WI: Gaius Pontius makes a different choice at Caudine Forks

Night Gaul

According to Livy, the Samnite general Gaius Pontius trapped a Roman army at the Caudine Forks, and was advised to either release the Romans or wipe them out. Instead, he decided to humiliate them.

What if he had decided to go with one of the pieces of advice he was given?
 
SlyDessertFox

SlyDessertFox

All else being equal, the Romans just win an even longer and more protracted war. It will take more than a few more thousand dead Roman troops for the Samnites to arrest Roman domination of central Italy.
 

SandroPertini98

In Latin histories that has a moral meaning: Gaiua Pontius could decide to free all Romans unhurted and make them grateful and future friends or to kill them all and hoping to scare and/or weak so much Rome to force her to give up. Instead he chose a middle way: release his prisoners but only after having them humiliated. This didn't damage Rome but left her full of anger and resentment that fueled future Samnites Wars.
It could interesting imaging one of these scenarios.
 

Kerney

Friendship with Rome never lasts. I say wipe them out and attempt to route out Rome root and branch. If they get lucky the kill the people responsible for the mandilar legions.

Give the Latin League the same friendship and protection and join the Etruscans in an anti Roman alliance. The goal is to strangle Rome's farmland so they can't maintain strength.
 
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