Legio XVII: Battle of Zama

by Thomas A. Timmes

  “Here’s how I see it,” explained Manius. “We’re both tasked with basically the same assignment: training troops for Consul’s invasion of Africa. I am more than happy to take the lead, and fold your organization with its manpower, reach, and influence into my effort. You’re a member of Scipio’s staff; I am not. You can keep me connected to the overall effort, and warn me of any politics going on within the Staff that may influence our mission.”

  “Now that you put it like that, I’ll release them to you. I really don’t have a choice. Even if I went to the Chief, I’d lose the fight. They can sail with you on the 27th if they’re willing. I have to reiterate, they are civilians. I’ll miss them, but we’ll manage. I am always being told that no one is indispensable.”

  “By the way,” said Manius, “when do you plan to arrive in Sicily?”

  “The entire staff is scheduled to sail on October 27. The Consul will sail 10 days later and arrive about November 18th. The Advance Party left about a month ago along with the 500 Legionaries that the Consul managed to bring back from Spain.”

  Manius thanked Velius, and went out to buy the two bottles of expensive wine he promised to Acamus and Pittacus.

  On the 25th, the two Legionary aides assigned to Manius by the Chief appeared at his office. One was a veteran Centurion named Cassius with 20 years in the Army; the other, Modius, was a strong looking man in his mid-20s. “Sir, we’ve completed travel arrangements for you and for your two clerks. I can give you the details whenever it’s convenient.” Manius pointed to the two chairs. “Sir, we will accompany you every step of the way. We will hire and pay the porters, procure your food, and serve as body guards. Those docks at Ostia can be pretty rough.”

  “The ship’s a seaworthy trireme called Luno with an experienced crew. The Captain wants to sail at 11:00 A.M. to take advantage of the tides and wants to be loaded by 10:00 A.M. We will pick you up at your villa at 5:00 A.M. We’ll have the two clerks with us. I’ve rented a reheda carruca (carriage) that can carry six passengers. As you know, we’ll have a grueling 20 mile trip facing us on those damn iron wheels. With four horses pulling, we should be able to make about 5 mph. I expect to arrive at the port at 9:00 A.M. Sir, eat a light breakfast. I’ll have a jug of ginger tea and some ginger roots in the carriage. I suggest you drink it all before we sail. There shouldn’t be any problem with sea sickness.”

  Centurion Cassius continued, “The Captain plans to sail to Neapolis (modern Naples), which is some 120 miles (193km) from Ostia, and will take on water and food. It’ll take about two days to get there. From Neapolis, we’ll hug the coast line and stop at night to beach the ship. The Captain hopes to make about seven knots an hour, and with good winds cover 50-60 miles a day. He expects to make port at Messana (modern Messina) on the east coast of Sicily in another four days. The final leg of the trip is from Messana to Lilybaeum, another three days. The Captain will beach the ship each night so he’s bringing along a strong Legionary guard force. The ship will be a little cramped. Overall sir, the trip should take about nine days if the weather cooperates.”

  “The Captain is aware that you will be aboard, and will offer you all the courtesies due your rank. You will be expected to eat in the Captain’s room aboard ship, if you’re up to it, and attend a more formal dinner once on the beach. I will bring a generous supply of ginger roots to eat to combat sea sickness. Sir, I recommend you sit in the middle of the ship and stare at the horizon. Sit and don’t walk about. Don’t drink any wine, and eat as little as possible before you board. Sir, that’s it. Do you have any questions?”

  “No I don’t, and thank you for an exceptionally well-prepared report. I will mention your name to the Chief. I’ll see you on the morning of the 27th. Thank you again.” When they left, Manius slumped in his chair. He hated travel by sea. He was well acquainted with what awaited him, and he dreaded it. He had travelled to Sicily as a young Legionary and was sick the entire time. He had been placed below deck, above the rowers, and smelled dirty bodies, vomit, and filthy water in the hold for the entire trip. Just thinking about it made him queasy.

  *******

  His last night at home was an experience he would treasure for the rest of his life. He went outside with Titus, and taught him how to hold and wield his new sword. He got a servant to help him dig in a thick pole leaving about five feet still above the ground. He showed Titus how to use the sword to chop the pole on the right and left sides to strengthen his wrist and arm. As Manius went back inside, Titus was chopping away, and the chips were flying.

  During dinner, Flavia treated him as if he were her new best friend, Titus stayed very close, and Lucia was a perfectly loving and solicitous wife. Flavia had written a poem specifically for him to take on his trip. Lucia had a basket of food, and Titus asked him to bring back something fun from Sicily. The dinner was magnificent. Manius avoided the wine and didn’t overeat. After dinner, Lucia and Manius took a hot bath together.

  *******

  At 5:00 A.M. the reheda rolled up in front of Manius’ villa. He was standing outside and immediately boarded. The five men and their baggage were close to the 1,000 pound (330kg) limit. Four grinding and noisy hours later, they arrived at the port. Their baggage was loaded and the men boarded. Manius and the others had drained the ginger tea jug and eaten most of the roots. At 11:00 A.M. the ropes were cast off, and the rowers put their backs into it. The port slowly faded into the distance. Once clear of the breakwater, the ship began to roll, pitch, and yaw. Gently at first, but increased in intensity the farther out they went.

  Manius and his two Greek clerks sat amid ship and stared at the horizon. So far so good. They all chewed ginger roots and sipped freshly made ginger tea, courtesy of Cassius. No one was sick, yet.

  After about five hours, the Captain announced his plans to beach the ship. All passengers were warned to hold on to something. The rowers brought the ship around and aimed for the beach. Their pace increased to ramming speed; the ship ploughed through the breaking waves and slid gently onto the beach. Four horses were taken out of their stalls and fitted with slings that gently lifted them over the side of the ship. Troops, passengers, and rowers jumped the five feet down into the water. Ropes were uncoiled from inside the boat and tossed overboard to waiting hands. When they were pulled taut by the horses and men, the boat slid up the beach another 15 feet. Only the very stern still remained in the water. The Captain posted his Legionary guards inland, and crew members went to fetch water and gather fodder for the horses. Food was purchased from the local farmers.

  Dinner was served at 6:00 P.M., and Manius actually felt like eating. He graciously accepted the Captain’s invitation to dine with him, but wisely declined the wine.

  The second day was much like the first. After the horses were hoisted aboard and secured in their stalls, every able bodied man pushed the boat back into the water, and the rowers went to work. In no time, they cleared the breaking waves and were underway. Manius could tell the boat was riding a little higher in the water after the timbers had dried out over night. Manius, Acamus, and Pittacus assumed their midship position, began consuming ginger, and stared at the horizon.

  When the cry went up, “Porpoise off the starboard!” they couldn’t resist the urge, and rushed the 20 feet to the other side to have a look. It didn’t take but a few minutes for them to realize their mistake. Their sudden movement, loss of the horizon, and movement under their feet, told the balancing mechanism in their ears that something was amiss. They quickly sat down and stared hard at the horizon, but it was too late. They all began to sweat and turn greenish pale as little waves of nausea that began in their stomachs soon became tidal waves that rushed up their throats. All three were hanging their heads overboard and feeding the fish with their morning breakfast. Slowly, they all began to feel better, but still weak and sweaty. Pittacus was the first to speak, “Damn porpoise!”

  As the ship entered the port at Neapolis, the Legionaries, Manius, and his clerks couldn’t wait to
disembark for the night. For the first few hours ashore, it still felt like the land was rolling beneath their feet, and they passed on dinner. Sleep finally came, and in the morning, they all felt much better. Breakfast tasted good to them. They joked that the fish would also enjoy the food.

  Four days and gallons of ginger tea later, the ship pulled into the bustling port of Messana on the extreme eastern coast of Sicily. The weather forced a two day delay at Messana. Everyone disembarked and went their separate ways except for Manius. His two body guards and two clerks never left his side. They visited taverns, toured the city, and found reasonable accommodations for the night. Prostitutes were everywhere. Manius was sorely tempted to take one, but told his escorts that he would be fine in his room and to go enjoy the town. He was, indeed, tempted to join them, but the thought of contracting a venereal disease from a prostitute and bringing it home to Lucia scared him off. He couldn’t imagine having to drink vinegar and rose petals for the rest of his life. Against Centurion Cassius’ advice, he compensated by drinking way too much wine that night.

  The ship pulled anchor at 9:00 A.M. enroute to Lilybaeum on the northwestern coast of Sicily; a three day trip by sea. The Captain stayed very close to the coast out of concern for Carthaginian raiders. He was prepared to run the boat up onto the beach if threatened by an enemy warship. Manius and the others felt the waters off Sicily were calmer, but continued their ginger routine. Two days after departing Messana, the ship beached for the night, and then made the last two days without stopping. When Lilybaeum loomed in the distance, all the weary passengers felt better. It was almost over!

  *******

  When they docked, Centurion Cassius asked Manius, “Sir, please remain on board until I can arrange travel to suitable Army barracks.” Two hours later, he appeared leading several horses and a small wagon for the baggage.

  When they arrived at a wooden building, Cassius said, “Sir here is your temporary accommodation until I can find something better. It’s a bit austere, but it should only be for a few days. Your two clerks will stay in the building next door. Dinner will be at 6:00 P.M. in the Legionary tavern across the street.”

  The following morning, Manius, his two body guards, and clerks walked around the camp grateful to have solid ground once again under their feet. As they toured the area, they could see that an enormous build-up of military supplies was well underway, and there was already an established infrastructure consisting of warehouses, stables, repair shop, guard house, hospital, Pay Master, and hundreds of troops and barracks. They heard that two to three ships made port every day with troops, equipment, horses, and an army of clerks and administrators.

  At the dock, they ran into the ship’s Captain and thanked him for a safe and uneventful trip. He smiled and said, “Don’t feel bad that you got sick, most passengers do. In fact, you lasted longer than most.”

  “I notice that several of the warships and troop transports have been pulled onto the beach. What’s happening?” asked Manius.

  “Consul Scipio ordered all the ships to be refurbished and additional transports to be built. Sure signs that an invasion is planned.”

  When Manius arrived back at his quarters, the Legates of Legiones V and VI were waiting.

  Manius thought, and so it begins!

  The Legates introduced themselves as Quinterius, Legate of Legio V, and Antimus, Legate of Legio VI. “I apologize that I can’t offer you any refreshments; I’m still settling in as you can see,” Manius told them.

  Antimus replied, “We figured that was the case, so we brought along a few skins of wine.” They sat down, and the Legates’ aides filled the cups.

  “Praetor, I want to tell you up front that there are no secrets in the Roman Army. We have an advance copy of the Consul’s letter ordering us to cooperate with you and your 10 steps to assess and train our Legions. We are prepared to fully support you without any animosity.”

  Quinterius added, “Your 10 steps are right on the mark. I don’t know what you’ve already been told, but our Legions are indeed in need of training, and we welcome your help.”

  Manius thought, this is almost too good to be true. He looked at them solemnly saying, “Gentlemen, I will take you at your word. And let me add that as a Cannae survivor myself, I have the highest regard for you and your men. They’ve been treated badly by the Senate, and I regret that. I belong here with you, but for some reason, the gods spared me. You should feel proud of your service to the Republic, not shame. Your banishment has been the greatest of injustices.”

  He continued, “Your record in capturing the citadel of Syracuse in 212 BC with General Marcellus is still taught at Army Schools. I understand your Legions were among the first over the walls. When I heard of your achievement, I thought surely they will now be allowed back to Rome, but again I was disappointed. I just hope it wasn’t one of your Legionaries who killed Archimedes?”

  “No sir, we questioned every man who entered the city, and it wasn’t one of ours. We may never know the truth,” said Quinterius.

  “Sir, we’re prepared to show you our training facilities. As you’ll see shortly, they haven’t been used for a while. About a year ago, we were ordered to disperse our men all along the coast in small garrisons to guard against raiders. The men are now too spread out to effectively train.”

  “Yes I was told that fact before I left Rome,” confirmed Manius, “but I may have a way to minimize its impact. I have a list of the Cannae survivors that we developed right after the battle. I’ve already put an X next to men who are 45 years or older. I put a question mark next to those who are 40. I suggest that those men over 45 remain at the garrisons while the other men return here for an evaluation. How does that sound? Let me add, I do not want to put your surveillance mission in jeopardy. Use your judgment concerning the required number of Legionaries that must remain at the garrisons to effectively perform their duties, and send the remainder back here for training.”

  “I think that’s a good plan. I’ll leave this afternoon and visit each garrison,” replied Antimus. “Sir, you probably are already aware of this, but these men are desperate to return to Rome and clear their names. They’ve already picked up the rumor that Consul Scipio plans to invade Africa, and they all want to be a part of his Army. I’m convinced they’ll train hard to ensure they can deploy with him. I would guess I can have about 5,000 men here within eight days.”

  “That sounds about right,” agreed Quinterius. Praetor, are you also aware that Consul Scipio has sent numerous recruiters to our island, who are shaking the trees from one end to the other looking for volunteers to join his Army? I’ve heard that so far about 3,000 have signed up, and many more are coming. You will have to factor that into your training plan. The first batch of new recruits is due to arrive in two days.”

  This new information was not totally unexpected. “You know the Senate did not authorize Consul Scipio any additional Legions, funding, or ships for an invasion of North Africa. The Consul has to find those resources on his own. I assume that these growing stock piles of supplies show how successful he’s been. I notice a number of new warehouses and stables being built.”

  “Yes,” injected Antimus, “they will hold the equipment to outfit the new volunteers and any additional Legions that the Consul can scrounge up.”

  Quinterius suggested they now tour the existing training facilities. Cassius, who was present during the discussion with the Legates, sent the young Legionary, Modius, to fetch Manius’ horse.

  The site was in worse shape than Manius expected. A lot of repairs would be required before they could be used. They then rode to inspect the two Legionary encampments that had been there for years and had been home to numerous Legions. The two camps were about a mile away from the cantonment area that would serve as Scipio’s Headquarters, and were separated by about 500 yards from each other. The camps were in even worse condition.

  “Legate Antimus,” said Manius, “your Legion is the closer of the two to this
area. As you screen the men, please identify two senior Centurions who are at or near retirement age. I need one to manage the new training site and the two Legionary camps, and the other to manage all the other facilities. Look for older aggressive Centurions who can get things done. The Manager responsible for these sites is obviously not up to the job, and, I suspect, the other facilities are in similar shape.”

  The Legates rode off to visit their garrisons, screen the men, and send the rest back to Manius for testing and training.

  Manius returned to his quarters and called for the two clerks. He had to determine what he would do when 10,000 Legionaries walked into camp. Over the next three hours he developed a detailed plan. The two Greeks were extremely helpful and offered numerous suggestions. “One more item,” said Manius, “I want you both to keep a written record of what we’ve found here and any improvements we make. I want to send a weekly report to the Consul’s Chief of Staff and Tribune Velius to keep them informed. Not too much minutia, just the major items. Prepare the reports for my signature.”

  He sent Pittacus to find the current civilian Camp Manager who arrived about two hours later. It was obvious from the moment he walked into Manius’ office that he had a chip on his shoulder and was in no mood to cooperate. His body language signaled disrespect and irritation.

  “Praetor, I am Durius, the Manager of the military portion of this entire port city minus the docks. I’m a very busy man, so please state your business so I can go on about mine.”

  “I am Praetor Tullus on special assignment for Consul Scipio and invested with all the necessary authority to prepare this area for the arrival of the Consul and his staff.” Manius knew that last part was a bit of a stretch. “Citizen Durius, you are hereby relieved of your assignment. Centurion Cassius will escort you to the boundary of the camp. If I see you again, I will have you put in chains and shipped back to Rome on the next boat. Is that clear?”