Legio XVII: Roman Legion at War

by Thomas A. Timmes

  Levi would similarly travel five days east with only two other companions and the money. If Roman soldiers were spotted anywhere in the area, the villagers would hide Manius until another rendezvous could be arranged. In early November, Pontius set off on his journey walking the same route that the villagers and Levi would take in order to confirm it was safe to travel.

  Pontius was selected for the mission because he was fit and clever. The 150 mile trip would be extremely dangerous. Travel was always dangerous, but now the ongoing war caused an anomie along with a very real and widespread collapse of authority throughout Italy. Army deserters from both sides roamed the area. Bands of brigands were always on the prowl. Even simple honest farmers, whose land and livelihood had been wreaked by Hannibal’s army, would rob anyone they suspected of carrying food or valuables.

  Pontius travelled mostly at night and slept during the day. He carried his food in an abandoned Roman pack and ate his meals cold. He avoided roads and travelled in the woods. He crossed open spaces on the run and gave settlements a wide berth. His mission and his life depended on passing unseen through forest and field. When he arrived at Lake Fucino, he knew he was about half way. He rested for a day by the lake to observe the usual human traffic and to pick out a rendezvous spot free of any possible nearby ambush sites. To mark the spot, he built stone piles and placed nicks in the trees with his knife.

  Every sentient person in the village over the age of 10 knew that as soon as Pontius departed on his mission and the Romans found out that one of theirs was in Agnone, that they would suffer a horrible retribution if anything happened to Manius. Immediately, two young men of known quality were assigned to Manius as body guards. This duty included tasting his food, going on walks with him, and sleeping by his side at night. Keeping Manius safe and healthy was now the village’s number one priority.

  As Manius walked about the village with the help of a crutch, his mental and physical health began to return, but he still displayed disturbing lacunae when he tried to recall the battle’s final moments. He limped and he had a constant headache, but he felt stronger and looked better. He was the cynosure of the village and they treated him like a visiting dignitary. He reciprocated by being polite and thanking them for nursing him back to health. Knowing some still harbored a hatred for Romans, Manius was careful to not wander too far from his ever present body guards.

  He thought of his family the most, but also thought long and hard on what exactly led to the disaster at Cannae. He wondered if he was the only survivor. He felt shame and anger. In time, he would find out that 6000 Legionaries had survived the slaughter and that, in addition to running the Legionaire Training Camp, he would be given the task to identify and interview the survivors. This task alone would take over two years, yield a wealth of information and help him deal with his survivors’ guilt.

  The closer Pontius got to the city gates and the waiting guards, the more nervous he became. His hands trembled and a line of sweat formed on his upper lip. He could see that he was dressed differently than most others and he knew his Latin was extremely poor. He feared he would be dragged off and thrown in a Roman prison before he even had a chance to say why he was there. The guards were scrutinizing everyone entering the city. There was real concern that Hannibal’s agents would try to infiltrate the city and secretly let his army in at night while the city slept. The guards at the gate motioned to Pontius to step out of the stream of people lined up facing the massive wooden gate. He had, indeed, aroused their suspicion.

  Two burly men in full battle dress looked him dead in the eye, “What brings you to Rome Samnite,” spit out one.

  Pontius suddenly felt nauseous, but replied in common street Latin, “I have a message from Tribune Manius Tullus to Quaestor Levi.”

  “What is the message,” demanded the other before Pontius could continue and grabbed Pontius roughly by his cloak.

  Pontius shot back without hesitation, “The message is, I survived the battle at Cannae. Please reward these kind people for rescuing me and nursing me back to health.”

  The guards looked at each other. One said, “We need to check this out.”

  The guards walked Pontius back to their Centurion who made Pontius repeat the message. He knew Manius well; they had served together in the Gallic Wars. He questioned Pontius intently about all that had happened. Satisfied he was telling the truth, the Centurion brought Pontius to his Tribune where Pontius again repeated the story. This time his voice did not quiver quite as much. The Tribune took him to the Tribune who worked for the Garrison Commander and on it went. By the end of the day, Pontius had told his story to eight different people. He was physically and mentally drained and still frightened that he would be killed or imprisoned. After all, the Romans had earned their reputation for cruelty.

  Finally, the Garrison Commander heard Pontius tell the story and said, “We need to see Levi about this” and left the room with Pontius and three guards in tow.

  Levi was surprised when the Garrison Commander, a rather gruff hubristic man, walked into his office and said brusquely, “Quaestor, you need to hear this man’s story.” Levi could have jumped for joy when Pontius said Manius was alive and well, but kept himself in check. He listened to the story of his survival and all that the village had done to keep him alive. Levi had long assumed that Manius died in the battle along with the rest of the army. None of the survivors with whom he had spoken knew of Manius’ fate.

  When Pontius finished his detailed account of keeping Manius alive and before he could ask for a reward, Levi asked, “And what do you think would be an adequate reward for such a good deed?” Levi had already calculated that if the Army were to raid the village to rescue Manius, he might die in the attempt; the raid would also have a chilling effect on future Samnite efforts to rescue other Romans; and Roman-Samnite relations would be set back 200 years. Levi knew that so far, the Samnites had not joined Hannibal in revolt against Rome as so many other former allies of Rome had done. Rome needed all the friends she could get. “No,” he thought to himself, “I will gladly pay the ransom. These people have done me and Rome a great service. Now is the time for a light handed approach and not the Roman sword

  Pontius replied with some trepidation, “The equivalent of five years of the Tribunes yearly salary paid in Denarii. That is 1190 Denarii.” (All of Italy knew that the Denarius was worth 10 As and had replaced the As as the new Roman coinage the previous year.)

  “Agreed,” stated Levi, “What are the arrangements?”

  When he heard the plan to exchange the money for Manius at Lake Fucino, Levi knew he himself could not make such a difficult trip and asked the Garrison Commander to provide one capable soldier to go in his stead, but to wear civilian clothes. The other individual would come from Levi’s office. He turned to Pontius and said, “There would be no deception, but because the countryside is in turmoil, you must allow a Roman cavalry detachment to accompany the two men for most of the journey. The cavalry would remain a discrete distance away from the actual meeting site. Is this acceptable?” Pontius nodded his agreement and asked that the four villagers who would be at the exchange site be provided with horses for their return trip to the village as this would enable them to outrun the many robbers who infest the countryside. Levi looked questioningly at the Garrison Commander, “Agreed,” he responded. Levi asked the Garrison Commander to feed Pontius and give him a horse to speed him on his way.

  As soon as Levi saw Pontius depart through the city gate, he immediately left Rome in his carriage to see Lucia and bring her the good news. She had been in mourning for four months. Levi knew her senses were numbed and she might react to the news not only with disbelief, but also with anger.

  When Levi arrived at the villa, he slowly explained the story to her and in as much detail as he felt she could handle. She listened, but did not speak. He then excused himself and left. “Better to let her deal with this in private,” he thought as he rode away.

  Lucia was in
shock. She could not believe what Levi had just told her. Her mind raced; her emotions were in utter turmoil. She denied it at first, afraid to give herself hope. Then slowly over the course of the next day, began to acknowledge that Manius was alive and would be coming home. Then the full flood gates of her emotions opened and she cried and sang and danced. The children had no problem with the news and joyously accepted it as soon as they heard. The entire household immediately began furiously preparing for his arrival. Joy had returned to the Tullus household.

  As Levi approached the miserly and portly Senator in charge of Special Funds and laid out the case to pay the Samnites for the release of Manius, he knew he had a hard sell facing him. As expected, the Senator refused. He stated that Rome’s policy was not to pay for hostages. Levi patiently explained why this was not a hostage situation and that paying for Manius would be good for Rome in the long term.

  Levi spoke of maintaining needed allies, troop safety, honestly earned rewards, and so forth, but the Senator was unbending. He added with little effect that Manius was severely wounded in leg and head and unable to travel by himself. In desperation, Levi said, “He is not a prisoner. All right sir, I will pay from my own pocket.” At that, the Senator paused, looked to the side and, without directly addressing Levi, said, “He is a good soldier; I will see what I can do,” and left. The next day, aides to the Senator arrived in Levi’s office with five wooden boxes of coins for the exchange.

  Pontius’ arrival in the village on horseback immediately told the villagers that he had been successful, but how successful they would have to wait to find out! Pontius was the center of attention, and he relished it! He had carefully planned and rehearsed the story he would tell them knowing it would become village lore for years to come. He held back, telling them just enough to wet their appetites, until the evening when everyone would be gathered around the village fire.

  Pontius ate and rested as the villagers’ anticipation grew to fever pitch. Finally, it was dark enough to light the village fire and listen to Pontius’ story. Manius was given an honored place and his comfort attended to.

  First, Pontius told them about his trip to Rome and all the close calls with robbers along the way. Some exaggeration was expected. He detailed how he marked out a place at Lake Fucino where the exchange could take place. Then he told them about the guards at the gate and all the questioning he endured before actually meeting with Levi. The villagers listened intently waiting to see if Levi had agreed to their demand. This was the big moment, but Pontius completely passed over the part where he talked with Levi about the reward and began telling the story about his return trip mounted on a magnificent Roman horse. The villagers knew he was now toying with them and they good naturedly booed and hissed demanding he tell them if Levi agreed to the deal.

  Manius joined in the good natured play and was genuinely amused. This was the first fun he had had since the battle. He laughed, yelled, and soon found himself crying with joy when Pontius said that the exchange would take place in five days. The villagers too were ecstatic when they heard that Levi’s gratitude matched their expectations. Coincidently, there was a mini baby boom nine months later!

  Manius Returns to Rome

  The following day, five young men from the village set out with Manius enroute to Lake Fucino. They were well armed with Roman swords, shields, and pila even though they lacked the skill to properly use these tools of war. Manius rode in a wagon pulled by a single horse; his leg still not mended completely. The others walked alongside keeping a sharp eye out for any signs of trouble. As they walked, Manius coached them on how to properly use their weapons, where to stand if trouble approached, and what to do if a fight was inevitable. He emphasized that they should use the sword to thrust and not to swing it overhead. He too was armed, but doubted he would be much help in a fight.

  Several groups of men were spotted during the five day journey, but all kept their distance except one group. They too were five in number and armed with swords and daggers. They hailed the villagers from about 50’ away and demanded to know their business. The one who did the talking appeared to be the leader. The villagers took up their rehearsed positions in front of the wagon and presented a shield wall to the five. Manius got out of the wagon and stood behind them; coaching them. He had a pilum in his hand as did his escort. The five approached closer and formed a line to match that of the villagers. They intended to fight.

  As the five got closer, on cue, they drew their weapons and broke into a menacing run while yelling as fiercely as they could hoping to scatter the villagers. Manius calmly instructed the men to draw back their pila and to throw on his command. The five stopped abruptly about 30’ away when they saw the villagers with their arms cocked and pila pointed in their direction. Manius yelled, “Throw.” The five spears hissed through the air: two fell short and the other three went a little wide of the target, but did cause the men to dance to their left and right to avoid the missiles. And that is what Manius was waiting for. He aimed at the leader, threw, and hit him square in the side as he turned to avoid another pilum. It pierced his heart and he dropped. The surviving four stood staring for a moment at their fallen leader, then, rifled through his belongings, and walked away yelling threats at the villagers.

  It was over that fast and was of no more consequence to either the brigands or villagers than a fish eating a bug on the surface of a lake ~ a small ripple that quickly dissipates and is forgotten. The villagers retrieved their thrown pila and continued on, shaken, but more confident at the same time. Manius climbed back in the wagon and was happy to be off his aching leg.

  They found the piled rocks that Pontius had left to mark the exchange site, identified a nearby place thick with undergrowth to hide themselves and the wagon, and settled down to wait. They did not build a fire to ward off the cold for fear it would attract robbers. The next day, they heard the sounds of horses and someone calling Manius by name. The villagers told Manius to wait and be quiet while they cautiously peered through the brush. They saw two men on horseback with boxes strapped to the horses’ sides and leading three more horses. Seeing no Roman military escort and not sensing danger, they stood and hailed them.

  Both sides were relieved to have linked up successfully. The two Roman riders dismounted. Manius recognized the one from Levi’s office, but not the other who introduced himself as a representative of the Garrison Commander. They helped Manius mount a horse.

  The four villagers mounted two of the horses, split the boxes of coins between them, and took two separate routes back to the village. This guaranteed one would make it. Three days later the first horse and riders arrived safely at Agnone. The next day, the other horse arrived with its two riders and money. With money and riders intact, the village celebrated. They swore each other to silence promising not to discuss the money outside the village. Everyone observed the counting and distribution of the coins.

  Their plan now was to dispatch teams of men in different directions to purchase farming tools, animals, food stuff, wagons, building materials, and servants. If any money remained, they planned to erect a memorial to the gods for their good fortune.

  After riding with the two men for 30 minutes, Manius spotted the cavalry escort. He was relieved to be on his way back to Rome, but he was in a great deal of pain from all the jostling. His leg was not used to the bouncing of a moving horse. But he would endure it in silence as each painful jolt brought him that much closer to home and Lucia. It had been six months since he left Rome, but it felt much longer and he felt much older.

  In 215 BC, the Comitia Centuriata appointed Manius as the new Commandant of the Recruit Training Camp with orders to quickly produce trained and equipped Legionaries. The Army told Manius to recuperate for two months, longer if he needed it, but then to report to Campus Martius, the Legionaries’ training base. Rome needed trained men and quickly.

  While resting at home, Manius was briefed on Hannibal’s movements and activities during his absence and Ro
me’s response. Immediately after the defeat at Cannae, the Senate boldly ordered the Army to be rebuilt, reequipped, trained, and deployed to contain Hannibal by cutting off his access to Carthage and Hannibal’s new ally, Philip V of Macedonia. Such was the determination of Rome. She was not quitting the fight or seeking a peace treaty. The population not under direct Carthaginian control, which had suffered so much from Hannibal’s invasion, readily responded to this new call to arms. The Legions’ new training camp on the outskirts of Rome was largely untouched by the Carthaginians as they maneuvered freely throughout Italy and was soon busier than it had ever been in its entire history. The wealth, talent, and energy of Rome were now poured into this urgent effort to rebuild its military capability. Nothing was spared; it was a total effort. Every artisan, foundry, horse, and piece of metal was joined in the single purpose to field an army to contain or defeat Hannibal.

  Manius was told that the Army had gathered a partial list of survivors from Cannae and wanted him to complete it and interview them when he came back to work. He would be provided funding and a staff to help. It was important to get to the bottom of the Roman defeat, to identify lessons learned, and to brief the result of his investigation to the Senate and Army.

  Barely 6000 of the 86,000 survived Cannae to tell the story. Most of those who managed to survive were not actually on the battlefield itself, but rather were in the two Roman camps behind the killing field. After the defeat, the two camps united and fled back to Rome.

  Manius was one of the so called lucky ones, but he did not feel lucky; he felt utterly betrayed and bitter. In time, he got over his bitterness, but he had a permanent limp in his right leg as a constant reminder that soldiers will fight well. It is their leaders who fail them and not vice versa. Initially, he felt happy that he had survived, then guilty, then angry at those who caused the calamity. He was also angry at himself for failing to see the trap laid by Hannibal.