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208 BC part 2. The battle of Rome.
208 BC Part 2
italian theatre
The Massaliot League, Megale Hellas and Spartan coalition army of thirty five thousands landed in Ostia. The Romans surprised by this move, raised fast a new army of thirty thousands and marched to meet them.
The battle of Rome
When the coalition army arrived near Rome, they found the Roman army occupying strong positions on two nearby hills. The socii/allies and mercenaries were stationed on the right hill, while consul Crispinus held the left hill. On the small flat area between the hills, Crispinus deployed his cavalry and the remainder of his mercenaries. The strength of the Roman deployment prompted the coalition army to not launch an immediate assault against the Romans.
The Massaliotes placed their tagmata facing the Crispinus legions on the left hill, with the order to advance and take the heights. The coalition cavalry under the command of Alexander of Massalia, were arrayed in front of the enemy cavalry in the center. The Megale Hellas,Spartan troops in the right wing advanced against the Socii/allies on the right hill, but were attacked in the flank by enemy infantry that was initially arrayed with the cavalry. Without cover, the advancing allies were hard pressed by the Romans from the rear and the front, until Philopoemen, disregarding the orders, charged with his cavalry. This timely initiative saved the Greek troops on the right hill from annihilation and paved the way to victory, as the Spartans soon drove the Romans from the hill and then help the Greek cavalry in the flat ground in the center. The battle on the other hill lasted longer, but when the Spartans and Megale Hellas reinforcements from the other hill took the enemy in the flank, the Romans fought almost to the last man, until their Consul fled the field with a handful of companions. , out of thirty thousands Romans, only four thousands survived,
The defeat put the Romans in an immense state of panic, fearing for the very existence of their city. The Senate decided to resort to the traditional emergency measure of appointing a dictator, a temporary commander-in-chief who would unite military authority, which was normally divided between the two consuls, for six months. The person appointed as dictator was the ex consul Nero. Shortly after Rome was under siege.
Iberian theatre
By place:
Bosporus Kingdom
italian theatre
The Massaliot League, Megale Hellas and Spartan coalition army of thirty five thousands landed in Ostia. The Romans surprised by this move, raised fast a new army of thirty thousands and marched to meet them.
The battle of Rome
When the coalition army arrived near Rome, they found the Roman army occupying strong positions on two nearby hills. The socii/allies and mercenaries were stationed on the right hill, while consul Crispinus held the left hill. On the small flat area between the hills, Crispinus deployed his cavalry and the remainder of his mercenaries. The strength of the Roman deployment prompted the coalition army to not launch an immediate assault against the Romans.
The Massaliotes placed their tagmata facing the Crispinus legions on the left hill, with the order to advance and take the heights. The coalition cavalry under the command of Alexander of Massalia, were arrayed in front of the enemy cavalry in the center. The Megale Hellas,Spartan troops in the right wing advanced against the Socii/allies on the right hill, but were attacked in the flank by enemy infantry that was initially arrayed with the cavalry. Without cover, the advancing allies were hard pressed by the Romans from the rear and the front, until Philopoemen, disregarding the orders, charged with his cavalry. This timely initiative saved the Greek troops on the right hill from annihilation and paved the way to victory, as the Spartans soon drove the Romans from the hill and then help the Greek cavalry in the flat ground in the center. The battle on the other hill lasted longer, but when the Spartans and Megale Hellas reinforcements from the other hill took the enemy in the flank, the Romans fought almost to the last man, until their Consul fled the field with a handful of companions. , out of thirty thousands Romans, only four thousands survived,
The defeat put the Romans in an immense state of panic, fearing for the very existence of their city. The Senate decided to resort to the traditional emergency measure of appointing a dictator, a temporary commander-in-chief who would unite military authority, which was normally divided between the two consuls, for six months. The person appointed as dictator was the ex consul Nero. Shortly after Rome was under siege.
Iberian theatre
- After three months of siege Hannibal conquered Carthage Nova and camped there for the winter. Meanwhile Celtici and Lusitani tribes also rebelled from Massaliot league control and sacked Tagus.
- The Dynatoi expedition in Africa after securing the holdings there started to recruit Berber mercenaries.
- Scipio with an army of just a few thousands marched back to the North with Nikephoros right behind him.
By place:
Bosporus Kingdom
- Bosporus kingdom repelled a minor Scythian invasion.
- Sersor
- Word Count: 470