Valerius Messalla leads the 16th legion into action against the barbarian invaders in Cisalpine Gaul. The first Aedui army is led by the chieftain Convictolitavis.
The second Aedui army is a smaller band of spearmen.
And the Arverni are repelled from Liguria.
218BC
A state of emergency is declared in the north. The Celtic tribes allied to Rome are instructed to muster whatever forces they have, callow youths and old men included. Rome sends a contingent of hastati who have barely finished their training. Funds are allocated to hire mercenaries. Valerius Messalla leaves the 16th legion with only his cavalry in tow and rides with all haste to take command of the hastily assembled forces.
The Getai army, under the command of the warrior-chief Dikomes, is a formidable and experienced force containing many swordsmen and spearmen.
Valerius Messalla orders his Celtic slingers to provide covering fire while his troops get into position and the militiamen of Patavium, under the command of Sergius Esquillinus, join the fray.
The infantry lines close at the very edge of the woodland.
Above the deafening din of warcries and exhortations, the horns to charge are sounded. The hastati hurl their pila and prepare to engage.
The Getai warrior-chief seeks to strike an early blow by charging his cavalry straight into the Roman hastati.
As the infantry lines engage, Valerius Messalla orders his Roman, Gallic and Ligurian cavalry to flank the enemy on both sides in order to capitalise on the paucity of cavalry within the Getai ranks.
The inexperience of the hastati betrays Roman courage: they are the first to break, devastated by the blows laid down by the Getai chieftain's cavalry.
Within a short space of time the Roman right flank collapses as the battleline is pushed back into the woods.
The situation is dire and the fortune of the battle is on a knife-edge. Valerius Messalla rallies his comrades and rides to confront the Getai warrior-chief himself.
Valerius Messalla's bravery shames the fleeing infantry. Stirred by the sight of the commander riding alone, some of the routers recover their nerve and form a second battle line.
The tribunes hurriedly reorganise the formation. Valerius Messalla retreats behind the infantry line and to the barbarians' amazement, who had thought the battle over, a solid line of infantry once again stands in their path.
However organisation alone will not win the battle. The Roman right flank again collapses as the onslaught of the barbarian charge breaks the Illyrian levies.
But with the Getai chieftain engaged in battle against the Roman cavalry, Valerius Messalla sees an opportunity for the decisive blow to be struck. He manouvers his cavalry around the Getai line and charges into their rear.
The Roman cavalry are also victorious against the Getai chieftain, and now ride to surround the first line of the Getai infantry.
The second line is broken in similar fashion.
The final Getai troops are surrounded and slaughtered mercilessly.
After a long and brutal battle which could have gone either way, Valerius Messalla finally emerges victorious.