Legio XVII: Battle of Zama

by Thomas A. Timmes

  Scipio held up his index finger and had a look of hope on his face. “Laelius you used the word ‘block,’ which reminds me that Praetor Manius Tullus just blocked 50,000 mercenaries from joining Mago. What’s he doing?”

  Silanus said, “The last I heard was that the Praetor and his two Legions were quartered just north of Rome to protect the city.”

  Scipio said, “That’s the answer! He’s available and close to the port of Ostia. He could be here within a week of notification. Send a ship back to Rome with all haste. Tell Army Headquarters that I need Praetor Manius Tullus and his two Legions. Silanus, I want you to go to Rome to make our case. This has the highest priority. Leave tomorrow.”

  Silanus said, “Sir, with your approval, I’ll leave tonight.”

  “Yes,” said Scipio, “that’s good. Take 20 warships and 100 transports. Use the most direct return route. Land the Praetor at El Kala and direct him to march to Ouled Moumen by the Medjerda River. That’s the usual route the Numidians use to travel to Carthage. Tell him to establish a blocking position and to not allow Vermina’s cavalry to pass. Make sure he understands how important this is.” He turned to a clerk and said, “Prepare a letter for my signature that requests the immediate deployment of Praetor Tullus and his two Legions.”

  Hannibal found out that Masinissa was withholding his cavalry and troops from Scipio and decided to move his army to block a Masinissa-Scipio link up. His odds of defeating Scipio without Masinissa’s support rose considerably and compelled him into action. In May 202 BC he moved his army to modern Seba Biar, which is 30 miles southeast of El Kef and 12 miles southwest of Silina. Scipio’s scouts reported Hannibal’s movement and Scipio moved his army farther west to maintain an open path for Masinissa to join him. Scipio camped 50 miles from Hannibal at Naraggara (modern Sakiet Sidi Youssef), which is also 10 miles south of Ouled Moumen. Scipio was now 24 miles west of El Kef.

  Hannibal continued moving west to get between Scipio and Numidia. It was critical that he be in a position to block Masinissa from joining Scipio. Hannibal went to El Kef. He was now 24 miles east of Scipio.

  *******

  Silanus sailed to Rome that night on a fast warship. The warships and transports to carry Praetor Tullus’ two Legions sailed the following day. Silanus and the fleet sailed directly to the port of Cagliari, Sardinia where they took on fresh oarsmen, food, and water. The empty ships rode high in the water and traveled much faster without troops and cargo to weigh them down.

  Two and a half days after leaving Africa, Silanus landed at Ostia and went directly to Army Headquarters. He arrived late in the day after most of the staff had gone home. Only the Duty Officer was there. He said, “Sir, may I help you with something?”

  Silanus, who out ranked the Tribune said, “Yes you can. I am Proconsul Scipio’s Deputy Commander. I am here on urgent business that must be addressed this evening.”

  “Sir, what is the nature of your business?”

  “Proconsul Scipio needs Praetor Tullus and his two Legions to deploy immediately to Africa to participate in the coming battle with Hannibal. This can’t wait. The Legions need to deploy without delay.”

  The Duty Officer thought for a minute and said, “If the Senate debates this request, it will take days if not weeks to get approval. Sir, I think I may know of a way to avoid the full Senate’s involvement. Senator Quintus Fabius is a friend of the Proconsul and of Praetor Tullus. If you speak to him and get his approval, he could explain the need and urgency to the Senate after the fact. Even if the full Senate disapproves, the Praetor and his Legions would be long gone. Senator Fabius is probably home by now. Here’s a map to his residence. Sir, I’m sure he’ll approve on behalf of the Senate. He’s been in favor of bringing the war to Carthage since it started.”

  Silanus rode to the Senator’s ornate residence. He knocked on the door and a servant opened it. “I am Tribune Silanus. Take me to the Senator.”

  She said, “The Senator is eating dinner with his wife.”

  “I don’t care if he’s making love to her, take me to him now!”

  The shocked servant drew back in surprise and said, “Sir, follow me.”

  When Silanus entered the dining room, the Senator turned to see who it was. “Senator, I am Tribune Silanus, Proconsul Scipio’s Deputy and I have urgent business. I need a few minutes of your time.”

  “Come in,” said Fabius. “Have you had dinner yet?”

  “No sir I’ve been too busy.”

  Addressing the servant, Fabius said, “Fix the Tribune a plate and bring him a glass of wine. Now, tell me Tribune what brings you to Rome.”

  In between sips of rose colored wine, Silanus explained his mission. The Senator and his wife continued eating while he spoke. When Silanus finished speaking, the servants set a plate of exquisite food before him.

  “Go ahead and eat,” said Fabius, “while I write out an order directing Praetor Tullus and Legio XVII and V Etrusci to deploy immediately to Africa. Bring me a writing tablet.”

  Silanus finished his meal and Fabius handed him the letter. Fabius said, “In a few days, I’ll bring this matter to the attention of the Senate. They’ll call me dictator and rogue and a few other names that I can’t mention in mixed company. I expect that you will be long gone by then?”

  “Yes sir. We’ll sail immediately.”

  Silanus left the Senator’s estate and rode to Manius’ villa. It was midnight. After repeated knocking, a servant reluctantly opened the door. “I need to see the Praetor, urgent army business.”

  “Praetor Tullus is sleeping. Can you return tomorrow?”

  “No I cannot. Go wake him!”

  While one servant went to wake the Praetor, a second took Silanus to the courtyard. Moments later, Manius walked in. Lucia stopped at the doorway and stood behind one of the many fluted columns where she could hear the conversation. She knew this was army business and to allow them privacy.

  Tribune Silanus stood up when the Praetor entered and introduced himself. He apologized for the late night visit and inconvenience. Manius turned to a servant and said, “Bring us some hot tea.”

  Silanus recounted all that had happened starting with the capture of the Numidian messenger. He showed Manius the letter written by Proconsul Scipio. Silanus ended his briefing by describing his meeting with Senator Fabius, and his written approval to deploy Legio XVII and V Etrusci. Silanus added, “Proconsul Scipio requested you by name to lead them. He has enormous faith in your leadership ability and determination to see this through. Sir the transports should be making port shortly. The sooner you can board the better. If the Numidian cavalry joins Hannibal, we will lose our advantage and the outcome of the battle will be in jeopardy. The Proconsul thinks the Numidians are poorly trained, but their sheer numbers could sway the outcome.”

  Manius said, “Please convey my deep appreciation to the Proconsul. When do you think the army will engage Hannibal?”

  “Two to three weeks at the latest. Probably in September. Sir, the ships have sufficient grain on them for the crossing and for a 30 day follow-on operation. From Ostia, the ships will sail to Sardinia to take on supplies and put you ashore at El Kala on the African coast. The crossing should take two and a half to three days. From Kala, proceed southwest to Bouhadjar and then turn southeast to Ouled Moumen. The entire trip from El Kala to Ouled is 45 miles. One mile east of Ouled is the Pass you are to block. The Medjerda River flows through a portion of the Pass and should help you defend the position. The Proconsul is located at Sakiet Sidi Youssef, which is 21 miles south of Ouled.”

  “Ten miles to the southwest of Ouled, around a small mountain range is another Pass. Your instructions are to also block that Pass. There are abundant rivers and streams throughout the area. You will not want for water. I’ve prepared a map that has the route from El Kala to Ouled.”

  Manius took the map and said, “Thank you Tribune. I can see why the Proconsul selected you as his Deputy. Why don’t you get a few hours sleep
? I’ll have the servants wake you in three hours and prepare a meal for you to take on the road.”

  “Thank you Praetor, I think I will take you up on your offer. I am very tired. My ship is waiting at Ostia and I want to report back to the Proconsul as soon as possible. Knowing you are coming will give him peace of mind.”

  “Good. I will have my Legions marching for the port before dawn.”

  A servant led Silanus to his room and Manius sat for a moment thinking of what he needed to do. Lucia joined him. He said to her, “Did you hear what he said?”

  “Yes, every word. You’re going to Africa to fight the most dangerous man in history!”

  Manius laughed. “No, that honor will fall to Scipio. I will fight poorly trained and poorly led Numidian cavalry.”

  “They’re still dangerous!”

  Manius said, “Oh yes. I’m not underestimating them one bit.”

  Manius got dressed, said farewell to Lucia, and rode to the cantonment area housing Legio XVII and V Etrusci. It was 1:30 A.M. He told the Duty Tribune, “Initiate an Emergency Recall of all personnel and prepare the Legions for imminent deployment.” The Tribune stared at him in disbelief. “Now!” said Manius.

  Within minutes the camp came to life. A head count was taken to determine who was present and who was absent. Individuals were dispatched to recall those who were absent while the remainder was told to pack for an extended deployment. No one knew why or where they were going and the rumors flew. The most common rumor was actually close to the truth. Scipio needed more troops and they were going to Africa to fight Hannibal. Excitement ran high!

  Within an hour, the Commanders began appearing at Headquarters. Manius took a quick headcount to ensure his key leaders were present, and then briefed them on the mission. He concluded by saying, “At 5:00 A.M. we will march to Ostia. By 1:00 P.M. I want to start loading the ships and by 6:00 P.M. I want to set sail. Snake, I want all your archers. Rasce bring all 600 horses. Canutus, ensure we have all 100 scorpio. Silanus told me not to load our wagons on the ships, so plan to leave them at Ostia, but we can take our mules. He said we can get all the wagons we need at El Kala and the surrounding area. I hope he’s right. Canutus arrange for a guard force to protect the wagons while we are gone.”

  “Calvus ride ahead of the column with 100 horsemen and clear the roads and port of civilian traffic. Tell the Naval Commander that we are enroute and to prepare his ships for loading. We need this to go off smoothly and quickly.”

  At 5:00 A.M. the lead elements stepped off enroute to Ostia. They marched for seven hours without a break and arrived at 1:00 P.M. The port was clear of civilian boats and the transports were waiting on the beach. Calvus had coordinated with the ships’ captains and rode back to brief Manius on the loading plan. Wagons were off loaded and their contents manhandled aboard the ships. The wagons were then taken to a restricted area. The horses walked onto the ships and led to their stalls. Troops were packed into every available space. The Naval Commander told Manius that the tide was against them, but they would row against it and depart on time. Manius and everyone else was so preoccupied, they had no time to think about the sea voyage they were about to undertake. The focus was getting on the ships and tying everything down. At 6:30 P.M. the ship headed into the open sea.

  Silanus was 12 hours ahead of Manius and the Legions. He landed at El Kala and rode to brief the Proconsul. Two days after making port, he stood in front of Scipio and gave him the good news. Scipio was overjoyed and took the time to allow Silanus to explain how he had convinced the Senate to allow Manius to deploy. When he heard the story, Scipio said, “This army owes that Duty Officer at Army Headquarters and Senator Fabius a huge debt of gratitude and I will personally thank them for sticking out their necks.”

  El Kala in the north and Ouled Moumen in the southeast (Google Maps)

  About the time Silanus briefed Scipio, Manius and his two Legions arrived at El Kala. They had stopped at Sardinia, but only to take on fresh food, water, and oarsmen.

  The ships were loaded to allow the cavalry to disembark first. Manius told Rasce, “Once your horses are unloaded, your first priority is to patrol the area to ensure we are not surprised while the troops recuperate. Your second priority is to gather every wagon you can find. The younger men who were not affected by sea sickness will be available to bring the wagons back here. The rest of us will need two days to recover. We have a lot of severely dehydrated Legionaries.”

  Two days later the Legions formed up and began walking southeast to Ouled. The men were feeling better and the cavalry had found 300 wagons for each Legion. They passed thorough Ain El Assel, El Tarf, Zitouna, El Merquaa, and Ain Kerma. They crossed streams by El Tarf, El Merquaa, and walked alongside a river from Ain Kerma for two miles south. As Silanus said, there was plenty of water for the Legionaries and the animals. When the column reached Bouhadjar, they turned southeast and walked through the Pass they were to block. The Medjerda River flowed through the southern edge of the pass. The Legions made camp at Ouled.

  During the three day march, Manius conducted his usual evening briefings with his staff and used the occasions to discuss his plan to hold the Passes. Each Legion was minus one Maniple. They were visiting the battlefields of Cannae and Telamon.

  Manius spread out the map that Silanus had prepared and his commanders gathered around. “It appears that the Pass is two miles west of Ouled, let’s call it the Northern Pass. The gap is only 500 feet across. We should have no problem defending it. I’m thinking we need to dig two ditches, one 60 feet out from the rampart and the other at the base of our palisade. I want to build a standard rampart and palisades with towers very much like we did at Lake Benacus. We could put 1,000 men on the wall, which would be four deep, and position a 500 man reserve at the base of the rampart. I want to construct three towers with four scorpio each for long range shooting and put the remaining 38 scorpio on the ramparts. They can withdraw if it becomes an infantry battle. We’ll know more when we can actually look at the Passes.”

  “The Southern Pass is one mile wide. I plan to treat this Pass just like the Northern Pass. Two ditches, rampart, palisades, towers, 50 scorpio, and 9,000 troops, four deep on the wall with a 500 man reserve.”

  It was now early September 202 BC. Manius had each Legion prepare a standard marching camp at Ouled and rode with his Commanders and staff to inspect the two Passes. He sent couriers to Naraggara to inform Scipio that he was at Ouled Moumen preparing to defend the two Passes. He instructed the couriers to remain with the Proconsul’s army and to advise him if the army relocates and to provide updates on the battle with Hannibal.

  After the inspection, Manius decided to place 1,000 men from Legio XVII at the Northern Pass and the remainder of Legio XVII and V Etrusci at the Southern Pass. He retained 500 men at the small settlement of Ouled as a general reserve. The following morning, Legio XVII went to the Northern Pass to prepare the defenses and V Etrusci went south. The engineers determined that the hills surrounding the two passes contained adequate trees to build the ramparts and palisades. When the defenses of the smaller Northern Pass were complete, the bulk of Legio XVII marched south to assist V Etrusci. In two days the ditches were dug and the rampart and palisades rose imposingly from the bare ground. All that remained to be constructed were the towers. At both Passes a small 10 foot wide gap was left open along the northern edge of the ditch and palisades to allow Rasce’s cavalry to come and go.

  Rasce’s horsemen scoured the area searching for Vermina. Three days after the Legions arrived at Ouled, Rasce came racing back to tell Manius that he could see approaching cavalry and infantry. He estimated the cavalry at about 5,000 horses along with 10,000 infantry. Manius alerted the Legions. The Numidians were coming!

  Rasce continued to watch and reported that the enemy was aiming for the Southern Pass. Manius rode to the wall and climbed up a tower. One hour later the enemy’s Advance Guard spotted the Roman defenses and alerted their Commander. He rode forward to
look at this unexpected obstacle. He sent two riders towards the wall. They waved their arms in the air and shouted something unintelligible. Manius passed the word for the scorpio to hold their fire. The two riders stopped at the first ditch, 60 feet from the wall. Then, in very poor Latin, one of the two explained that Masinissa was their Commander and they had come to reinforce Scipio. Manius was doubtful. This could be a ruse. He called for his horse. Cassius and Modius rode with him. They went through the gap alongside the wall and crossed by the ditch. The two riders began to slowly ride over to Manius. He yelled, “Stop!” and raised his arm. They stopped. Manius said, “I will meet your Commander half way between the wall and your cavalry. He can bring two other men with him.”

  The two riders spun around and rode off. Soon three men began a slow ride towards Manius. He nudged his horse and rode to meet them. “Cassius be ready for anything. I don’t like this.”

  Manius pulled up his horse about 30 feet from the three men and they stopped as well. Manius looked at a handsome well dressed man who spoke perfect Latin. “I am Masinissa, a friend of Proconsul Scipio. He is expecting me.”

  Manius said, “What do you know of Vermina?”

  “That traitor dog is the son of Syphax whom I captured and sent to Scipio. Vermina wants to join Hannibal so that if the Carthaginian are successful against Scipio, they will give Vermina my kingdom. I will deal with him after the battle.”

  “Is he raising an army to join Hannibal?” asked Manius. He was testing Masinissa.

  “I have heard that. While I was off in the east and south, he was recruiting among his father’s loyal men in and around the coast, including my capital Cirta. He may be a day or two behind me, but his men are untrained and will not be much help to Hannibal. You are in the right position to intercept him.”