the Consuls. As each Consul had the right to raise 2 Legions, I used North, South, East, and West as the naming convention. Pompey the Great in 84 B.C. started the Legion numbering system by calling his two ‘the 1st Legion’ and the other ‘the 2nd Legion’. And the rest, as they say, is history.
It almost appeared as if I thought, what this story needed was a Spartan. But I didn’t. Spartan Xanthippus was an actual person brought to Carthage to train their troops. His story and Alerio’s, plus more, will be in the next book, Tribune’s Oath.
As always, I adore getting your emails and reading your comments. If you enjoyed Uncertain Honor, please leave a written review on Amazon. Every review helps other readers find the stories.
If you have comments, e-mail me.
E-mail: [email protected]
To get the latest information about my books, visit my website. There you can sign up for the newsletter and read blogs about ancient history.
Website: www.JCliftonSlater.com
Facebook: Galactic Council Realm and Clay Warrior Stories
I am J. Clifton Slater and I write military adventure both future and ancient. Until we trod the grind with the Legion again, Alerio and I salute you and wish you good health and vigor. Euge! Bravo!
Other books by J. Clifton Slater
Historical Adventure – ‘Clay Warrior Stories’ series
#1 Clay Legionary
#2 Spilled Blood
#3 Bloody Water
#4 Reluctant Siege
#5 Brutal Diplomacy
#6 Fortune Reigns
#7 Fatal Obligation
#8 Infinite Courage
#9 Deceptive Valor
#10 Neptune’s Fury
#11 Unjust Sacrifice
#12 Muted Implications
#13 Death Caller
#14 Rome’s Tribune
#15 Deranged Sovereignty
#16 Uncertain Honor
Fantasy – ‘Terror & Talons’ series
#1 Hawks of the Sorcerer Queen
#2 Magic and the Rage of Intent
Military Science Fiction - ‘Call Sign Warlock’ series
#1 Op File Revenge
#2 Op File Treason
#3 Op File Sanction
Military Science Fiction – ‘Galactic Council Realm’ series
#1 On Station
#2 On Duty
#4 On Guard
#5 On Point
* * *
[JS1]
Uncertain Honor Page 26
