Marcus had taken half the legion with him to deal with the rebel force, his scouts telling him that the enemy only slightly outnumbering his own men. Of course, the enemy were simple farmers led by a blacksmith not a legion of Roma, so Marcus was not too worried about losing the battle, only about how many men he would lose in the process.
When he reached the field Marcus drew his army up for battle. He had only one maniple of each Hastati, Pricipes, and Triarii, but he also fielded one unit of Accensi light reservists, one unit of Leves, the Campanian cavalry and Marcus's own Consular guard.
The enemy, numbering just over one thousand men, were mostly consisting of skirmishers, light spearmen, and one unit of Equites (local Umbrian noblemen).
Marcus was most worried about the Equites, if they were allowed to break through his line, they could cause severe casualties before they could be brought down by the Triarii.
He resolved to take these men out with javelins and bullets from the Accensi's slings.
He placed the heavy troops in the center, the maniple's of Hastati, Pricipes and Triarii all lined up behind each other. On the left wing Marcus placed the Accensi, on the right were the Campanian cavalry. In front, acting in a screening role were the javelin armed Leves, and Marcus' own Consular guard were in the rear.
He could see the enemy in the distance and gave the order to march.
Before getting too close Marcus sent the Leves forward to protect the advancing heavy infantry from the enemy javelins. They went in loose formation ahead of the man body and when they came in range of the rebels they let fly with their own weapons.
But they were outnumbered by the enemy skirmishers, and the horde of iron tipped shafts that came their way took many of the Leves to the afterlife. 'I dont like these deaths, but some sacrifices have to be made in war, and these are the unfortunate bastards who I have sacrificed...'
Just then, Marcus sees the enemy cavalry breaking from their lines, intent on running his unarmoured Leves down, He shouts to his officers 'Get back men! Fall back, Hastati ready spears! Accensi, bring down those Equites!'
They got closer and closer, but the Leves had obeyed orders and pulled back just in time to get out of the firing line of the Accensi, and of the spears of the Hastati.
In any case the Equites were hit from the left by hundreds of iron bullets, and soon found themselves impaled on the spears of the Hastati. This sudden shock caused them to rout, and break off almost as soon as they had charged. After they had fled behind their own lines once more, Marcus called for the advance to continue, now with the Leves on the right side of the heavy maniples, their missiles expended.
The Hastati and Principes soon came in range of the rebel spearmen, and because of the sacrifice by the Leves taking the majority of the enemy javelins, the Roman heavy infantry advanced unmolested. Marcus raised then dropped his sword arm, 'Fire!' The Accensi, and the other troops letting fly their own missiles into the packed ranks of the rebel spearmen.
The spearmen, not able to take the barrage for a moment longer, chose to charge the Hastati line, but the effort to do so was so ragged it was all but ineffectual. The Hastati taking only one casualty in that assault.
The battle soon raged, the enemy spearmen pressing deeply into the center of Marcus' formation, so that he had to send in the Principe's to support their brothers in the front line. The Leves also joined the fight, flanking the spearmen to a certain extent. The Campanian cavalry under Gaius wheeled round the back of the enemy formation, throwing their missiles into their unprotected flanks. All was going to plan and the battle seemed nearly won, when the Equites that had routed beforehand rejoined the battle and charged the Accensi. These men, whilst enthusiastic, were no soldiers, and were cut down mercilessly. It was only when Marcus drove his guard into their midst did the battle swing his way again. This was further helped by the sudden death of Servius, falling in the main conflict in the center, and after the call went up that he had died, Gaius threw his cavalry into a wild charge causing the rebels to rout totally.
It was a good victory. But Marcus was still saddened by the unnecessary loss of so many Accensi and Leves, but overall the battle had been a clear success.
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Campidoctor
Camp of Consul Merula, Umbria - 485
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