October 15, 56 B.C
Near to Crociatonum, Unelli Gaul
After our victory at the Bessin Marshlands, the legions moved back to Crociatonum. While en-route, my cavalry vanguard, myself included, stumbled across the retreating, jumbled mess of the Unelli Army at Valognes. Leading the cavalry, it was like kicking a dead horse. The Gauls were in no capacity to fight, were exhausted, and terrified.
We killed 8,000 more. Only 5% of their army was left standing to limp back to their capital.
The tenth and fourteenth legions arrived at Crociatonum around mid-afternoon. Their tattered remains had entered the city earlier, and we occupied the camp we had previously set up. After giving the men a few hours to rest and compose, we moved out to battle formations, challenging the Unelli. Now we were the ones with the numerical advantage.
Yet, the Gauls didn't commit. They were terrified of Rome. They were terrified of me as I sat upon my horse in the front. The legionaries jeered and mocked the Gauls, calling them cowards. It was the oldest trick in the book: Bruise your enemies' ego with accusations of weakness, and get them to fall for your trap. The legionaries were building ladders.
The Gauls would eventually send envoys to negotiate, to which I greeted them.
"Please oh great Roman commander! Have mercy! Our chiefs know not the consequences of standing against Rome!" A messenger begged.
"I have only one demand. Let General Caesar go, and let our legions enter your capital, when the gates have been freely opened to us,"
"There must be something we can do, gifts perhaps?" They pleaded.
"I only want Caesar... and your city,"
They saw the men making ladders.
"Why are your men making ladders...?" I simply gave them a look, "Oh,"
The envoys relayed the message back to their city, and soon made the mistake of returning.
"O-our ch-chiefs... r-refuse to turn over your general..."
"Hm..." I shook my head, "A great shame,"
"We still-"
"Crucify them. We are done negotiating," I sneered.
The Gauls begged and cried as legionnaires lashed them to wooden crosses in full view of the weary and demoralized defenders. Riding back and forth, I ordered the archers to ready their bows. When they were ready I unsheath my sword.
"Archers, fire!"
Suddenly thousands of arrows flew at the messengers and warriors, all of whom took multiple arrows to their bodies, as was the same across the wall. The other tribunes then ordered their men to rush forward with the ladders and attach them to the walls. The archers kept firing, over and over, pelting the unsuspecting and surprised people of the city with sharp arrows, some arrows were lit on fire, and we could see wooden huts smoking, and then bursting into flames.
"Ladders ready!"
Covered by the archers, the first line of light infantry made their advance on the walls and began scaling them, using the ladders, or just grabbing onto loose stones or whatever they could to make their way up. The underequipped, unprepared defenders tried to fight back, but they were quickly cut down by the infantry's javelins, arrows, or swords.
The soldiers then leaped down, slayed any defenders rushing forward and pushing open the gates.
"NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!" I boomed out, "STORM THE GATES!!!"
YOU ARE READING
Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia
Historical FictionLucretia Aurelia Appius was only fourteen years old when soldiers ordered by Pompey the Great slayed her father and mother in front of her. They would have claimed her life as well, just for being her father's daughter, had she not miraculously run...
