Read Online Legatus Legionis: Book Two in the Gaius Claudius Scaevola Trilogy by Ian Miller - Free Book Online

struck the first village. This had been abandoned recently, and the soldiers were only too pleased to have proper shelter from the now bitterly cold rain. Fortifications were constructed, and the watch set. A few comments were made about those freezing on the hilltop. Gaius had no sympathy for them. If by now they had not constructed both fortifications and a shelter, then they were lazy and deserved what they got.
    Next day, the first of the winter snow began to fall. Gaius thought about this and decided to stay put. If he were being watched, let the watchers freeze. When the storm was finally over Gaius waited a day, then the two cohorts marched again. The ground was now slush, and again the men had to endure. However, the track was wide enough for the men to march four abreast, which was comforting, and the fur wrappings around the feet, but inside the boots, at least kept the feet dry.
    It was about half way to the next village when one of the scouts reported men ahead. The scout assured Gaius that he had almost certainly not been seen, and the men were somewhat noisily setting up an ambush. Gaius waited for other scouts and established that the ambush was set only on one side of the track, and it comprised about a hundred men. This was more likely to be a "hit and run" raid than an outright ambush.
    Gaius ordered a small detachment of men into the forest, to circle behind the ambush. Then, after the appropriate time, the men marched on. The ambush, when it came was not effective. An opponent stood up to signal the attack, but immediately a Roman horn blew. Immediately shields were locked, and the volley of arrows fell harmlessly. Then the wall of shields began to advance.
    Once into the forest, the shield wall had to break, but at that very instant when the first tree had to be passed, a second horn blew, there was a considerable noise from deeper in the forest, and for the first time the ambushers realized there were men behind them. Uncertain as to which way to go and half-frozen through their wait, the attack collapsed. Fifteen Iazyges were dead, and about eighty dispirited others had formed a rather sad looking huddle, while some of the wounded were left lying in the snow. Three Romans were slightly wounded.
    They marched into the major village, this time occupied by women and children who were promptly escorted to the village hall. The Iazygian men were given tent materials and were corralled outside in the freezing cold to build their tent between two huts, which they could also use, while the soldiers occupied the other dwellings when not on watch. For three days nothing happened, except more snow fell.
    The fourth day was clear and crisp, and a pleasant covering of snow lay everywhere. Gaius sent out bands of exploratores with instructions to find tracks, and if they found them, to locate the camps and burn supplies. However, nothing was seen. It appeared as if the men of this village had fled, possibly to get help.
    On the eighth day word came that that interpretation was almost certainly correct, and help was coming in the form of a large band of Iazyges advancing towards the village down a small valley. They would arrive approximately at noon. Gaius consulted the map he had had drawn through the efforts of the exploratores , then gave a satisfied nod. Signals from the hilltop confirmed that his rear was safe, and there was nothing between the village and the river. This approaching force was large, and since there were no significant villages in three directions, this should be the only attacking force.
    Fortifications had already been constructed around the captured village, and a skeleton detachment was to be left behind to maintain control while the rest marched out. The third cohort was ordered to march forward to meet the enemy at a position where a small bluff forced the track to narrow and make a right-angled turn, then broaden out again. The first cohort was to advance by broad flanking movement to the