Legio XVII: Roman Legion at War (38 page)

Eventually, the group determined that 500
Cenomani
Auxiliaries would occupy and hold the Pfons-Zieglstadl-Muhlbachal area in order to protect the entrance to the Brenner Pass when the Legion moved farther south into the valley.  The consensus was that the
Suevi
would probably send a force to hold the Pass and try to block the Romans from using it to return to Italy.  Andreas and Taluric, the
Cenomani
chief, argued against this proposal because they wanted to fight the
Suevi
, but acquiesced when Manius said it was necessary for the safety of the Legion and its overall mission.

Despite himself, Manius was becoming fond of Calvus.  He was a conscientious officer, bright, and was accepted by the men and the other officers.  Manius often expressed his appreciation to his
Optio
.  Similarly, Calvus felt valued and accepted for his abilities.  He was glad he was not working with Farrid at the moment.

After three full weeks of daily training, which included lectures, maneuvers, and individual testing, Andreas judged that the Auxiliaries were about as good as could be expected in the time allotted.  Manius and a few of his Tribunes were frequent visitors at the Auxiliary camp and agreed that the operation to cross over the Secret Passage could proceed as planned.  Additional winter clothing was procured from the
Raeti
people and issued to protect vulnerable hands and feet.

As Manius knew it would, May quickly gave way to June and early June melted into mid June.  Whether they were ready or not, it was time for the Legion to begin the campaign.  One week earlier, Manius and the Legion formed up to bid farewell to Andreas and the 5000 Auxiliaries.  Manius wanted to show his gratitude and confidence in the Auxiliaries so he ordered that the Legion conduct a Pass-in-Review, which evolved, as these things often do, into a major ceremony.  Riders were dispatched to
Brixia
to invite Segovesus, the village Chief, and his Elders to participate and honor his
Cenomani
warriors with a grand farewell.

Timo, his Elders, and a majority of the town turned out to witness the parade and to accept the Roman honor.  The Combined Auxiliaries were placed on a hillside along with Timo, Segovesus, and the town’s people, while the entire Roman Legion marched by in a formal military salute.  As each Maniple passed by the 5000 Auxiliaries, the Maniple raised their swords and shouted “Victory and Honor.”  Manius said a few words and presented each Auxiliary Commander with an honorary Legion’s Eagle.  Then Segovesus and Timo spoke passionately about the need to bring honor to their people and towns.  It was a grand spectacle, moving in its solemnity, and most importantly, it was a fitting send off for 5000 brave young men, some of whom would not return.

Andreas and his Auxiliary Legion departed for the Secret Passage on 20 June and covered the 35 miles to
Bauzanum
in three days.  After purchasing local supplies and dropping off the sick and injured, the 5000 began the long and arduous uphill march.  Local
Raeti
guides led the way.  These were the same men sent by Timo earlier to walk the route to ensure it was still passable and free of
Suevi
.  The column moved in a single file and stretched out for nearly four miles.

Andreas, the two Auxiliary Commanders, five couriers, and their horses followed immediately behind the guides.  Next in line were 20 archers, followed by a Roman Maniple with the remaining archers.  The
Raeti
contingent was next, then the Roman cavalry, the 2500
Cenomani
, and the second Roman Maniple brought up the rear.  This last Maniple was intentionally placed in the rear for protection and to prevent desertions.

Andreas used horns and couriers to send signal and to check on the column.  At night, individuals gathered together for warmth and companionship while they cooked their food.  Fires were permitted to blaze all night to warm men and animals.  Sleeping in snow at night, with the temperatures still dropped below freezing, was a matter of trying to find a level, stone free patch of ground, clearing away the snow, and simply lying down.  The
Raeti
showed the Romans how to used heated rocks to add a level of comfort.

Everyone marveled at the spectacular view that was all around them.  It was as if they were walking on the top of the world.  Their narrow trail was surrounded by deep valleys on their left and right while distant towering mountains silently watched their progress.  The air was cold and thin, but few suffered from altitude sickness.  The blinding sun was a much bigger problem and gave birth to several creative solutions.  The most popular was to cut eye holes in long leather straps and tie it around the head.  Andreas now had a new appreciation for Hannibal as he recalled stories of his passage over the Alps.  The animals fared better than the men; they were completed blindfolded and oblivious to the sun and their precarious surroundings.

Andreas figured that the column was covering a little less than 2 miles every hour except where the snow was particularly deep.  If they could walk for 8 hours each day, they should reach Au in five days.  He planned to rest the column there for a day before heading east to Axams, about 25 miles or two days away from Au. Andreas’ orders at that point were simply to take cover in the vicinity of Axams, avoid detection, and wait for further instructions from
Praetor
Tullus, who envisioned that he would arrive in the valley about the same time as Andreas ~ July 1.  Timo said that his guides knew the terrain well enough that they would be able to link up the two separated commands with no problems.

Three days after Andreas and the Auxiliaries departed
Tridentum
, Manius and the
XVII
began their march to
Bauzanum
.  It was a long, slow, and steady ascent, but nothing compared to the climb that awaited them farther up the Brenner.  The Legion procured extra pack animals while at
Tridentum
and at
Bauzanum
to eliminate the load usually carried by the Legionaries themselves.

Joseph continued to find his friends in the evenings as they sat around the fire either complaining or speculating about the campaign.  He enjoyed being part of a group, but was beginning to pick up subtle signals from the others in the tent group that they thought he had a cushy job and would probably avoid the real fighting.  Joseph did not know how to respond so he usually just let it pass, but he was highly offended.  When he thought about their words, he had to admit, they were correct.  He determined that he would do whatever it took to prove them wrong.

O
n June 30, the Legion halted at the far end of the Brenner Pass, set up a road block, and dispersed into the surrounding woods.  The mountains that had been their constant companion for the past week had suddenly given way to a wide open valley.  They had reached the end of the Brenner Pass.  The view was stunning.  They could see the valley and river nestled between towering mountains to the north.  The large
Suevi
settlement at Innsbruck was visible as well as the contested bridge.  The valley itself was green, flat, and peaceful.

Raeti
guides were immediately dispatched to make contact with Andreas.  The nights were still cold, but as each day passed, the daytime temperature began to steadily climb.  The warmer weather reminded many of far off Rome, now about 475 miles to the south.

That evening, Andreas appeared at the Legion’s headquarters.  Manius was pleased to see him and anxious to hear about his crossing. The two men traded stories and had dinner.  Andreas told Manius that he was confident that his command had not been detected and that he would send the 500-man
Cenomani
contingent to protect the pass as soon as the Legion departed.  He added that the
Cenomani
were not happy with this decision and hoped they would still be used to fight the
Suevi
.  After dinner, Andreas headed back to his troops to await further orders.  Joseph included Andreas’ report as part of his record keeping.

*******

One hundred and eighty-five miles northeast of Manius’ location is the
Suevi
military settlement of
Radasbona
[Regensburg], which occupies the northern most point of the
Danubius
[Danube River].  The Danube is the last major natural obstacle for southward migrating tribes such as the
Teutons
and
Cimbri
.  For years, the
Suevi
homeland at Innsbruck maintained a large force on the southern side of the Danube to prevent these Germanic tribes from crossing into their area.

Every six months, a
Suevi
army of 5,000-6,000 warriors walks the 92 miles from Innsbruck to Monachium [Munich] and from there divides into three separate groups.  One group continues east to Passau, the second moves west to Ulm, and the third continues 85 miles north to Regensburg, the
Suevi
main northern headquarters.  From these three strong points, the
Suevi
continuously patrol along 380 miles of river looking for any signs of a crossing.  An
Insubres
army, allies of the
Suevi
, patrolled the area west of Ulm beyond the Danube.

In order to maintain equitable deployments, the
Suevi
devised a simple rotation policy.  18,000 warriors were divided into three groups of 6,000.  Each group would spend 6-months on the border and 1-year at home at Innsbruck.  The remaining
Suevi
army of 20,000 warriors remained at Innsbruck and could move north if a major threat developed.

On 30 June, the
Suevi
detachment at Regensburg cheered wildly when their replacements finally came into view.  It had been a long 6-months and everyone, including their 26 year old Commander Bethica, looked forward to returning to Innsbruck.  Bethica briefed the new incoming Commander on the absence of
Cimbri
activity along the Danube and issued orders for her men to prepare to depart the next day.  The replacement armies at Passau and Ulm received the same warm greetings and briefings.  The plan was that the three separate commands would unite at Munich for the trek home under the overall command of Bethica.

By all accounts, Bethica was the best
Suevi
Commander in the army and poised to replace her father Ariovistus as the next chief.  Only one man would contest her appointment ~Vocion, a rugged brute of a man despised by many and feared by all.  He had a large following, maybe 6,000 men.  She knew someday there would be a clash that could only end with her death or Vocion’s.  Her greatest concern was that the succession struggle would rip apart the cohesion of the tribe and result in fragmentation.

But today was a day to rejoice!  Everyone was going home.  Nothing had happened during her 6-month watch and she felt she had done her duty well.  This deployment was actually a little boring, unlike her last rotation.  A year ago, the
Insubres
in the west reported a major
Cimbri
incursion into their area and requested
Suevi
troops to push them back north.  She gathered 2000 men from Regensburg and another 2000 from Ulm and marched west.  As it turned out, the imposing combined
Insubres
and
Suevi
army was enough to send the
Cimbri
packing.  There was no fighting.

During this deployment, she and her Advisor named Davenhardt, along with a dozen guards, continuously rode the 200 miles from Regensburg east to Passau, back to Regensburg, and then rode the 180 miles west to Ulm.  She checked to ensure the area was patrolled, the men were well and motivated, and that the river was secure.  She would rest a few days in Regensburg and repeat the entire trip.  Because of her dedication to the mission and concern for her men, she was highly respected and had her own loyal following, including Davenhardt.

Davenhardt was a tall, thin, older man, who was appointed by Ariovistus to advise and assist his daughter.  He basically kept a low profile, but he did speak for the Chief and, theoretically, could over rule her decisions.  However, he never did and never would.  Instead, he was more of a confidant, coach, and trusted friend to Bethica.  She would often seek him out when she wanted to talk. Davenhardt was very protective of Bethica.  He had watched her grow up and develop into a beautiful woman.  He tried to deny it to himself, but he was secretly in love with her.

Bethica’s men not only respected her, but also genuinely liked her.  She was not given to violent outbursts and petty disagreements.  She did not have an oversized ego like her father or Vocion.  Her men could talk to her and she listened.  Her judgment was sound and she had an uncanny ability to propose equitable solutions for competing interests.  She was accepted as a warrior and as their leader.

As Bethica and her 2,000 men departed Regensburg for Munich and the link-up with the rest of her force from Passau and Ulm, she discussed the route back to Innsbruck with her Second-in-Command, a stocky, strong-looking young man named Kacili.  “Last time we did this,” she said, “we left Munich and went due south, crossed the mountains, and just about ran downhill all the way home.”  This time I want to swing east to Kufstein and walk home via the Inn River Valley.  It is only eight miles longer and we will pass through numerous
Suevi
settlements once we are in the valley.  The people will welcome us home with food and drink.  I do not think anyone wants to walk uphill through the mountains carrying eight days worth of food.  What do you think?”  Kacili said without hesitation, “I agree with you and I can guarantee the men feel the same,”

*******

On July 2nd, two days after exiting the Brenner Pass, Manius assembled his “changed” Maniple and “inept” cavalry detachment and began his 9 mile hike to the bridge over the Inn River and his meeting with the
Suevi
Commander.  A contingent of 100 archers led by Snake silently followed about an hour behind.  The archers’ job was to provide covering fire should a rapid withdrawal from the bridge become necessary.

Behind the archers, an “unchanged”
Hastati
of 2000 men also began their unobserved march to the bridge.  The mission of the
Hastati
was to show the
Suevi
enough of the Legion to encourage them to cross the river with limited strength and engage the Romans.  Calvus stayed behind with the rest of the
XVII
, but would follow in Manius’ footsteps the following day.

Elitovius and the
Raeti
assured Manius that there were no
Suevi
on the south side of the river.  Nonetheless, Manius exercised extreme caution as they all moved north to the river.  They slept on the ground in the deep woods and ate their food without the benefit of a fire.  The guides led them along a difficult, but little used path that skirted the small hamlet of Igls.

About two miles from the river, by the village of Vill, the scenery changed dramatically.  The time for hiding was over.  The covering woods gave way to a spectacular vision of an open east-west valley split in half by a river and surrounded by mountains.  It was truly a magnificent sight.  In the distance, Manius could just make out the twin towers of the fortified bridge.  For the last two days, he had been nervously rehearsing what he would do and say to the
Suevi
commander and now the meeting was almost upon him.  As Manius left the wood line at Vill, the 2000
Hastati,
the archers, and Snake took up their unseen position at the edge of the forest by Igls, a mile behind him.  They too would move to Vill as soon as Manius signaled the all clear.

Manius mounted his horse and formed the Maniple with 10 men abreast and 10 deep.  The “cavalry” followed in a column of twos and the entire group moved boldly and openly to the bridge two miles away.  When they were about 100 yards south of the bridge, Manius called a halt and ordered his tent to be erected.  The Maniple was told to cook their noon day meal and the cavalry to graze their horses.  Only Elitovius and the
Raeti
guides remained alert.  The rest appeared to be totally relaxed and unconcerned about the curious
Suevi
guards gathering on the south end of the bridge.

Eventually, two guards cautiously approached the tent and asked who they are and what they wanted.

Manius speaking through a
Raeti
interpreter replied, “We are Romans from southern Italy and request to speak to Ariovistus about removing this obstacle to trade that you call a bridge.”  Several of Manius’ men laughed at that, which visibly irritated the
Suevi
.  They spun around, crossed the bridge, and disappeared on the far side.  Manius announced that this could take a while and told everyone to settle down for a long wait.

Three hours later, a tall, gruff, and beefy looking man stepped onto the bridge and began to walk across.  Everyone on the bridge made way for him.  He had seven other warriors with him, including Vocion, his right hand man.  As he exited the bridge, he abruptly stopped to peer at the unusual sight before him.  The
Suevi
exchanged a few words, laughed loudly, and approached Manius’ tent.  Manius continued sitting.  The tension in the air rose noticeably as Ariovistus got closer.

When Ariovistus was about 20’ away, he stopped and angrily yelled, “If you want to talk to me, get up, and come here.”  Manius stood up and told a soldier to pick up his stool and follow him.  When Manius closed the distance to 10’, he told the soldier to set up the chair, and promptly sat down again.

Ariovistus spat and turned to walk away when Manius said, “Wait, there’s been a misunderstanding.  When we talk, we sit.  Obviously when you talk, you stand, so I’ll stand with you.”  Ariovistus turned and said, “Talk.”